Abstract

The purpose of this study was to find the incidence of medication errors among a group of patients, sixty years of age and over, who were being treated in the outpatient department of a selected urban hospital; and to investigate the effect of certain selected factors on the errors found. It was also planned to compare findings from this study with one done by Schwartz et. al. in New York. The descriptive survey approach employing an interview guide was used.

Errors were classified as those of omission, self-medication, incorrect dosage, and errors in timing or sequence. Fifty-two per cent of the patients in the study were found to be error-makers as compared to fifty-nine per cent of the Schwartz group. There were twenty-eight per cent errors of omission in this study while forty-seven per cent was recorded by Schwartz. Fourteen per cent of patients in this study were making errors of self-medication. The results in this category could not been compared because of difference in study techniques. Incorrect dosage was the most common cause of errors in this study, with a total of fifty-three per cent errors. There were ten per cent errors in dosage in the Schwartz study. No errors in timing or sequence were noted in this study.

This sample of one hundred patients, when broken down into categories, proved to be too small for valid statistical analysis so in most categories a simple comparison of percentages was done.

The selected factors investigated were: age, sex, marital status, race, nationality, language spoken/read, educational level, household composition, number of diagnoses, number of medications prescribed, and understanding of the purpose of the medication. Marital status, religion, nationality, language, number of diagnoses, number of medications prescribed, and understanding all appeared to have a a certain effect on the incidence of errors. The other factors--age, sex, race, educational level, and household composition--appeared to have little or no influence on the incidence of errors.

It was concluded that even though this study lacked statistical validity it could be a means of acquainting the clinic personnel with the existence of the problem of medication errors among patients of this age group. The value of the diabetes teaching program was recognized since these patients seemed to have a better than average understanding of their condition.

Recommendations of concerning patient teaching were made which included the maintenance of an atmosphere in which patients would feel free to express their needs. Additional studies in the same area were also recommended.

Although there were some differences in internal analysis between the two groups, it appeared that this study substantiated the finings by Schwartz, that medication errors occur commonly among patients in the age group studied.

LLU Discipline

Nursing

Department

Nursing

School

Graduate Studies

First Advisor

Winifred Edwards

Second Advisor

Dorothy May Kuester

Third Advisor

Raymond Herber

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Level

M.S.

Year Degree Awarded

1963

Date (Title Page)

4-1963

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Geriatric Nursing; Medication Errors

Type

Thesis

Page Count

64

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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