Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25098946›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of clinical pharmacy2014

The effectiveness of a 'Do Not Use' list and perceptions of healthcare professionals on error-prone abbreviations.

Nithushi R Samaranayake, Dixon S T Cheung, May P S Lam, Tommy T Cheung, William C M Chui, Ian C K Wong, Bernard M Y Cheung

Abstract readEvaluation Study
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of clinical pharmacy, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
0.6field-weighted citation impact, top 29% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 15 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.

Nithushi R SamaranayakeDepartment of Allied Health Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka, nithushisamaranayake@yahoo.com.
Dixon S T Cheung
May P S Lam
Tommy T Cheung
William C M Chui
Ian C K Wong
Bernard M Y Cheung
University of Hong Kong · HKQueen Mary Hospital · CNUniversity of Sri Jayewardenepura · LK

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe use of error-prone abbreviations has led to medication errors. Many safety organisations have introduced 'Do Not Use' lists (lists of error-prone abbreviations that should be avoided by prescribers), but the effectiveness of these lists have not been studied.

objectiveWe assessed the effectiveness of the 'Do Not Use' list introduced to the study hospital, and sought the attitudes of healthcare professionals on other potentially dangerous abbreviations (not included in the 'Do Not Use' list) used in prescriptions.

settingThe study was conducted in a university affiliated tertiary hospital in Hong Kong.

methodsAn uncontrolled observational study was conducted. In-patient prescriptions were reviewed to assess the use of error-prone abbreviations included in the 'Do Not Use' list before, after its introduction, and following the first reinforcement. An on-line survey was also conducted among prescribers, pharmacists and nurses.

main outcome measureRate of using error-prone abbreviations and other unapproved abbreviations among reviewed prescriptions.

results3,238 prescriptions (23,398 drug items) were reviewed. The use of abbreviations in the 'Do Not Use' list decreased from 7.8 to 3.3 % after its introduction (P < 0.001) and to 1.3 % after the first reinforcement (P < 0.001). However, unapproved abbreviations were used to denote prescribing instructions in 19.2 % of the drugs prescribed. 49 different types of unapproved abbreviations were used for drug names.

conclusionsA 'Do Not Use' list is effective in reducing error-prone abbreviations. Reinforcements of the 'Do Not Use' list further improves prescriber adherence. However, many other unapproved abbreviations (not included in current 'Do Not Use' lists) are used when prescribing. Periodic reminders on error-prone abbreviations and education of prescribers on associated risks may help to reduce the use of error-prone abbreviations in hospitals.

Indexed as

Abbreviations as TopicAttitude of Health PersonnelProgram EvaluationAdolescentAdultDrug PrescriptionsFemaleHospitals, UniversityHumansMaleMedication ErrorsMiddle AgedYoung Adult

Identifiers

PMID25098946
OpenAlexW2085299833

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.