Cross-Sectional Study on the Attitude and Perception of Healthcare Practitioners Towards Medication Errors in a Nigerian Tertiary Hospital

This study was carried out to evaluate the attitude and perception of healthcare professionals towards medication errors. A cross-sectional study was carried out using a semi-structured questionnaire administered to nurses, pharmacists and physicians at the University College Hospital of Ibadan, Nigeria. Data were analysed with descriptive and inferential statistics. Most of the study participants, 444 (55.5%) and 472 (59.0%) had excellent attitudes and perceptions of medication errors, respectively. Most of the healthcare practitioners (89.1% nurses, 71.8% pharmacists and 66.7% physicians) disagreed with the statement that medication errors are unavoidable and are merely expected daily mistakes. It was observed that 35.5%, 37.6% and 66.7% of the nurses and pharmacists, and physicians, respectively, agreed with the statement that persons responsible for medication errors should be liable for legal actions. Suggestions made by the healthcare professionals on measures to prevent medication errors included recruitment of new staff to increase staff strength (32.8%), training on medication errors (21.4%) and legible handwriting of prescribers (9.4%). The prevalence of unreported medication errors by the study participants was 24.9%. Reasons for not reporting medication error committed included that it was trivial and had no adverse effect on the patient (32.3%), excess workload (26.9%) and fear of reprimand (17.7%). The healthcare professionals displayed excellent attitudes and perceptions of medication errors. An increase in staff strength and training on medication errors were major measures suggested by the study participants to prevent medication errors.