Impact of a Drug Shortage on Medication Errors and Clinical Outcomes in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the rate of prescribing errors, resulting adverse events, and patient outcomes associated with sedation and analgesia in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) before and during a national shortage of fentanyl and injectable benzodiazepines. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed of patients admitted to the PICU with at least 1 prescribed order for a sedative or analgesic agent during the time periods of January to February of 2011 and 2012. Initial orders for sedative and analgesic agents were identified and investigated for appropriateness of dose and were assessed for error-associated adverse events. Orders were stratified by timing in regard to clinical pharmacist on-site availability. Demographic and outcome information, including unintended extubations, ventilator days, and PICU length of stay, were gathered. RESULTS: One hundred sixty-nine orders representing 72 patients and 179 orders representing 75 patients in 2011 and 2012, respectively, were included in analysis. No differences were found in the rate of prescribing errors in 2011 and 2012 (33 errors in 169 orders vs. 39 errors in 179 orders, respectively, p=0.603). No differences were found in rates of prescribing errors in regard to clinical pharmacist on-site availability. A significant increase was seen in unintended extubations per 100 ventilator days, with 0.15 in 2011 vs. 1.13 in 2012, respectively (p<0.001). A significant decrease was seen in ventilator days per patient (p<0.001) and PICU length of stay per patient (p=0.019). CONCLUSIONS: There were no differences in rates of prescribing errors before versus during the fentanyl and benzodiazepine shortage.