scholarly journals Dispensing errors in community pharmacies in the United Arab Emirates: investigating incidence, types, severity, and causes

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 2111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Osama Mohamed Ibrahim ◽  
Rana M. Ibrahim ◽  
Ahmad Z. Al Meslamani ◽  
Nadia Al Mazrouei
Keyword(s):  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
National Study ◽  
Community Pharmacies ◽  
Fundamental Function ◽  
Wrong Drug ◽  
Causes Of Errors ◽  
Training Programmes ◽  
Method Approach ◽  
Dispensing Errors ◽  
Medication Dispensing

Background: Medication dispensing is a fundamental function of community pharmacies, and errors that occur during the dispensing process are a major threat to patient safety. However, to date there has been no national study of medication dispensing errors in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Objective: The study aimed to investigate the incidence, types, clinical significance, causes and predictors of medication dispensing errors. Methods: The study was conducted in randomly selected community pharmacies (n=350) across all regions of UAE over six months using a mixed-method approach, incorporating prospective disguised observation of dispensing errors and interviews with pharmacists regarding the causes of errors. A multidisciplinary committee, which included an otolaryngologist, a general practitioner and a clinical pharmacist, evaluated the severity of errors. SPSS (Version 26) was used for data analysis. Results: The overall rate of medication dispensing errors was 6.7% (n=30912/ 464222), of which 2.6% (n=12274/464222) were prescription-related errors and 4.1% (n= 18638/464222) pharmacist counselling errors. The most common type of prescription-related errors was wrong quantity (30.0%), whereas the most common pharmacist counselling error was wrong drug (32.1%). The majority of errors were caused by medicine replaced with near expire one (24.7%) followed by look-alike/sound-alike drugs (22.3%). The majority of errors were moderate (46.8%) and minor (44.5%); 8.7% were serious errors. Predictors of medication dispensing errors were: grade A pharmacies (dispensing  60 prescriptions a day (OR 2.1; 95%CI 1.4-3.6; p=0.03) and prescriptions containing ≥4 medication orders (OR 2.5; 95%CI 1.7-4.3; p=0.01). Conclusions: Medication dispensing errors are common in the UAE and our findings can be generalised and considered as a reference to launch training programmes on safe medication dispensing practice.

scholarly journals Role of telepharmacy in pharmacist counselling to coronavirus disease 2019 patients and medication dispensing errors

2020 ◽  
pp. 1357633X2096434 ◽  
Author(s):  
Osama M Ibrahim ◽  
Rana M Ibrahim ◽  
Ahmad Z Al Meslamani ◽  
Nadia Al Mazrouei
Keyword(s):  
Pharmaceutical Care ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Community Pharmacies ◽  
Pharmacist Interventions ◽  
Patient Status ◽  
Collection Form ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Dispensing Errors ◽  
Medication Dispensing

Introduction Remote pharmacist interventions have achieved much more attention during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, since they reduce the risk of transmission and can potentially increase the access of vulnerable populations, such as patients with COVID-19, to pharmaceutical care. This study aimed to examine differences in rates and types of pharmacist interventions related to COVID-19 and medication dispensing errors (MDEs) across community pharmacies with and without telepharmacy services. Methods This was a prospective, disguised, observational study conducted over four months (from March 2020 to July 2020) in 52 community pharmacies (26 with and 26 without telepharmacy) across all seven states of the United Arab Emirates using proportionate random sampling. A standardised data-collection form was developed to include information about patient status, pharmacist interventions and MDEs. Results The test (telepharmacy) group pharmacies provided pharmaceutical care to 19,974 patients, of whom 6371 (31.90%) and 1213 (6.07%) were probable and confirmed cases of COVID-19, respectively. The control group pharmacies provided care to 9151 patients, of whom 1074 (11.74%) and 33 (0.36%) were probable and confirmed cases of COVID-19, respectively. Rates of MDEs and their subcategories, prescription-related errors and pharmacist counselling errors across pharmacies with telepharmacy versus those without remote services were 15.81% versus 19.43% ( p < 0.05), 5.38% versus 10.08% ( p < 0.05) and 10.42% versus 9.35% ( p > 0.05), respectively. Discussion This is one of the first studies to provide high-quality evidence of the impact of telepharmacy on COVID-19 patients’ access to pharmaceutical care and on medication dispensing safety.

