TY - JOUR
T1 - Parents' medication administration errors
T2 - Role of dosing instruments and health literacy
AU - Yin, H. Shonna
AU - Mendelsohn, Alan L.
AU - Wolf, Michael S.
AU - Parker, Ruth M.
AU - Fierman, Arthur
AU - Van Schaick, Linda
AU - Bazan, Isabel S.
AU - Kline, Matthew D.
AU - Dreyer, Benard P.
PY - 2010/2
Y1 - 2010/2
N2 - Objectives: To assess parents' liquid medication administration errors by dosing instrument type and to examine the degree to which parents' health literacy influences dosing accuracy. Design: Experimental study. Setting: Interviews conducted in a public hospital pediatric clinic in New York, New York, between October 28, 2008, and December 24, 2008. Participants: Three hundred two parents of children presenting for care were enrolled. Main Outcome Measures: Parents were observed for dosing accuracy (5-mL dose) using a set of standardized instruments (2 dosing cups [one with printed calibration markings, the other with etched markings], dropper, dosing spoon, and 2 oral syringes [one with and the other without a bottle adapter]). Results: The percentages of parents dosing accurately (within 20% of the recommended dose) were 30.5% using the cup with printed markings and 50.2% using the cup with etched markings, while more than 85% dosed accurately with the remaining instruments. Large dosing errors (>40% deviation) were made by 25.8% of parents using the cup with printed markings and 23.3% of parents using the cup with etched markings. In adjusted analyses, cups were associated with increased odds of making a dosing error (>20% deviation) compared with the oral syringe (cup with printed markings: adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=26.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 16.8-42.4; cup with etched markings: AOR=11.0; 95% CI, 7.2-16.8). Compared with the oral syringe, cups were also associated with increased odds of making large dosing errors (cup with printed markings: AOR=7.3; 95% CI, 4.1-13.2; cup with etched markings: AOR=6.3; 95% CI, 3.5-11.2). Limited health literacy was associated with making a dosing error (AOR=1.7; 95% CI, 1.1-2.8). Conclusions: Dosing errors by parents were highly prevalent with cups compared with droppers, spoons, or syringes. Strategies to reduce errors should address both accurate use of dosing instruments and health literacy.
AB - Objectives: To assess parents' liquid medication administration errors by dosing instrument type and to examine the degree to which parents' health literacy influences dosing accuracy. Design: Experimental study. Setting: Interviews conducted in a public hospital pediatric clinic in New York, New York, between October 28, 2008, and December 24, 2008. Participants: Three hundred two parents of children presenting for care were enrolled. Main Outcome Measures: Parents were observed for dosing accuracy (5-mL dose) using a set of standardized instruments (2 dosing cups [one with printed calibration markings, the other with etched markings], dropper, dosing spoon, and 2 oral syringes [one with and the other without a bottle adapter]). Results: The percentages of parents dosing accurately (within 20% of the recommended dose) were 30.5% using the cup with printed markings and 50.2% using the cup with etched markings, while more than 85% dosed accurately with the remaining instruments. Large dosing errors (>40% deviation) were made by 25.8% of parents using the cup with printed markings and 23.3% of parents using the cup with etched markings. In adjusted analyses, cups were associated with increased odds of making a dosing error (>20% deviation) compared with the oral syringe (cup with printed markings: adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=26.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 16.8-42.4; cup with etched markings: AOR=11.0; 95% CI, 7.2-16.8). Compared with the oral syringe, cups were also associated with increased odds of making large dosing errors (cup with printed markings: AOR=7.3; 95% CI, 4.1-13.2; cup with etched markings: AOR=6.3; 95% CI, 3.5-11.2). Limited health literacy was associated with making a dosing error (AOR=1.7; 95% CI, 1.1-2.8). Conclusions: Dosing errors by parents were highly prevalent with cups compared with droppers, spoons, or syringes. Strategies to reduce errors should address both accurate use of dosing instruments and health literacy.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=75849146502&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=75849146502&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1001/archpediatrics.2009.269
DO - 10.1001/archpediatrics.2009.269
M3 - Article
C2 - 20124148
AN - SCOPUS:75849146502
SN - 1072-4710
VL - 164
SP - 181
EP - 186
JO - Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
JF - Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
IS - 2
ER -