Miscommunication is leading cause of ICU medication errors
Executive Briefings Digest, March 7, 2006
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Miscommunication and improper IV pump programming are major factors in hospital intensive care unit (ICU) medication errors, according to the United States Pharmacopeia's MEDMARX® Data Report, issued in February.
The drug standards authority noted that communication remains the biggest cause of ICU medication errors. Prescribing errors totaled 24.4% of the total reported errors between 2000 and 2004, whereas mistakes in transcribing medical orders represented 24% of the total errors. Incomplete orders, illegible handwriting, and misunderstood abbreviations were the major causes of these errors.
The study used data from 38,371 reported medical errors collected in surgical, general, medical, and coronary ICUs between 2000 and 2004.
Source: Hospital Pharmacy Regulation Report
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