scholarly journals DISPENSING ERRORS OBSERVED BY COMMUNITY PHARMACY DISPENSERS IN IBB - YEMEN

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 478 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaser Mohammed Al-worafi
Keyword(s):  
Community Pharmacy ◽  
Educational Interventions ◽  
Community Pharmacies ◽  
Error Type ◽  
Similar Drug ◽  
Wrong Drug ◽  
Collaboration And Communication ◽  
Collection Form ◽  
A Prospective Study ◽  
Dispensing Errors

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the dispensing errors, its types, and causes in community pharmacies in Ibb, Yemen.Methods: A prospective study was conducted among community pharmacies in the Ibb, Yemen, over 4 months’ period. Dispensing errors that were detected during the dispensing process were recorded by the pharmacy dispensers using a data collection form. Detecting and reporting of dispensing errors, types, and causes of dispensing errors were explained to the participated pharmacists before starting the study. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences® (IBM SPSS) version 21 for Windows.Results: A total of 35 (0.80%) dispensing errors were reported in this study. Wrong dosage form was the most common dispensing error type reported in this study followed by wrong quantity, wrong strength, and wrong drug. Factors most commonly reported as contributing to dispensing errors in this study were prescriptions poor handwriting, similar medications packaging, more than one patient at the same time, and similar drug names.Conclusion: This study explored the type and causes of dispensing errors at five community pharmacies in the Ibb city, Yemen. Dispensing errors can be prevented by educational interventions about dispensing error’s and its potential causes. Effective collaboration and communication between community pharmacy dispensers and prescribers are an important key to minimize and prevent dispensing errors.

Medication Dispensing Errors in Community Pharmacies: A Nationwide Study

2002 ◽  
Vol 46 (16) ◽  
pp. 1448-1451 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth A. Flynn ◽  
Nathan T. Dorris ◽  
Grady T. Holman ◽  
Brian J. Camahan ◽  
Kenneth N. Barker
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Inspection System ◽  
Community Pharmacies ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Bar Code ◽  
Nationwide Study ◽  
Primary Focus ◽  
Product Verification ◽  
Dispensing Errors ◽  
Medication Dispensing

The available literature concerning medication dispensing errors provides relatively few studies that focus on community-based pharmacies. This paper presents the results of a nationwide, observation-based study of dispensing errors. Although community-based pharmacies were the primary focus, a small number of health-system pharmacies were also included. Investigators collected information concerning the frequency and type of errors and near errors as well as data regarding a number of task and environmental factors previously correlated with dispensing errors. A total of 5,784 prescriptions were inspected, revealing 91 errors (1.57%) and 74 near errors (1.28%). Errors were categorized as either content (41.76%) or labeling (58.24%) errors. Results are consistent with findings in the available literature. In particular, lighting levels, type of inspection system used (e.g., bar code product verification), number of available employees, and the arrangement of drug stock were significantly associated with both types of errors.

scholarly journals Dispensing errors in Lebanese community pharmacies: incidence, types, underlying causes, and associated factors

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 2170
Author(s):  
Lama Soubra ◽  
Samar Karout
Keyword(s):  
Associated Factors ◽  
Working Hours ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Near Miss ◽  
Community Pharmacies ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Similar Drug ◽  
Causes Of Errors ◽  
Underlying Causes ◽  
Dispensing Errors

Objectives: To assess the incidence, types, the causes of as well as the factors associated with dispensing errors in community pharmacies in Lebanon. Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted in 286 pharmacies located all over Lebanon. Data were collected by senior pharmacy students during their experiential learning placement. Collected data included information on the types of dispensing errors, the underlying causes of errors, handling approaches, and used strategies for dispensing error prevention. Data were analyzed using multiple logistic regression to determine factors that were associated with dispensing errors. Results: In the twelve thousand eight hundred sixty dispensed medications, there were 376 dispensing errors, yielding an error rate of 2.92%. Of these errors, 67.1% (252) corresponded to dispensing near-miss errors. The most common types of dispensing errors were giving incomplete/incorrect use instructions (40.9% (154)), followed by the omission of warning(s) (23.6% (89)). Work overloads/time pressures, illegible handwriting, distractions/interruptions, and similar drug naming/packaging were reported as the underlying causes in 55% (206), 23.13% (87), 15.15 % (57), and 7% (26) of the errors respectively. Besides, high prescription turnover volume, having one pharmacist working at a time, and extended working hours, were found to be independent factors that were significantly associated with dispensing errors occurrence (p<0.05). Conclusions: This study sheds light on the need to establish national strategies for preventing dispensing errors in community pharmacies to maintain drug therapy safety, considering identified underlying causes and associated factors.

