Page 119 - GHES-2-3

Global Health Economics and
Sustainability
Prevalence and causes of medication transcription errors

Table 2. Transcription errors classified by type
Transcription error n (%)
Wrong dose 7 (18.4)
Missing dosage form 3 (7.9)
Missing frequency 2 (5.3)
Omission of stop medication order 10 (26.3)
Omission of new medication order 11 (28.9)
Wrong frequency 3 (7.9)
Wrong name 2 (5.3)
Figure 2. Prevalence of transcription error. Image created using Microsoft
Excel
Table 3. Medications involved in transcription errors using
WHO ATC classification
Drug ATC Pharmacological or therapeutic group n (%)
code
A06 Drugs for constipation 1 (2.6)
A07 Antidiarrheal 1 (2.6)
A10 Drugs used in diabetes 3 (7.9)
B01 Antithrombotic agents 1 (2.6)
B03 Anti-anemic preparations 1 (2.6)
C08 Calcium channel blockers 2 (5.3)
H02 Corticosteroids for systemic use 1 (2.6)
J01 Antibacterials for systemic use 21 (55.3)
Figure 3. Stages where transcription errors occurred. Image created using M01 Anti-inflammatory and anti-rheumatic products 2 (5.3)
Microsoft Excel
N02 Analgesics 3 (7.9)
were married. The mean age of participants was N03 Antiepileptics 1 (2.6)
32.22 ± 4.90 years, with a mean service experience of N04 Anti-Parkinson drugs 1 (2.6)
3.89 ± 3.47 years as nurse practitioners (Table 4). Abbreviation: WHO ATC: World Health Organization Anatomic
Most of the surveyed nurses (90.7%) believed that Therapeutic Chemical.
illegible prescriber writings lead to transcription errors.
In addition, 87% of nurses felt that distractions during Table 4. Demographic characteristics of nurses in the general
transcribing contributed to errors. Forty-two nurses and pediatric wards
(74.8%) believed that a high workload could lead to Variable Pediatric General Total
transcription errors, 74.1% agreed that negligence from ward ward
staff could contribute to errors, and 70.4% attributed Sex (n [%])
inadequate knowledge of medicines as a potential cause Male 3 (15.8) 8 (22.9) 11 (20.4)
of MTEs. The detailed distribution of the responses is
outlined in Table 5. Female 16 (84.2) 27 (77.1) 43 (79.6)
Marital status (n [%])
4. Discussion Single 10 (52.6) 13 (37.1) 23 (42.6)
In the present study, MTEs were common among Married 9 (47.4) 22 (62.9) 31 (57.4)
hospitalized patients, occurring in one out of every Age (mean±SD years) 31.47±5.99 31.09±4.33 31.22±4.90
four patients. Almost half of all errors occurred during Years of service (mean±SD years) 3.71±5.05 3.85±2.43 3.80±3.47
transcription to both the medication administration sheet
and the individual dispensing card. With regards to the illegible prescriptions, distractions, high workload, and
type of errors, omissions of a stop or a new medication negligence as the most likely causes of transcription errors.
order were the most frequent. Furthermore, antibacterials
for systemic use were involved in more than half of all The rate of MTEs observed in our study was higher
MTEs that occurred. The nurses in the wards identified than that reported in an earlier study of hospitalized

Volume 2 Issue 3 (2024) 4 https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.2457