European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

A STUDY ON ROLE OF CLINICAL PHARMACIST IN MEDICATION ERRORS AND ITS MANAGEMENT

Sai Theja Guduru*, M. Venkata Kishore, M. Chakradhar, S. K. Karishma, T. Lakshmi Prasooneswari and Dr. M. Alagusundaram

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Medication errors may be defined as “Any preventable event that may cause or lead to inappropriate medication use or patient harm while the medication is in the control of the healthcare professional, patient, or consumer”. Medication error occur due to inadequate drug knowledge and experience, overworked or fatigued health care professionals, poor communication between health care professionals and with patients, patient characteristic. Aim: To assess the medication errors among medications prescribed to the patients there by minimizing medication related problems and improve the patient care. Results: Medication errors are classified into 8 categories in that are Prescribing errors are found to be 80(54.42%), Omission error 9(6.12%), Dose error 24 (16.32%), Dosage form error 8(5.44%), Administrative technique error 10(6.80%), Unauthorized error 0, Wrong time error 7(4.76%), Compliance error 9(6.12%). In total 147 medication errors out of 52(34.37) medications were reached to the patients and remaining 95(64.62) in that 40were reduced and 55 were prevented. Conclusion: The quality of patient care is gritty by the quality of infrastructure, quality of preparation, capability of personnel and good organization of operational systems. No patients should be debilitated with medication errors. Medication errors can be preventable through effectual comprehensive system involving clinical pharmacists, physicians, nurses and patients. Our study also aids in improving the safe and effective use of drugs in our hospital. Our study also helped to define the significant role of the clinical pharmacist in assessing and controlling medication errors.

Keywords: Medication errors, Prescriptions, Side effects.