The effect of community pharmacist education and training on medication dispensing and counselling

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
lina eltaib ◽  
mohamed ali mujtaba ◽  
hind rikabi
Keyword(s):  
Community Pharmacist ◽  
Education And Training ◽  
Dispensing Practices ◽  
And Training ◽  
Interview Questionnaire ◽  
Pharmacist Education ◽  
Dispensing Errors ◽  
Medication Dispensing

<p><b>Background:</b></p> <p>There is a great deal of concern surrounding the dispensing practices; a majority of studies conducted in the KSA indicated that the risk of dispensing errors was increasing.<b></b></p> <p><b>Objectives: </b>To evaluate the effect of community pharmacist education and training on medication dispensing and counselling.</p> <p><b>Methods: </b>The data was collected by the researchers with a designed pretested interview questionnaire. Shadowing enabled the researcher to understand the user's perspective.</p> <p><br></p>

Professional Advice and the Utilization of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs at Community Pharmacies in the United Arab Emirates

2003 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 377-388
Author(s):  
M. Y. Hasan ◽  
M. Das ◽  
A. Bener
Keyword(s):  
Side Effects ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Disease Duration ◽  
Community Pharmacies ◽  
Self Medication ◽  
Professional Advice ◽  
Duration Of Disease ◽  
Inflammatory Drugs ◽  
The Common ◽  
Anti Inflammatory

The present study examined the pattern of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) in relation to the source of advice. Ten community pharmacies in the United Arab Emirates were randomly selected and patients visiting these sites were interviewed using a standard questionnaire. The interview covered “source of advice,” “name of medicine,” “type of disease,” “duration of disease,” and “knowledge of adverse effects and drug interactions.” After a month the patients were contacted. On average 22.7% of prescriptions contained NSAIDs and 17.5% of visits were for these drugs. Advice from physicians was given to 33.3%, from pharmacists 32.5%, from friends 18.8%, and 15.4% depended on themselves. Other medicines were taken by 14.5% and 12% suffered from gastrointestinal upsets. Paracetamol followed by ibuprofen and diclofenac were the most frequently utilized agents. Headache, fever, and musculoskeletal pain were the common complaints. A month later, 50.7% of the patients continued taking their medications. This study revealed an association between the source of advice and knowledge of side effects. It is argued that, although self-care is important, professional advice in its support is essential since unsupervised self-medication exposes the patient to harmful consequences.

scholarly journals Technical and Vocational Education and Training in the UAE

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (13) ◽  
pp. 264
Author(s):  
Amjad Kamal Owais ◽  
Suzan Mahmoud Alabidi ◽  
Zaydoon Mohammad Hatamleh ◽  
Elham T. Hussein
Keyword(s):  
Vocational Education ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Vocational Education And Training ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Equation Modelling ◽  
Technical And Vocational Education ◽  
Training Programmes ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
And Training

This study is of three-fold. The first provides a general overview of the history and importance of “Technical and Vocational Education and Train-ing” (TVET); the second compares TVET in The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the United Kingdom (as a pioneer country in the field) in order to explore points of similarity and differences and to make recommendations for TVET im-provement in UAE; and the third analyses the relationship between teacher train-ing programmes, accessibility to technical resources, teachers’ technology inte-gration, and the mission and vision of technical and vocational institutes in UAE. Data were collected from 175 teachers and administrators of Technical Vocational Colleges (TVCs) in the UAE. To ensure a comprehensive exploration of the top-ic, three separate research models were developed and tested. All models were analysed using covariance-based structural equation modelling (SEM) through AMOS version 24. Results showed that there is a positive and significant rela-tionship between teachers’ technology integration, teacher training programmes and accessibility to technical resources/equipment, and the mission and vision of the technical and vocational institutes.

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