Medical errors in neonatal intensive care unit at Benha University Hospital, Egypt

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted in the neonatal intensive care unit of Benha University Hospital, Egypt from 1 August 2012 to the 31 January 2013 to identify medical errors and to determine the risk factors and consequences of these errors. Errors were detected by follow-up of neonates and review of reports including nursing follow-up sheets, resident progression notes and investigation reports. We detected 3819 errors that affected 97% of neonates. Types of errors included 403 medication errors [10.55% of total errors], 652 errors in daily routine procedures [17.07%], 1042 errors in invasive procedures [27.28%], 68 errors in nutrition [1.78%], 63 equipment errors [1.64%], 260 administration errors [6.8%], 656 staffing errors [17.18%], 107 environmental errors [2.8%], 448 infection control errors [11.73%] and 120 nosocomial infection errors [3.14%]. Medical errors were high in low birth weight, low gestational age neonates and increased with duration of admission