Polypharmacy and high-alert medications in patients with nasally placed feeding tube on admission and at hospital discharge: Multicenter cross-sectional study.

Background: Polypharmacy and the use of high-alert medications in patients with nasally placed feeding tube (NPFT) increase the risks of drug related problems. Objective: Characterize drugs prescribed to patients with NPFT and compare the rates of polypharmacy and high-alert medication use at admission and hospital discharge. Design and setting: Multicenter cross-sectional study with 327 participants. Methods: Data of patients with NPFT were obtained from the medical records and recorded in an electronic data collection tool. Mean number of drugs, polypharmacy and number of high-alert medications prescribed on admission and at discharge were compared using Wilcoxon or McNemar's tests. Generalized Estimating Equations analyzed the relationship between polypharmacy and high-alert medications according to age and time point. Primary reason for hospital admission, level of consciousness, severity of comorbid diseases and patient care complexity were also assessed. Results: Most patients were male, older people, hospitalized for circulatory system diseases and had at least one comorbidity. On admission, a significant number of patients were alert (59.9%), at high risk for death (43.1%) and high dependent on nursing care (35.4%). Additionally, 92% patients were on polypharmacy on admission, versus 84.7% at hospital discharge (p = 0,0011). The occurrence of polypharmacy was independent of age (p = 0.2377). >17% of all drugs prescribed were high-alert medications, with no statistically significant difference between admission and discharge (p = 0,3957). There was no statistical evidence that the use of high-alert medications increases with age (n = 0,5426). Conclusions: These results support the planning of multidisciplinary qualified actions for patients using NPFT.

Child Age and Risk of Medication Error: A Multisite Children's Hospital Study.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine associations between patient age and medication errors among pediatric inpatients. STUDY DESIGN: Secondary analysis of data sets generated from 2 tertiary pediatric hospitals: (1) prescribing errors identified from chart reviews for patients on 9 general wards at hospital A during April 22 to July 10, 2016, June 20 to September 20, 2017, and June 20 to September 30, 2020; prescribing errors from 5 wards at hospital B in the same periods and (2) medication administration errors assessed by direct prospective observation of 5137 administrations on 9 wards at hospital A. Multilevel models examined the association between patient age and medication errors. Age was modeled using restricted cubic splines to allow for nonlinearity. RESULTS: Prescribing errors increased nonlinearly with patient age (P = .01), showing little association from ages 0 to 3 years and then increasing with age until around 10 years and remaining constant through the teenage years. Administration errors increased with patient age, with no association from 0 to around 8 years and then a steady rise with increasing age (P = .03). The association differed by route: linear for oral, no association for intravenous infusions, and U-shaped for intravenous injections. CONCLUSIONS: Older age is an unrecognized risk factor for medication error on general wards in pediatric hospitals. Contributors to risk may be the clinical profiles of these older children or the general level of attention paid to medication practices for this group. Further investigation may allow the design of more targeted interventions to reduce errors.

A cross exploratory analysis between nursing working conditions and the occurrence of errors in the northeast region of Brazil.

OBJECTIVES: Analyze and verify the association between working conditions and the occurrence of errors in nursing work. BACKGROUND: Many of the known errors in nursing are based on the structural failure of the complex health service system. Our study addresses the question "Is there an association between errors made by nursing workers and working conditions?" METHODS: The study was carried out through a cross-sectional exploratory analysis of 19 ethical-disciplinary processes focused on errors made by nursing workers. The articles were processed, judged, and archived at the Regional Nursing Councils of the Northeast Region of Brazil from 2000 to 2018. The chi-square test or Fisher's exact test was used to verify the relationship between the variables through multivariate analysis. RESULTS: The analyzes show that working conditions can interfere at occurrence in error. This increases the chance of an "inconsequential" error occurring for the patient in poor/very poor working conditions. The most serious errors, "with consequences irreversible" for the patient, only occur from more severe working conditions. Adversely, it was found that there is no statistically significant difference in the frequency of errors in hospitals (33.33 %) compared to "other places" (28.58 %) when these occurred in poor working conditions. When conducting the incident in poor working conditions, there was a minimum of 52 % protection OR = 0.48 % [0.16; 11.80]; (1-0.48)) against these errors in general in the nursing area. CONCLUSION: The strong association was exposed in working conditions classified as bad/very bad/very bad, resulting in the most serious errors and with irreversible consequences for patients. However, a level of protection for different types of workers was noticed in the field, which shows that there is hope that if the work environment changes with more organization, management, and standards of care, we can prevent future errors.

Incidence of drug-related adverse events related to the use of high-alert drugs: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

Background: High-alert medication (HAM) is more predictable to cause significant harm to the patient, even when used as intended. The damage related to the HAM lead not only suffering to the patient, but also raise the additional costs associated with care. Objective: Evaluate the incidence of drug-related adverse events related to the use of high-alert medications. Methods: It was conducted an active search for information through COCHRANE databases, LILACS, SciELO, SCOPUS, PubMed/MEDLINE and WEB OF SCIENCE. The search strategy included the following terms: "Patient safety", "Medication errors" and "Hospital" and "High Alert Medications" or "Dangerous Drugs" in different combinations. Then two reviewers independently conducted a preliminary evaluation of relevant titles, abstracts and finally full-text. Studies quality was evaluated according to PRISMA declaration. Results: The systematic review evaluated seven articles, which showed that only 11 HAM identified in the literature could have serious events. The most frequently cited were warfarin (22.2%) which progressed from deep vein thrombosis to gangrene, suggesting lower initial doses, followed by cyclophosphamide (22.2%) and cyclosporine (22.2%) which presented invasive fungal infection and death. In addition to these, morphine was compared with its active metabolite (M6G), with M6G causing fewer serious clinical events related to nausea and vomiting, reducing the need for concomitant use of antiemetics. Conclusions: The most reported drug classes in the articles included that were related to incidence of drug-related adverse events in use of high-alert medications: morphine, M6G-glucuronide, haloperidol, promethazine, ivabradine, digoxin, warfarin, ximelagatran, cyclophosphamide, cyclosporine, and ATG. The formulate protocols for the use of these medications, with importance placed on evaluating, among the classes, the medication that causes the least harm.

