A Study on the Frequency of Modified Medication Orders and the Influential Factors

Background & Objectives: Medication errors, as the most common medical problems in hospitals, are recognized as a indicator for determining patient safety. Identification of influential factors is a major step towards eliminating and reducing these errors. In general, medication errors can cause serious problems for nurses. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to determine the frequency of modified medication orders in coronary intensive care units and determine the influential factors. Materials & Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted on documented drug prescriptions, daily patient records, and interviews with the medical staff in ۲۰۱۴-۲۰۱۵. The documented medication orders and daily records of patients, hospitalized in coronary intensive care units in Mazandaran, Iran, were evaluated. Prescriptions registered in ۱۰۴۶ patient records were evaluated through census sampling over a three-month period. The data were collected using the demographic form and the modified medical order checklist. Descriptive statistics were calculated and Chi-square test was performed, using SPSS version ۱۹. Results: In total, ۱۷,۲۱۵ medication orders and ۱,۰۴۶ records of patients, hospitalized in six coronary intensive care units, were evaluated. Overall, ۱۳۰ modified medical orders, i.e., ۰.۷۵% of the total orders, were extracted. Based on the findings, modified medication orders were significantly associated with the patient’s age and the prescriber’s educational level and academic year. Conclusion: Based on the findings, it is suggested that healthcare centres through implementing training programs, registering patient information, pharmacological monitoring, and utilizing expert clinicians, guide medication orders in order to prevent and reduce medication errors and eradicate the adverse effects on the quality of nursing care and patient safety.