Table 4

 Dispensing error results summary

CitationNumerator and numerator descriptionDenominator and denominator description
ADE, adverse drug event; MAR, medication administration record.
*Potential ADE defined as having the potential to produce significant injury, includes errors detected before drug administration as well as errors that did not produce significant adverse consequences, excludes errors that were identified and corrected before the drug was entered into MAR.
France et al249 Preparation chemotherapy errors97 Electronically reported chemotherapy errors in 13 months
Sangtawesin et al31112 Dispensing errors32 105 Admissions in 14 months
Parshuram et al32150 Discrepancies of >10% between ordered and measured infusions of morphine 13 Twofold or greater discrepancy between ordered and measured infusions of morphine232 Infusions in 7 months
King et al3319 Dispensing errors416 Medication errors in 3 years
Holdsworth et al3539 Number of dispensing potential ADEs*94 Potential ADEs* in 8 months
Frey et al38162 Dispensing errors275 Error reports in 2001
Kaushal et al426 Pharmacy dispensing medication errors 4 Pharmacy dispensing potential ADEs*: defined as errors with significant potential for injuring patient10 778 Orders, or 1120 admissions, or 3932 patient days in 6 weeks