Table 5 Severity distribution of intercepted medication errors
From: Chemotherapeutic errors in hospitalised cancer patients: attributable damage and extra costs
Number of protocols with at least one error | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Potential severity according to the Medication Error Index (3) | Haematology | Oncology 1 | Pneumology | Pharmacy | Total2 (% of erroneous prescription) | |||
a | b | c | d | e | f | g | ||
No consequences for the patient | ||||||||
An error avoided that would not cause patient harm | 20 | 21 | 18 | 19 | 14 | 14 | 157 | 210 |
An error avoided that would require monitoring to confirm that it did not result in patient harm | 3 | 10 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 16 | 34 | 58 |
Total | 268 (81.4%) | |||||||
Temporary damage | ||||||||
An error avoided that could have contributed to temporary harm to the patient, requiring intervention | 6 | 0 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 18 |
An error avoided that could have contributed to temporary harm to the patient, requiring initial or prolonged hospitalisation | 14 | 12 | 13 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 26 |
Total | 44 (13.4%) | |||||||
Permanent damage | ||||||||
An error avoided that could have contributed to permanent patient harm | 7 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8.5 (2.6%) |
Compromised vital prognosis | ||||||||
An error avoided that could have required intervention necessary to sustain life | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2.5 (0.8%) |
Patient death | ||||||||
An error avoided that could have contributed to the patient's death | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 (1.8%) |
Total | 53 | 53 | 48 | 48 | 37 | 37 | 191 | 329 (100%) |