Analysis of pharmaceutical interventions in chemotherapy prescriptions of adult and pediatric patients at an oncology reference institute.

Chemotherapy, one of the primary cancer treatments, has a high risk of causing significant harm in cases of its misuse. Pharmaceutical intervention is one of the strategies used to prevent medication errors from reaching the patient by identifying drug-related problems or other discrepancies related to patient data or medical progress. The primary objective of this study was to analyze the profile of the pharmaceutical intervention made in chemotherapy prescriptions for adult and pediatric patients in order to measure its impact on patient safety. A retrospective cross-sectional and observational study was conducted at a reference center for cancer treatment in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Pharmaceutical interventions performed in chemotherapy prescriptions from January to October 2022 were quantified, classified, and analyzed by their type, most common medicine, and acceptability. From the patients treated in the period, 220 (14.8%) adults and 64 (23.4%) children and teenagers received at least one pharmaceutical intervention. The most common types for adults were dose adjustments: overdose (22.5%) and underdose (22.5%). However, in pediatry, incompleteness of supporting drug protocol (22.1%) was the most registered. The most common medicines involved in pharmaceutical intervention were carboplatin (for adults) and electrolytes/hydration (for pediatric patients). Pharmaceutical intervention acceptability by prescriptors was very similar, reaching 80.4% for adults and 77.9% for pediatrics. The pharmaceutical intervention profile was quite distinct by virtue of the singularities of each population. The pharmacists' role was shown to be paramount in intercepting medication errors in the prescription of chemotherapy protocols, contributing to patient safety.

Estimating the impact of label design on reducing the risk of medication errors by applying HEART in drug administration.

Medication errors are one of the biggest problems in healthcare. The medicines' poor labelling design (i.e. look-alike labels) is a well-recognised risk for potential confusion, wrong administration, and patient damage. Human factors and ergonomics (HFE) encourages the human-centred design of system elements, which might reduce medication errors and improve people's well-being and system performance. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study is twofold: (i) to use a human reliability analysis technique to evaluate a medication administration task within a simulated scenario of a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and (ii) to estimate the impact of a human-centred design (HCD) label in medication administration compared to a look-alike (LA) label. METHOD: This paper used a modified version of the human error assessment and reduction technique (HEART) to analyse a medication administration task in a simulated NICU scenario. The modified technique involved expert nurses quantifying the likelihood of unreliability of a task and rating the conditions, including medicine labels, which most affect the successful completion of the task. RESULTS: Findings suggest that error producing conditions (EPCs), such as a shortage of time available for error detection and correction, no independent checking of output, and distractions, might increase human error probability (HEP) in administering medications. Results also showed that the assessed HEP and the relative percentage of contribution to unreliability reduced by more than 40% when the HCD label was evaluated compared to the LA label. CONCLUSION: Including labelling design based on HFE might help increase human reliability when administering medications under critical conditions.

Labelling of intravenous drug delivery devices in critically ill patients: A scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Labelling is a strategy that contributes to the correct and faster identification of drugs, minimizing misidentification. There is a gap in knowledge on optimal labelling standards for intravenous (IV) devices applied to the care of critically ill patients. AIM: The goal of this article was to map existing knowledge on the labelling of IV drug delivery devices in critically ill patients for the prevention of medication errors. STUDY DESIGN: This was a scoping review conducted according to the JBI methodology in the LILACS, MEDLINE, CINAHL, IBECS, Scopus, Embase and Web of Science databases, and on the websites of specialized institutions. Searches were conducted up to December 2022 for scientific articles and grey literature that addressed the labelling of IV devices in intensive care units, emergency departments, and anaesthesia units. The data were collected using a structured form and were later classified, summarized, and aggregated to map the knowledge related to the review question. RESULTS: Twenty-one documents were included, which demonstrated variability in label use with IV drug delivery devices. The following features of structure and design stood out: printed format, colour coding, letter size differentiation, and the use of sturdy material. In terms of information, the name of the drug, dose, date and time of preparation, identification of the patient, and who prepared it were found. CONCLUSIONS: The identified patterns contributed to the reduction of drug misidentification and the development of timelier drug labelling and administration. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The evidence supports the development of standardized labels for the prevention of medication errors.

Prevalence of errors causing events allegedly attributable to vaccination/immunization: systematic review and meta-analysis / Prevalencia de errores causantes de acontecimientos supuestamente atribuibles a la vacunación/inmunización: revisión sistemática y metanálisis / Prevalência de erros que causaram eventos supostamente atribuíveis à vacinação/imunização: revisão sistemática e metanálise

ABSTRACT Objective: To identify the prevalence of errors that caused events supposedly attributable to vaccination or immunization. Method: Systematic literature review with meta-analysis carried out on the Medline, Cochrane Library, Cinahl, Web of Science, Lilacs, Scopus; Embase; Open Grey; Google Scholar; and Grey Lit databases; with studies that presented the prevalence of immunization errors that caused events or that provided data that allowed this indicator to be calculated. Results: We evaluated 11 articles published between 2010 and 2021, indicating a prevalence of 0.044 errors per 10,000 doses administered (n=762; CI95%: 0.026 - 0.075; I2 = 99%, p < 0.01). The prevalence was higher in children under 5 (0.334 / 10,000 doses; n=14). The predominant events were fever, local pain, edema and redness. Conclusion: A low prevalence of errors causing events was identified. However, events supposedly attributable to vaccination or immunization can contribute to vaccine hesitancy and, consequently, have an impact on vaccination coverage.

