THE PREVALENCE OF MEDICATION ERRORS AMONG NURSES IN THE UNIVERSITY OF BENIN TEACHING HOSPITAL, EDO STATE

Abstract

Medication errors continues to be a major concern in healthcare. This study aims to assess the prevalence of medication errors, most common types of medication errors and factors contributing to medication errors among Nurses in University of Benin Teaching hospital. A description research design was used and a questionnaire for data collection. The data was analysed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) and the data was presented using frequency tables, percentages. The result of the Study showed a high prevalence of medication errors among Nurses in University of Benin Teaching hospital, the common types of medication errors among the respondents are giving a drug to the wrong patient, administering a medication at the wrong or undue time, administering an under dose,  giving drugs that were not prescribed, giving a drug to the wrong patient, incorrect route of administration, giving an extra dose to a patient, rushing an intravenous drug that should have been given slowly.Therefore it is recommended that nurses undergo proper training and supervised by chief nurses so as to prevent medication errors.

KEY WORDS: Prevalence, medication, errors, Nurses