Medication errors in prescription of chemotherapy regimens: A prospective observational study among cancer patients at Iranian referral hospital

Background: Medication errors are a significant cause of adverse events in cancer patients. The study aimed to investigate unintentional medication errors during chemotherapy regimen prescription. Methods: During the six months’ follow-ups, 201 adult patients admitted to outpatients’ chemotherapy wa...

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Main Authors: Sahar Karimi, Mehrnaz Vaez, Amir Aria, Azadeh Moghaddas
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Babol University of Medical Sciences 2025-03-01
Series:Caspian Journal of Internal Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:http://caspjim.com/article-1-4360-en.pdf
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author Sahar Karimi
Mehrnaz Vaez
Amir Aria
Azadeh Moghaddas
author_facet Sahar Karimi
Mehrnaz Vaez
Amir Aria
Azadeh Moghaddas
author_sort Sahar Karimi
collection DOAJ
description Background: Medication errors are a significant cause of adverse events in cancer patients. The study aimed to investigate unintentional medication errors during chemotherapy regimen prescription. Methods: During the six months’ follow-ups, 201 adult patients admitted to outpatients’ chemotherapy ward of Omid Hospital, Isfahan, Iran were examined. An information checklist by the aim of data gathering including patients' demographic information, laboratory data, medications history, chemotherapy drug doses and protocol of administration, pre-medications drugs, and supportive treatment was prepared. The data was compared by standard guidelines and data were presented in percent and frequency. Results: Among the enrolled patients, 327 errors were identified. Sixty-five percent of patients were females and the mean age of patients was 49.2±2.8 years old. Gastrointestinal and breast cancers were among the most frequently reported cancers. The highest frequency of errors (67.27%) was attributed to the prescription of pre-medication drug administration primarily in the management of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Medication errors in selection and volume of infused serums (20.18%) and in adjusting the dosage of chemotherapy regimens (10.39%) were the most observed errors.  Conclusion: This study highlighted the important areas to improve cancer management at the medical center. By addressing these challenges and implementing necessary changes, the center can enhance the quality of care provided to cancer patients, ensure adherence to international standards, and improve patient outcomes.
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publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher Babol University of Medical Sciences
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series Caspian Journal of Internal Medicine
spelling doaj-art-ebe2ceae70384615b8a41b00439be5c62025-08-20T03:17:51ZengBabol University of Medical SciencesCaspian Journal of Internal Medicine2008-61642008-61722025-03-01162355361Medication errors in prescription of chemotherapy regimens: A prospective observational study among cancer patients at Iranian referral hospitalSahar Karimi0Mehrnaz Vaez1Amir Aria2Azadeh Moghaddas3 Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Cancer Prevention Research Center, Seyyed Al-Shohada Hospital, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. Background: Medication errors are a significant cause of adverse events in cancer patients. The study aimed to investigate unintentional medication errors during chemotherapy regimen prescription. Methods: During the six months’ follow-ups, 201 adult patients admitted to outpatients’ chemotherapy ward of Omid Hospital, Isfahan, Iran were examined. An information checklist by the aim of data gathering including patients' demographic information, laboratory data, medications history, chemotherapy drug doses and protocol of administration, pre-medications drugs, and supportive treatment was prepared. The data was compared by standard guidelines and data were presented in percent and frequency. Results: Among the enrolled patients, 327 errors were identified. Sixty-five percent of patients were females and the mean age of patients was 49.2±2.8 years old. Gastrointestinal and breast cancers were among the most frequently reported cancers. The highest frequency of errors (67.27%) was attributed to the prescription of pre-medication drug administration primarily in the management of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Medication errors in selection and volume of infused serums (20.18%) and in adjusting the dosage of chemotherapy regimens (10.39%) were the most observed errors.  Conclusion: This study highlighted the important areas to improve cancer management at the medical center. By addressing these challenges and implementing necessary changes, the center can enhance the quality of care provided to cancer patients, ensure adherence to international standards, and improve patient outcomes.http://caspjim.com/article-1-4360-en.pdfchemotherapymedication errorschemotherapy regimenpre-medicationadverse effects
spellingShingle Sahar Karimi
Mehrnaz Vaez
Amir Aria
Azadeh Moghaddas
Medication errors in prescription of chemotherapy regimens: A prospective observational study among cancer patients at Iranian referral hospital
Caspian Journal of Internal Medicine
chemotherapy
medication errors
chemotherapy regimen
pre-medication
adverse effects
title Medication errors in prescription of chemotherapy regimens: A prospective observational study among cancer patients at Iranian referral hospital
title_full Medication errors in prescription of chemotherapy regimens: A prospective observational study among cancer patients at Iranian referral hospital
title_fullStr Medication errors in prescription of chemotherapy regimens: A prospective observational study among cancer patients at Iranian referral hospital
title_full_unstemmed Medication errors in prescription of chemotherapy regimens: A prospective observational study among cancer patients at Iranian referral hospital
title_short Medication errors in prescription of chemotherapy regimens: A prospective observational study among cancer patients at Iranian referral hospital
title_sort medication errors in prescription of chemotherapy regimens a prospective observational study among cancer patients at iranian referral hospital
topic chemotherapy
medication errors
chemotherapy regimen
pre-medication
adverse effects
url http://caspjim.com/article-1-4360-en.pdf
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AT mehrnazvaez medicationerrorsinprescriptionofchemotherapyregimensaprospectiveobservationalstudyamongcancerpatientsatiranianreferralhospital
AT amiraria medicationerrorsinprescriptionofchemotherapyregimensaprospectiveobservationalstudyamongcancerpatientsatiranianreferralhospital
AT azadehmoghaddas medicationerrorsinprescriptionofchemotherapyregimensaprospectiveobservationalstudyamongcancerpatientsatiranianreferralhospital