RESUMEN Objetivo: Identificar la prevalencia de errores que causaron eventos supuestamente atribuibles a la vacunación o inmunización. Método: Revisión sistemática de la literatura con metaanálisis realizada en las bases de datos Medline, Cochrane Library, Cinahl, Web of Science, Lilacs, Scopus; Embase; Open Grey; Google Scholar; y Grey Lit; con estudios que presentaran la prevalencia de errores de inmunización que causaron eventos o que aportaran datos que permitieran calcular este indicador. Resultados: Se evaluaron 11 artículos publicados entre 2010 y 2021, indicando una prevalencia de 0,044 errores por cada 10.000 dosis administradas (n=762; IC95%: 0,026 - 0,075; I2 = 99%, p < 0,01). La prevalencia fue mayor en niños menores de 5 años (0,334 / 10.000 dosis; n=14). Los eventos predominantes fueron fiebre, dolor local, edema y enrojecimiento. Conclusión: Se identificó una baja prevalencia de eventos causantes de errores. Sin embargo, los eventos supuestamente atribuibles a la vacunación o inmunización pueden contribuir a la indecisión sobre la vacunación y, en consecuencia, repercutir en la cobertura vacunal.

RESUMO Objetivo: Identificar a prevalência de erros que causaram eventos supostamente atribuíveis à vacinação ou imunização. Método: Revisão sistemática da literatura com metanálise realizada nas bases Medline, Cochrane Library, Cinahl, Web of Science, Lilacs, Scopus; Embase; Open Grey; Google Scholar; e Grey Lit; com estudos que apresentassem prevalência de erros de imunização que causaram eventos ou que disponibilizassem dados que permitissem o cálculo deste indicador. Resultados: Avaliou-se 11 artigos publicados entre 2010 e 2021, apontando prevalência de 0,044 erros por 10.000 doses administradas (n=762; IC95%: 0,026 - 0,075; I2= 99%, p < 0,01). A prevalência foi maior em crianças menores de 5 anos (0,334 / 10.000 doses; n=14). Quanto aos eventos, predominou-se: febre, dor local, edema, rubor. Conclusão: Identificou-se uma prevalência baixa de erros que causaram eventos. Entretanto, os eventos supostamente atribuíveis à vacinação ou imunização podem contribuir para a hesitação vacinal e, consequentemente, impactar nas coberturas vacinais.

Root cause analysis of safety incidents in antineoplastic use in children / Análisis de causa raíz de incidentes de seguridad en el uso de antineoplásicos en niños / Análise de causa raiz de incidentes de segurança na utilização de antineoplásicos em crianças

ABSTRACT Objectives: to identify and analyze the factors that contribute to safety incident occurrence in the processes of prescribing, preparing and dispensing antineoplastic medications in pediatric oncology patients. Methods: a quality improvement study focused on oncopediatric pharmaceutical care processes that identified and analyzed incidents between 2019-2020. A multidisciplinary group performed root cause analysis (RCA), identifying main contributing factors. Results: in 2019, seven incidents were recorded, 57% of which were prescription-related. In 2020, through active search, 34 incidents were identified, 65% relating to prescription, 29% to preparation and 6% to dispensing. The main contributing factors were interruptions, lack of electronic alert, work overload, training and staff shortages. Conclusions: the results showed that adequate recording and application of RCA to identified incidents can provide improvements in the quality of pediatric oncology care, mapping contributing factors and enabling managers to develop an effective action plan to mitigate risks associated with the process.

RESUMEN Objetivos: identificar y analizar los factores que contribuyen a la ocurrencia de incidentes de seguridad en los procesos de prescripción, preparación y dispensación de medicamentos antineoplásicos en pacientes pediátricos con cáncer. Métodos: estudio de mejora de la calidad centrado en los procesos de atención farmacéutica oncopediátrica que identificó y analizó incidencias entre 2019-2020. Un grupo multidisciplinario realizó un análisis de causa raíz (ACR), identificando los factores contribuyentes clave. Resultados: en 2019 se registraron siete incidentes, el 57% relacionados con la prescripción. En 2020, mediante búsqueda activa se identificaron 34 incidencias, el 65% relacionadas con la prescripción, el 29% con la preparación y el 6% con la dispensación. Los principales factores contribuyentes fueron las interrupciones, la falta de alerta electrónica, la sobrecarga de trabajo, la capacitación y la escasez de personal. Conclusiones: los resultados mostraron que el registro adecuado y la aplicación del ACR a los incidentes identificados pueden proporcionar mejora de la calidad de la atención del cáncer pediátrico mediante el mapeo de los factores contribuyentes y permitiendo a los administradores desarrollar un plan de acción eficaz para mitigar los riesgos asociados con el proceso.

RESUMO Objetivos: identificar e analisar os fatores contribuintes para ocorrência de incidentes de segurança nos processos de prescrição, preparo e dispensação de medicamentos antineoplásicos em pacientes oncopediátricos. Métodos: estudo de melhoria da qualidade focado nos processos de assistência farmacêutica oncopediátrica que identificou e analisou incidentes entre 2019-2020. Um grupo multidisciplinar realizou análise de causa raiz (ACR), identificando principais fatores contribuintes. Resultados: em 2019, registraram-se sete incidentes, sendo 57% relacionados à prescrição. Em 2020, através de busca ativa, identificaram-se 34 incidentes, sendo 65% relativos à prescrição, 29% ao preparo e 6% à dispensação. Os principais fatores contribuintes foram interrupções, ausência de alerta eletrônico, sobrecarga de trabalho, treinamento e déficit de funcionários. Conclusões: os resultados mostraram que registro adequado e aplicação da ACR aos incidentes identificados podem proporcionar melhoria na qualidade do cuidado oncopediátrico mapeando os fatores contribuintes e possibilitando aos gestores desenvolverem plano de ação efetivo para mitigar riscos associados ao processo.

