TITLE:
Medication Error (ME) in the Pediatrics Service of the University Teaching Hospital (CHU) of Bouaké (Côte d’Ivoire)
AUTHORS:
Kouadio Vincent Asse, Kossonou Roland Yeboua, Richard Azagoh-Kouadio, Kouassi Christian Yao, Koko Aude Aka-Tanoh, Christelle Avi, Mocket Adolphe Ehouman, Kouie Jeannot Plo
KEYWORDS:
Pediatrics, Medication Error, Hospitalization, Ivory Coast
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Pediatrics,
Vol.8 No.2,
June
7,
2018
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Medication error (ME) is a common cause of childhood morbidity and mortality
reported in developed countries. It has not yet been described in the pediatric
services in Cote d’Ivoire. Objective: To evaluate ME in pediatrics for the
improvement of professional practice. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional,
descriptive and analytical study conducted in the service of pediatrics at the University
Teaching Hospital (CHU) of Bouaké from January 11 to February 25, 2016. It involved
204 children hospitalized and treated with drugs. The variables studied were the
prescription, dispensing and administration of the drugs. Results: A total
of 483 prescriptions notes were recorded for 733 therapeutic lines, i.e. 2.3 prescriptions notes and 3.6 lines
per child. The overall prevalence of ME was 31% (prescription 83%, dispensing 0%,
administration 11%). The prescription error concerned the illegible writing (20%),
the omission of the stamp & signature (47%), the omission of the date (33%),
weight (66%), age (25%) and name of the child (9%).The drug name and the dosage
were incorrect in 99% and 1% respectively. Regarding the administration error, care
was provided by a person without a nursing qualification in 65.5% of cases. On the
patient’s care record, the care giver’s name was omitted in 100%, the child’s name
in 57% and the date in 47%. The route of administration and the administered dose
were each incorrect in 5%. The student nurses and assistant nurse caregivers
committed more prescription errors than doctors and nurses and midwives (p= 0,000 X2 = 44.91). Administration
error was not significantly related to the service, the socio-professional category,
the gender and the age of the patient. Conclusion: EM is common in pediatrics
at the University Teaching Hospital (CHU) of Bouaké. To prevent it, it is necessary
to strengthen the staff’s capacity to prescribe and administer the drug in children.