Medication errors in a children's inpatient antineoplastic chemotherapy facility.

BACKGROUND: Due to many antineoplastic drugs' toxicity and narrow therapeutic window, medication errors are a health concern in pediatric oncology patients. This study aimed to identify and classify medication errors in a pediatric inpatient chemotherapy facility and evaluate the outcomes of these medication errors. METHODS: We conducted an observational retrospective study over 5 months in a chemotherapy facility for pediatric patients. The evaluation consisted of the review of the available medical records. The medication errors detected were manually recorded in a medical logbook. The International Classification for Patient Safety was adjusted to our clinical setting for the analysis, the terminology, and the classification system. A descriptive analysis was performed. RESULTS: A total of 286 medical records were reviewed; one type of medication error was noted in at least 97.6%, and 962 errors were identified totally, with an overall rate of 3.36 errors per visit. Most errors occurred in the documentation stage (643; 66.8%), followed by the administration stage (227; 23.6%). Of all medication errors, 37.2% had the potential to cause injury, but only five reached the patient (0.5%), and only two (0.2%) resulted in a severe harmful incident. CONCLUSIONS: Medication errors were common, especially at the documentation stage. Better documentation strategies need to be implemented to reduce the rate of near misses and prevent potential adverse events.

INTRODUCCIÓN: Los errores de medicación son un problema de salud en niños con cáncer debido a la toxicidad y a la estrecha ventana terapéutica de muchos fármacos antineoplásicos. El objetivo de este estudio fue identificar y clasificar los errores de medicación en un centro de quimioterapia para pacientes pediátricos hospitalizados, así como evaluar los resultados de estos errores de medicación. MÉTODOS: Se llevó a cabo un estudio observacional retrospectivo realizado durante un periodo de 5 meses en un centro de quimioterapia para pacientes pediátricos. La evaluación consistió en la revisión de las historias clínicas disponibles. Los errores de medicación detectados fueron registrados manualmente en una bitácora. Para el análisis, la terminología y el sistema de clasificación, la Clasificación Internacional para la Seguridad del Paciente se ajustó a nuestro entorno clínico. Se realizó un análisis descriptivo. RESULTADOS: Se revisaron 286 historias clínicas; se observó un tipo de error de medicación al menos en el 97.6%. En total se identificaron 962 errores de medicación, con una tasa general de 3.36 errores por visita. En la etapa de documentación fue donde más errores ocurrieron (643; 66.8%), seguido de la etapa de administración (227; 23.6%). De todos los errores de medicación, el 37.2% tuvo el potencial de causar lesiones, pero solo cinco llegaron al paciente (0.5%) y solo dos (0.2%) provocaron un incidente dañino severo. CONCLUSIONES: Los errores de medicación fueron comunes, especialmente en la etapa de documentación. Es necesario implementar mejores estrategias de documentación para reducir la tasa de cuasi accidentes y prevenir posibles eventos adversos.

Medication errors in a children's inpatient antineoplastic chemotherapy facility / Errores de medicación en un centro de quimioterapia antineoplásica para pacientes pediátricos hospitalizados

Abstract Background: Due to many antineoplastic drugs' toxicity and narrow therapeutic window, medication errors are a health concern in pediatric oncology patients. This study aimed to identify and classify medication errors in a pediatric inpatient chemotherapy facility and evaluate the outcomes of these medication errors. Methods: We conducted an observational retrospective study over 5 months in a chemotherapy facility for pediatric patients. The evaluation consisted of the review of the available medical records. The medication errors detected were manually recorded in a medical logbook. The International Classification for Patient Safety was adjusted to our clinical setting for the analysis, the terminology, and the classification system. A descriptive analysis was performed. Results: A total of 286 medical records were reviewed; one type of medication error was noted in at least 97.6%, and 962 errors were identified totally, with an overall rate of 3.36 errors per visit. Most errors occurred in the documentation stage (643; 66.8%), followed by the administration stage (227; 23.6%). Of all medication errors, 37.2% had the potential to cause injury, but only five reached the patient (0.5%), and only two (0.2%) resulted in a severe harmful incident. Conclusions: Medication errors were common, especially at the documentation stage. Better documentation strategies need to be implemented to reduce the rate of near misses and prevent potential adverse events.

Resumen Introducción: Los errores de medicación son un problema de salud en niños con cáncer debido a la toxicidad y a la estrecha ventana terapéutica de muchos fármacos antineoplásicos. El objetivo de este estudio fue identificar y clasificar los errores de medicación en un centro de quimioterapia para pacientes pediátricos hospitalizados, así como evaluar los resultados de estos errores de medicación. Métodos: Se llevó a cabo un estudio observacional retrospectivo realizado durante un periodo de 5 meses en un centro de quimioterapia para pacientes pediátricos. La evaluación consistió en la revisión de las historias clínicas disponibles. Los errores de medicación detectados fueron registrados manualmente en una bitácora. Para el análisis, la terminología y el sistema de clasificación, la Clasificación Internacional para la Seguridad del Paciente se ajustó a nuestro entorno clínico. Se realizó un análisis descriptivo. Resultados: Se revisaron 286 historias clínicas; se observó un tipo de error de medicación al menos en el 97.6%. En total se identificaron 962 errores de medicación, con una tasa general de 3.36 errores por visita. En la etapa de documentación fue donde más errores ocurrieron (643; 66.8%), seguido de la etapa de administración (227; 23.6%). De todos los errores de medicación, el 37.2% tuvo el potencial de causar lesiones, pero solo cinco llegaron al paciente (0.5%) y solo dos (0.2%) provocaron un incidente dañino severo. Conclusiones: Los errores de medicación fueron comunes, especialmente en la etapa de documentación. Es necesario implementar mejores estrategias de documentación para reducir la tasa de cuasi accidentes y prevenir posibles eventos adversos.

Efficacy and safety of oral magnesium supplementation in reducing febrile neutropenia episodes in children with solid tumors treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy: randomized clinical trial.

PURPOSE: Hypomagnesemia has been associated with febrile neutropenia (FN) in pediatric patients receiving cisplatin-based chemotherapy (CDDPBC). The primary aim was to determine whether oral magnesium supplementation reduces FN episodes in pediatric patients with solid tumors treated with CDDPBC. METHOD: This randomized clinical trial, with open-label, single-center, parallel group and superiority design was conducted in Hospital Infantil de Mexico Federico Gomez at Mexico City. Children ≥ 9 years with solid tumors that were to receive a CDDPBC cycle were invited to participate. Each chemotherapy cycle with CDDPBC was randomly assigned to receive oral magnesium supplementation (250 mg/day) or not receive magnesium supplementation (control group). Efficacy was determined by relative risks (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) as well as with numbers needed to treat (NNT). Active surveillance was conducted to assess safety in both groups. Analyses were carried out by intention to treat. ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT03449693. RESULTS: One hundred and one chemotherapy cycles with CDDPBC were analyzed (50 in the magnesium supplement arm and 51 in control group). Baseline clinical characteristics were similar comparing both groups. Oral magnesium supplementation reduces FN episodes compared to control group [RR 0.53, (95% CI 0.32-0.89), NNT = 4]. In the supplemented group, patients had fewer episodes of septic shock secondary to FN [RR 0.43, (95% CI 0.02-0.94), NNT = 6] and FN appeared on average 5 days later (p = 0.031). Hypomagnesemia episodes and adverse events were similar across both groups. CONCLUSION: Oral supplementation with magnesium reduces FN episodes neutropenia in pediatric patients with solid tumors treated with CDDPBC.