Estratégia educacional para aprimoramento do processo de administração de medicamentos / Educational strategy to improve the medication administration process

Este estudo teve por objetivo analisar o processo de administração de medicamentos em um hospital público estadual antes e após uma intervenção educativa sobre a temática, aplicada a profissionais de enfermagem. Trata-se de um estudo quase-experimental, com delineamento tempo-série, com abordagem quantitativa. Foi desenvolvida e aplicada uma intervenção educativa baseada na metodologia da problematização com o Arco de Maguerez, e utilizada a observação direta não participante para a comparação do processo de administração de medicamentos antes e após a intervenção. A amostra foi constituída por observações de 266 doses de medicamentos preparadas e administradas por 19 técnicos de enfermagem. Para a coleta de dados foi utilizado um formulário para obter informações socio-demográficas e de caracterização dos profissionais, além de um roteiro de observação com 41 itens para avaliar o processo de administração de medicamentos, de acordo com os nove certos, preconizados pelo Protocolo de Segurança na Prescrição, Uso e Administração de Medicamentos (BRASIL, 2013). Os dados foram codificados e processados no software IBM® SPSS® versão 22, por meio de análise descritiva de frequência, porcentagem, Teste do Qui-Quadrado de Pearson e Teste Exato de Fisher. Dos participantes, a maioria (94,7%) era do gênero feminino, 73,6% tinham mais de seis anos de formação profissional, 52,6% participaram de alguma espécie de curso ou capacitação desde a conclusão do curso de formação profissional e 26,3% tinham conhecimento do Protocolo de Segurança na Prescrição, Uso e Administração de Medicamentos da ANVISA. Entre os 41 itens analisados 11 (27%) não ocorreram durante as observações, 14 (34%) apresentaram melhora estatisticamente significativa nos seus índices na fase pós intervenção (p<0,001), 9 (22%) mantiveram-se semelhantes antes e após a intervenção, 6 (15%) não apresentaram alterações nos índices entre as fases de observação e 1 (2%) apresentou melhora entre as fases. Conclui-se que uma intervenção educativa pode contribuir de maneira positiva no processo de administração de medicamentos na perspectiva da segurança do paciente, agregando conhecimento, competências e melhoria nas ações.

This study aimed to analyze the medication administration process in a state public hospital before and after an educational intervention on the subject, applied to nursing professionals. This is a quasi-experimental study, with a time-series design, with a quantitative approach. An educational intervention was developed and applied based on the problematization methodology with the Arch of Maguerez, and non-participant direct observation was used to compare the medication administration process before and after the intervention. The sample consisted of observations of 266 doses of medication prepared and administered by 19 nursing technicians. For data collection, a form was used to obtain socio-demographic information and characterization of professionals, in addition to an observation script of 41 items to evaluate the medication administration process, according to the nine rights, recommended by the Protocol of Safety in the Prescription, Use and Administration of Medicines (BRASIL, 2013). Data were coded and processed using IBM® SPSS® software, version 22, through descriptive analysis of frequency, percentage, Pearson's Chi-Square Test and Fisher's Exact Test. Of the participants, the majority (94.7%) were female, 73.6% had more than six years of professional training, 52.6% participated in some kind of course or training since completing the professional training course, and 26.3% were aware of ANVISA's Protocol for Safety in the Prescription, Use and Administration of Medications. Among the 41 items analyzed, 11 (27%) did not occur during the observations, 14 (34%) had an statistically significant improvement in their indices in the post-intervention phase (p<0.001), 9 (22%) remained similar before and after the intervention, 6 (15%) presented no differences in the indices between the observation phases and 1 (2%) resulted in the improvement of the process When comparing pre and post observation phases. It is concluded that an educational intervention can positively contribute to the medication administration process from the perspective of patient safety, adding knowledge, skills and improvement in actions.

Erros de medicação na mídia brasileira / Medication errors in the brazilian media

Objetivos: identificar e descrever as notícias sobre erros de medicação ocorridos no Brasil e divulgados na mídia digital brasileira. Metodológia: pesquisa de caráter exploratório, com dados coletados em notícias de mídias digitais do Brasil entre 2015 e 2019. A busca das notícias sobre erros de medicação foi realizada no Google®. Os casos divulgados na mídia foram descritos conforme o tipo e a classificação do erro, medicamento e profissional envolvido na ocorrência do erro, características do paciente que sofreu o erro e local onde o erro ocorreu. Resultados: dos 20 erros noticiados identificados na busca, foram encontrados 11 casos de erros com morte (55,0%), seis casos de erros com dano (30,0%) e três casos de erros sem danos (15,0%). Dos 23 pacientes envolvidos nos erros, 14 pertenciam a grupos de extremos etários, sendo nove pacientes pediátricos (39,1%) e cinco pacientes geriátricos (21,8%). Quanto ao tipo de erro, quatro casos noticiados envolvendo erros de prescrição (20,0%), cinco reportando erros de dispensação (25,0%), 10 erros de administração (50,0%), e um envolvendo erro de dispensação e administração concomitantemente (5,0%). Dentre os 11 casos de erros com morte do paciente, oito traziam a informação sobre qual medicamento estava envolvido no erro, sendo seis deles considerados medicamentos potencialmente perigosos (MPP). Conclusão: os resultados do presente estudo apontam para a necessidade de implementação de melhorias nos estabelecimentos de saúde em geral ­ farmácias, drogarias, hospitais, centros de saúde ­ no que tange a prevenção de erros de medicação. Para isso, devem ser priorizadas iniciativas envolvendo os sistemas de medicação com elevada efetividade, sobretudo em contextos de situações de alto risco como uso de MPP e cuidado a pacientes em extremos etários

Aims: to identify and describe the news about medication errors that occurred in Brazil and were published in the Brazilian digital media. Methods: exploratory research, with data collected in news from digital media in Brazil, between 2015 and 2019. The search for news about medication errors was carried out on Google®. The cases published in the media were described according to the type and classification of the error, medication and professional involved in the occurrence of the error, characteristics of the patient who suffered the error and place where the error occurred. Results: of the 20 reported errors identified in the search, 11 cases of errors with death (55.0%), six cases of errors with harm (30.0%) and three cases of errors without harm (15.0%) were found. Of the 23 patients involved in the errors, 14 belonged to extreme age groups, nine pediatric patients (39.1%) and five geriatric patients (21.8%). As for the type of error, four reported cases involving prescription errors (20.0%), five reporting dispensing errors (25.0%), 10, administration errors (50.0%) and one involving concurrent dispensing and administration error (5.0%). Among the 11 cases of errors resulting in patient death, eight contained information about which medication was involved in the error, six of which were considered high alert medications. Conclusions: the results of this study point to the need to implement improvements in health institutions in general - pharmacies, drugstores, hospitals, health centers - with regard to the prevention of medication errors. For this, initiatives involving medication systems with high effectiveness should be prioritized, especially in contexts of high-risk situations such as the use of high alert medications and care for patients at extremes of age

