Abstract
Keywords:
medical education;medication errors;prescribing
WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS SUBJECT
• Medication errors, and particularly prescribing errors, are common in UK hospitals.
• Junior doctors make the majority of prescribing errors.
• Deficiencies in prescribing education and training have been closely linked to the high frequency of medication errors.
WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS
• Focussed prescribing teaching can lead to an improvement in prescribing ability.
• Prescribing confidence can be significantly improved through education.
• Education is insufficient alone in eradicating prescribing errors.
AIM To assess the impact of prescribing teaching on final year medical students.
METHODS Students randomly allocated to two hospitals completed a prescribing assessment. Prescribing teaching was delivered to the intervention group while no additional teaching was provided for the control group. All students then completed a second prescribing assessment.
RESULTS Teaching improved the assessment score: mean assessment 2 vs. 1, 70% vs. 62%, P= 0.007; allergy documentation: 98% vs. 74%, P= 0.0001; and confidence. However, 30% of prescriptions continued to include prescribing errors.
CONCLUSION Medical students make significant errors in prescribing. Teaching improves ability and confidence but is insufficient alone in eradicating errors.
medical education;medication errors;prescribing
WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS SUBJECT
• Medication errors, and particularly prescribing errors, are common in UK hospitals.
• Junior doctors make the majority of prescribing errors.
• Deficiencies in prescribing education and training have been closely linked to the high frequency of medication errors.
WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS
• Focussed prescribing teaching can lead to an improvement in prescribing ability.
• Prescribing confidence can be significantly improved through education.
• Education is insufficient alone in eradicating prescribing errors.
AIM To assess the impact of prescribing teaching on final year medical students.
METHODS Students randomly allocated to two hospitals completed a prescribing assessment. Prescribing teaching was delivered to the intervention group while no additional teaching was provided for the control group. All students then completed a second prescribing assessment.
RESULTS Teaching improved the assessment score: mean assessment 2 vs. 1, 70% vs. 62%, P= 0.007; allergy documentation: 98% vs. 74%, P= 0.0001; and confidence. However, 30% of prescriptions continued to include prescribing errors.
CONCLUSION Medical students make significant errors in prescribing. Teaching improves ability and confidence but is insufficient alone in eradicating errors.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 29-33 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology |
Volume | 71 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Jan 2011 |
Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)
- medical education
- medication errors
- prescribing