5PSQ-099 Enhancing patient safety: analysis and mitigation of medication errors in critical care units during 2024

<h3>Background and Importance</h3> The analysis of medication errors in critical care units is crucial to improving patient safety and minimising adverse events that may compromise health. <h3>Aim and Objectives</h3> To describe the medication errors in the critical care unit (ICU) from January to October 2024, identifying the most frequent errors, the most severe ones, and the improvement actions implemented. <h3>Material and Methods</h3> A descriptive analysis was conducted based on reported medication errors. Variables such as care area, error risk, professional category, patient age, process in which the error occurred, severity, probability, and drugs involved were evaluated. Severe errors were defined as those causing temporary or permanent harm and requiring immediate intervention. The improvement actions implemented and the conclusions derived from each incident were analysed. <h3>Results</h3> A total of 58 errors were notified during the period. Most occurred in the adult ICU (n=33), while the paediatric ICU reported 22.4% (13) of cases. Low-risk errors accounted for 48% (28) of the total, followed by moderate-risk errors (11). Nursing staff were the most involved, reporting more than 75% (44) of incidents. Regarding patient age, the 51–60 year group was the most affected (21%). The most frequent errors occurred during medication administration (36), followed by prescription and medication selection. The severity of the errors was concentrated in incidents without harm (26) and near misses (12), with 6 errors causing moderate temporary harm. Severe errors mainly occurred during the administration of high-risk medication (19) such as Insulin, heparin and vancomycin. The main improvement actions included modifying prescription and administration protocols, double-check verification, and disseminating safety protocols to all healthcare staff. Conclusions indicated that these actions have improved drug administration safety, and it was recommended to continue reinforcing staff training and protocol adherence monitoring. <h3>Conclusion and Relevance</h3> The improvement actions implemented, including protocol dissemination, staff training, and double-check verification, aim to enhance medication safety in critical care units. Although a formal post-implementation analysis has not been conducted, these measures are expected to reduce the number of severe incidents reported. Ongoing staff education and regular review of safety protocols are crucial to fostering a culture of safety and minimising medication-related risks in these units. <h3>References and/or Acknowledgements</h3> <h3>Conflict of Interest</h3> No conflict of interest