Nurseped: tecnología educativa para la seguridad en el manejo de antibióticos intravenosos en pediatría / Nurseped: educational technology for safety in the management of intravenous antibiotics in pediatrics / Nurseped: tecnologia educacional para a segurança no manejo de antibióticos endovenosos em pediatria

Objetivo: desarrollar y validar el contenido de un serious game sobre el manejo seguro de medicamentos intravenosos en pediatría. Método: estudio metodológico para el desarrollo y validación de contenido de una tecnología educativa. Los casos y desafíos del serious game se basaron en una revisión de la literatura y fueron validados por 11 enfermeros con formación y experiencia en el área. Se adoptaron índices de validez de contenido y concordancia para el análisis de concordancia y consistencia interna (mínimo de 0,8). Resultados: el contenido se basa en los principales antibióticos utilizados en el manejo clínico de infecciones en niños hospitalizados y en la seguridad del paciente. Se obtuvo una concordancia absoluta en 60 de los 61 ítems evaluados, y el mínimo obtenido fue de 0,82 en el índice de validación de contenido y 0,80 en concordancia. Los expertos sugirieron ajustes en la formulación de respuestas de un caso específico y se implementaron para mejorar la calidad del contenido de la tecnología. Conclusión: el contenido del serious game Nurseped fue validado por enfermeros expertos en salud infantil en cuanto a casos clínicos, enunciados de preguntas y respuestas de opción múltiple, además del feedback que presenta al usuario una respuesta basada en evidencia tras acertar o fallar en el desafío.

Objective: to develop and validate the content of a serious game on the safe management of intravenous medications in pediatrics. Method: methodological study for the development and content validation of an educational technology. The cases and challenges of the serious game were developed based on a literature review and validated by 11 nurses with training and experience in the area. Content validity and agreement indices were adopted to analyze agreement and internal consistency (minimum of 0.8). Results: the content is based on the main antibiotics used in the clinical management of infections in hospitalized children and patient safety. Absolute agreement was obtained in 60 of the 61 items evaluated, and the minimum obtained was 0.82 in the content validation index and 0.80 in agreement. Adjustments were suggested by experts in the response statement for a specific case and implemented to improve the quality of the technology content. Conclusion: the content of the serious game Nurseped was validated by nurse experts in child health regarding clinical cases, question statements and multiple-choice answers, in addition to feedback that presents the user with an evidence-based answer after getting the challenge right or wrong.

Objetivo: desenvolver e validar o conteúdo de um serious game sobre o manejo seguro de medicamentos endovenosos em pediatria. Método: estudo metodológico para o desenvolvimento e validação de conteúdo de uma tecnologia educacional. Os casos e desafios do serious game foram desenvolvidos com base em revisão da literatura e validados por 11 enfermeiros com formação e atuação na área. Adotou-se os índices de validade de conteúdo e concordância, para análise de concordância e consistência interna (mínimo de 0,8). Resultados: o conteúdo é baseado nos principais antibióticos utilizados no manejo clínico de infecções em crianças hospitalizadas e na segurança do paciente. Obteve-se concordância absoluta em 60 dos 61 itens avaliados, o mínimo obtido foi 0,82 no índice de validação de conteúdo e 0,80 na concordância. Ajustes foram sugeridos pelos experts no enunciado de respostas de um caso específico e implementados para o aprimoramento da qualidade do conteúdo da tecnologia. Conclusão: o conteúdo do serious game Nurseped foi validado por enfermeiros experts em saúde da criança quanto aos casos clínicos, aos enunciados das perguntas e às respostas de múltipla escolha, além do feedback que apresenta ao usuário uma resposta baseada em evidências após o acerto ou erro do desafio.

Atención farmacéutica en pacientes con inmunodeficiencia adquirida y/o tuberculosis en el área ambulatoria de un hospital pediátrico / Pharmacovigilance in patients with acquired immunodeficiency and/or tuberculosis in the outpatient area of a pediatric hospital

La Atención farmacéutica (AF) ayuda a los pacientes a alcanzar objetivos terapéuticos reduciendo los problemas relacionados al medicamento (PRM). Objetivos: analizar los PRM en la práctica de la AF a pacientes con inmunodeficiencia adquirida (IDA) y/o tuberculosis (TBC) y evaluar su impacto. Método: estudio, descriptivo, observacional, en el área ambulatoria de Farmacia. Se incluyeron pacientes con IDA y/o TBC con: inicio de tratamiento, polifarmacia, reinternaciones frecuentes, regular/mala adherencia, reacciones adversas a medicamentos (RAM) previas y/o comorbilidades. Se entrevistaron pacientes o cuidadores y se registraron PRM, errores, grados de adherencia y conocimiento farmacoterapéutico, retiro oportuno de medicamentos y parámetros clínicos. Se registró la intervención farmacéutica y entregó material educativo. Se repitieron las mediciones en una segunda entrevista. Resultados: Se estudiaron 54 pacientes (28 con IDA y 26 con TBC). Se realizaron 93 intervenciones (29.9% dirigidas al prescriptor, 27.8% a otros profesionales) y se detectaron 8 RAM y 53 errores (28 IDA y 25 TBC), el principal PRM fue la mala/regular adherencia con bajo porcentaje de conocimiento farmacoterapéutico completo. Después de la AF, en IDA el grado de adherencia tuvo una mejora estadísticamente significativa (p= 0.012), también fue significativa la mejora en el retiro oportuno de la medicación (28.6% a 71.4% p=0.005 IDA). Se obtuvieron resultados favorables de carga viral (CV) en 72% pacientes con IDA y aumento de peso en 92% pacientes con TBC, aunque no fueron estadísticamente significativos. Conclusiones: mediante AF se mejoró la adherencia y la comunicación en pacientes pediátricos con IDA y/o TBC (AU)

