Abstract:

Introduction: Medication error is any preventable event that may cause harm to a patient is known as medication error. Errors happen due to the lack of knowledge, poor performance and psychological lapses. In this pharmacist has a major role along with physicians, nurses, and administrators to examine and improve health-care system in order to ensure the patient safety. Objective: The objective of the following study is to determine the frequency, causes and types of medication errors in the secondary care intensive care unit. Methods: All medical records of the intensive care unit patients, above 14 years of age, with co-morbid / non-co-morbid conditions and occupation, caste and gender were checked for medication errors for a period of 06 months at Government headquarters hospital, Udhagamandalam. Results: According to the results of this study 116 medication errors were found in 103 patients in the intensive care unit. The number of medication errors was higher in men than in women. The most common type of medication error was prescription error, which were illegible handwriting, the use of lookalike drugs and incomplete dose, dosage and frequency information. Discussion and Conclusion: Considering the results of this study, it is important to increase awareness among the health care professionals of various stature about the significance of medication errors. It is also necessary to change the existing prescribing techniques and clearly differentiate the lookalike drugs to avoid the medication errors.

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