Children at Greater Risk of Suffering Medication Errors at Emergency Rooms
October 8, 2002
In a new report on the safety hazards children face during hospital emergency room visits, researchers say that ten percent of pediatric patients receive the wrong amount or type of medication. As part of a study published in this month's issue of Pediatrics, physicians with the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto analyzed medical records from 1,532 children treated in the emergency room of a pediatric hospital.
According to the report, children seen between 4 AM and 8 AM, those seen on weekends, and children suffering from severe diseases are up to two and one-half times more likely to be subjected to a prescription error than other pediatric patients. Dosing and drug frequency mistakes involving antihistamines, acetaminophen and antibiotics were the most common errors seen, reveals the report.
Researchers are suggesting that improved child safety procedures be implemented at pediatric hospitals nationwide to reduce future medication errors.
-- Article Courtesy of InjuryBoard.com
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