Pharmacovigilance (PV) helps patients achieve therapeutic goals by reducing drug-related problems (DRP). Objectives: to analyze DRPs in the practice of PV in patients with acquired immunodeficiency (AIDS) and/or tuberculosis (TB) and to evaluate its impact. Methods: A descriptive, observational study was conducted in the outpatient pharmacy area. Patients with AIDS and/or TB with: treatment initiation, polypharmacy, frequent readmissions, regular/poor adherence, previous adverse drug reactions (ADR) and/or comorbidities were included. Patients or caregivers were interviewed, and DRP, errors, adherence and pharmacotherapeutic knowledge, timely drug withdrawal, and clinical parameters were recorded. The pharmaceutical intervention was recorded and educational material was delivered. Measurements were repeated in a second interview. Results: We studied 54 patients (28 with AIDS and 26 with TB). Ninety-three interventions were performed (29.9% addressed to the drug prescriber, 27.8% to other professionals) and 8 ADRs and 53 errors were detected (28 AIDS and 25 TB). The main DRP was poor/regular adherence together with a low level of complete pharmacotherapeutic knowledge. After PV, in patients with AIDS the degree of adherence statistically significantly improved (p= 0.012). The improvement in timely medication withdrawal was also significant (28.6% vs. 71.4% p=0.005 AID). Favorable viral load results were obtained in 72% of patients with AIDS and weight gain in 92% of patients with TB, although they were not statistically significant. Conclusions: PV improved adherence and communication in pediatric patients with AIDS and/or TB (AU)

Assessing the severity of medication administration errors identified in an observational study using a valid and reliable method.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological data on medication errors severity are scarce. The assessment of the prevalence and severity of medication errors may be limited because of several reasons, including a lack of standardization in the method of identifying medication administration errors and little knowledge about the appropriate assessment tools to measure severity. Thus, in this study, we aim to assess the potential severity of errors identified by direct observation in a teaching hospital. METHODS: We used a validated method for assessing the potential severity of medication administration errors. Responses are scored on a 10-point scale. The 203 errors identified in a previous study were organized per similarity, resulting in 67 errors. This list was assessed by a panel of a physician, a nurse, and two pharmacists. The average score for each of the 67 errors was estimated considering the scores given by the 4 judges. Errors with a severity index < 3, between 3 and 7, and > 7 were considered minor, moderate, and severe, respectively. RESULTS: Professionals classified the potential clinical significance of the errors as minor, moderate, and severe in 8.8% (18/203), 82.8% (168/203), and 8.4% (17/203) of the cases, respectively. Most errors considered potentially serious (41%, 7/17) were technical errors. Most potentially serious errors involved insulin. Regarding the administration route, nine (53%) potentially serious errors involved medications administered intravenously. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the errors were considered as potentially moderated by the expert panel; however, the frequency of potentially serious errors was higher than that in previous studies using the same methodology, which highlights the need for strategies to reduce their occurrence.

Characteristics of Inhaler Technique in COPD Patients in a Specialized Center in Armenia, Colombia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Purpose: The aim of this research was to evaluate the technique of using inhaled drugs in patients with a confirmed history of COPD and describe errors in inhaler technique. Patients and Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in patients with a history of COPD using inhalation therapy, attending pulmonology consultation between August 2020 and April 2021 in Armenia, Colombia. A non-probabilistic sample of 80 adult participants was calculated, and the inhalation technique was evaluated (depending on the device used) using a scale validated for Colombia. Descriptive analysis of the qualitative variables was performed using frequencies and percentages. The Chi-Square test and Fisher's exact test (in corresponding cases) were used to look for association relationships between categorical variables. Results: A total of 80 participants were evaluated, of which 66.3% (n = 53) were male, and 32.5% were older than 80 years. Clinically, 30.0% (n = 24) were classified as Modified Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale (mMRC) grade 3, and 51.2% (n = 41) had at least one exacerbation per year. The main comorbidity was hypertension (40.3%). Pressurized metered-dose inhalers with spacer were the most used device at 22.7% (n = 39). Incorrect technique (at least one error in the steps of the inhalation technique used) was found in 48.7%. The most frequent error among all the techniques was the failure to perform pre-inspiratory exhalation. No significant differences were observed between the development of the technique and the characteristics of the participants. Conclusion: Nearly half of the patients who use inhalation devices make errors in the technique. Patient education and training of healthcare personnel represent a fundamental pillar in mitigating the incorrect use of these devices.

Potentially inappropriate prescriptions in geriatric patients hospitalized in the internal medicine department of a referral hospital in Mexico.

BACKGROUND: Potentially inappropriate prescription (PIP) constitutes a risk for the development of adverse effects of a drug that outweigh its benefits, which can be considered inappropriate medication use. OBJECTIVE: To describe the prevalence of PIP in geriatric patients hospitalized at the internal medicine department of a referral hospital in Mexico. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cross-sectional, descriptive design, with simple allocation of medical records from patients older than 65 years hospitalized between January 2016 and August 2017. The STOPP/START criteria were applied to identify the number of PIPs, the number of prescribed medications, number and type of comorbidities, as well as days of hospital stay. RESULTS: A prevalence of PIP of 73.3% was identified, with main comorbidities being hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus. A total of 1,885 prescribed medications were quantified; mean hospital stay was 6.3 days. CONCLUSIONS: A high prevalence of PIP was identified in hospitalized geriatric patients, hence the importance of applying the STOPP/START criteria and of the role of the pharmacist for validating the prescription prior to drug administration.

ANTECEDENTES: Una prescripción potencialmente inapropiada (PPI) constituye un riesgo de presentar efectos adversos por un fármaco que superan los beneficios de este, pudiendo considerarse como uso inadecuado de medicamentos. OBJETIVO: Describir la prevalencia de prescripciones potencialmente inapropiadas en pacientes geriátricos hospitalizados en el servicio de medicina interna de un hospital de referencia en México. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Diseño descriptivo transversal, con asignación simple de expedientes clínicos de pacientes hospitalizados mayores de 65 años, entre enero de 2016 y agosto de 2017. Se aplicaron los criterios STOPP y START para identificar el número de PPI, cantidad de medicamentos prescritos, presencia, cantidad y tipo de comorbilidades, así como días de estancia hospitalaria. RESULTADOS: Se encontró una prevalencia de 73.3 % de PPI y las principales comorbilidades fueron hipertensión arterial y diabetes mellitus tipo 2. Se cuantificaron 1885 medicamentos prescritos; la estancia hospitalaria media fue de 6.3 días. CONCLUSIONES: Se identificó alta prevalencia de PPI en los pacientes geriátricos hospitalizados, de ahí la importancia de aplicar los criterios STOPP y START y del papel del farmacéutico en la validación de la prescripción antes de la administración de medicamentos.

[Prescription errors and drug interactions in adults hospitalized in an intensive care unit in Barranquilla (Colombia).] / Errores de prescripción e interacciones farmacológicas en personas adultas hospitalizadas en una unidad de cuidados intensivos en Barranquilla (Colombia).

OBJECTIVE: Prescribing errors and drug-drug interactions constitute a relevant topic for health professionals in these hospital settings and for the strengthening of strategies to mitigate these errors. The aim of this article was to determine the prescribing errors and drug-drug interactions present in adult patients hospitalized in an intensive care unit in the city of Barranquilla (Colombia). METHODS: A quantitative study was conducted in which 158 medical records of adult patients who were hospitalized in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in the city of Barranquilla during 2019 were analyzed. Medication errors and drug-drug interactions were determined by means of the Medscape application. Statistical analysis was performed using the RStudio program, descriptive and inferential statistics were applied to the data. RESULTS: Sociodemographically, male sex prevailed, the most frequent pathological history was arterial hypertension, most patients were receiving between one±five drugs, the most common errors were related to omission of dosage, route and time of administration. Drug-drug interactions were reported in 64.5% (102) of the histories and, in terms of the level of severity of the interactions, moderate interactions predominated in 32.9% (52). CONCLUSIONS: It is evident that there is a high number of medication prescription errors in hospitalized adults, among which pharmacological interactions associated mainly with the number of medications received by individuals in the ICUs stand out.

OBJETIVO: Los errores de prescripción y las interacciones farmacológicas constituyen un tema relevante para los profesionales de salud que se encuentran en estos ámbitos hospitalarios y para el fortalecimiento de estrategias que permitan mitigar estos errores. El objetivo del artículo fue determinar los errores de prescripción e interacciones medicamentosas presentes en pacientes adultos hospitalizados en una unidad de cuidados intensivos en la ciudad de Barranquilla (Colombia). METODOS: Se realizó un estudio cuantitativo en el que se analizaron 158 historias clínicas de pacientes adultos que estuvieron hospitalizados en una Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos (UCI) de la ciudad de Barranquilla durante el año 2019. Se determinaron errores de medicación e interacciones medicamentosas por medio de la aplicación Medscape. El análisis estadístico se realizó mediante el programa RStudio, se aplicó estadística descriptiva e inferencial a los datos. RESULTADOS: Sociodemográficamente prevaleció el sexo masculino, el antecedente patológico con mayor frecuencia fue la hipertensión arterial, la mayoría de los pacientes estaban recibiendo entre uno±cinco medicamentos, los errores más comunes estaban relacionados con la omisión de la dosis, vía y horario de administración. Se reportaron interacciones medicamentosas en el 64,5% (102) de las historias y, en cuanto al nivel de gravedad de las interacciones, predominaron las moderadas en un 32,9% (52). CONCLUSIONES: Se evidencia que existe un alto número de errores de prescripción de medicamentos en los adultos hospitalizados, entre los que se destacan las interacciones farmacológicas asociadas principalmente con el número de medicamentos que reciben las personas en las UCI.

Prescripciones potencialmente inapropiadas en pacientes geriátricos hospitalizados en el servicio de medicina interna en un hospital de referencia en México / Potentially inappropriate prescriptions in geriatric patients hospitalized in the internal medicine department of a referral hospital in Mexico

Resumen Antecedentes: Una prescripción potencialmente inapropiada (PPI) constituye un riesgo de presentar efectos adversos por un fármaco que superan los beneficios de este, pudiendo considerarse como uso inadecuado de medicamentos. Objetivo: Describir la prevalencia de prescripciones potencialmente inapropiadas en pacientes geriátricos hospitalizados en el servicio de medicina interna de un hospital de referencia en México. Material y métodos: Diseño descriptivo transversal, con asignación simple de expedientes clínicos de pacientes hospitalizados mayores de 65 años, entre enero de 2016 y agosto de 2017. Se aplicaron los criterios STOPP y START para identificar el número de PPI, cantidad de medicamentos prescritos, presencia, cantidad y tipo de comorbilidades, así como días de estancia hospitalaria. Resultados: Se encontró una prevalencia de 73.3 % de PPI y las principales comorbilidades fueron hipertensión arterial y diabetes mellitus tipo 2. Se cuantificaron 1885 medicamentos prescritos; la estancia hospitalaria media fue de 6.3 días. Conclusiones: Se identificó alta prevalencia de PPI en los pacientes geriátricos hospitalizados, de ahí la importancia de aplicar los criterios STOPP y START y del papel del farmacéutico en la validación de la prescripción antes de la administración de medicamentos.

Abstract Background: Potentially inappropriate prescription (PIP) constitutes a risk for the development of adverse effects of a drug that outweigh its benefits, which can be considered inappropriate medication use. Objective: To describe the prevalence of PIP in geriatric patients hospitalized at the internal medicine department of a referral hospital in Mexico. Material and methods: Cross-sectional, descriptive design, with simple allocation of medical records from patients older than 65 years hospitalized between January 2016 and August 2017. The STOPP/START criteria were applied to identify the number of PIPs, the number of prescribed medications, number and type of comorbidities, as well as days of hospital stay. Results: A prevalence of PIP of 73.3% was identified, with main comorbidities being hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus. A total of 1,885 prescribed medications were quantified; mean hospital stay was 6.3 days. Conclusions: A high prevalence of PIP was identified in hospitalized geriatric patients, hence the importance of applying the STOPP/START criteria and of the role of the pharmacist for validating the prescription prior to drug administration.

Medicamentos potencialmente perigosos: a expertise dos enfermeiros que atuam em unidade de urgência e emergência / High-alert medications: the expertise of nurses who work in an emergency and emergency unit / Medicamentos potencialmente peligrosos: la experiencia de las enfermeras que trabajan en una unidad de emergencia y emergencia

Objetivo: Identificar o conhecimento dos enfermeiros de um setor de urgência e emergência sobre os medicamentos potencialmente perigosos. Métodos: Estudo descritivo quantitativo desenvolvido com 23 enfermeiros em hospital de nível terciário municipal. Foi aplicado o Questionário de Medicamentos Potencialmente Perigosos. Para a análise dos dados, foi utilizado o software SPSS e foram utilizadas as medidas de tendência central e as medidas de dispersão. Resultados: A média±(DP) do tempo de formação foi 9,7 ± 3,0 anos e o tempo de serviço na instituição obteve média±(DP) 3,9 ± 3,8 anos. A média±(DP) de acertos no domínio 1 foi de 7 ± 1,74 e no domínio 2 foi 6,9 ± 1,55. Muitos profissionais referiram ter alguma dúvida relacionada ao uso de Medicamentos Potencialmente Perigosos. O domínio 2 obteve menor número de acertos quando comparado ao domínio 1. Conclusão: Os enfermeiros possuem conhecimento sobre a temática, pois a média de acertos nos dois domínios foram satisfatórias, mas apresentaram o menor número de acertos quanto ao uso de alguns fármacos, como prometazina e amiodarona. Com isso, reforça-se a importância de capacitar esses profissionais visando a segurança do paciente. (AU)

Objective: To identify the knowledge of nurses in an urgency and emergency sector about potentially dangerous drugs. Methods: Quantitative descriptive study developed with 23 nurses in a municipal tertiary level hospital. The Questionnaire of High-Alert Medicationswas applied. For data analysis, the SPSS software was used and measures of central tendency and dispersion measures were used. Results: The mean ± (SD) time since graduation was 9.7 ± 3.0 years and the length of service at the institution had a mean ± (SD) 3.9 ± 3.8 years. The mean ± (SD) of correct answers in domain 1 was 7 ± 1.74 and in domain 2 its was 6.9 ± 1.55. Many professionals reported having some doubt related to the use of Potentially Dangerous Medicines. Domain 2 had a lower number of correct answers when compared to domain 1. Conclusion: Nurses have knowledge on the subject, as the average of correct answers in the two domains were satisfactory, but they had the lowest number of correct answers regarding the use of some drugs, such as promethazine and amiodarone. With this, the importance of training these professionals is reinforced with a view to patient safety. (AU)

Objetivo: Identificar el conocimiento de los enfermeros en un sector de urgencia y emergencia sobre medicamentos potencialmente peligrosos. Métodos: Estudio descriptivo cuantitativo desarrollado con 23 enfermeras de un hospital municipal de nivel terciario. Se aplicó el Cuestionario de medicamentos potencialmente peligrosos. Para el análisis de los datos se utilizó el software SPSS y se utilizaron medidas de tendencia central y medidas de dispersión. Resultados: El tiempo medio ± (DE) desde la graduación fue de 9,7 ± 3,0 años y el tiempo de servicio en la institución tuvo una media ± (DE) 3,9 ± 3,8 años. La media ± (DE) de respuestas correctas en el dominio 1 fue de 7 ± 1,74 y en el dominio 2 fue de 6,9 ± 1,55. Muchos profesionales informaron tener alguna duda relacionada con el uso de medicamentos potencialmente peligrosos. El dominio 2 tuvo un número menor de respuestas correctas en comparación con el dominio 1. Conclusión: Los enfermeros tienen conocimiento sobre el tema, ya que el promedio de aciertos en los dos dominios fue satisfactorio, pero tuvieron el menor número de aciertos en cuanto al uso de algunos fármacos, como prometazina y amiodarona. Con ello, se refuerza la importancia de formar a estos profesionales con miras a la seguridad del paciente. (AU)

Prescription of transdermal patches in Colombia: A real-world evidence study.

BACKGROUND: Transdermal drug delivery has contributed positively to medical practice. However, prescriptions that do not meet minimum quality criteria and medication errors are common. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to determine how transdermal patches are being prescribed to a group of patients in Colombia, the compliance with established requirements of such prescriptions and the comparisons between correct and incorrect prescriptions. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of prescriptions for transdermal patches using data from a population-based drug dispensing database between December 1 and 31, 2019. Medical prescriptions were randomly reviewed, establishing whether the drugs were appropriately prescribed by the manufacturer's indications or national regulations. Descriptive and bivariate analysis was performed. RESULTS: A total of 415 prescriptions were reviewed; the prescription was provided to 412 patients with a median age of 76.9 years, and 63.3% were women. Rivastigmine was the most prescribed transdermal patch (57.8%). 66.3% of all prescriptions did not meet the minimum appropriate prescribing standards, especially those for rivastigmine (97.1%). The 7.0% of all prescriptions had posology errors, especially prescriptions for buprenorphine (43.8%). Older patients (84.4% vs 52.5%), from the Pacific region (34.4% vs 23.7%), with manual formulations (22.1% vs 0.8%), dementia (49.0% vs 6.8%), and in management with lipid-lowering drugs (41.8% vs 30.5%), presented incorrect transdermal patch formulations more frequently (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The high proportion of inappropriately prescribed transdermal patches should draw the attention of those responsible for health care to improve the training of physicians and create prescription quality verification systems.