Effect of interprofessional education of medication safety program on the medication error of physicians and nurses in the intensive care units

The safety of hospitalized patients in the intensive care units (ICUs) is threatened due to incidents and adverse events, including medication errors. Medication error refers to any preventable event at different stage of medication process, such as prescription, transcription, distributing medication, and administration, which can lead to incorrect use of medicines or damage to the patient. This study aimed at investigating the effect of the interprofessional education of medication safety program on medication errors of physicians and nurses in the ICUs.

The study was conducted using a quasi‑experimental method (single group, before and after) in 2017. The setting of the study included one ICU of selected teaching hospital affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences located in the Central Iran with a total of 23 beds. Participants included 50 members of the health‑care team (physician, nurse, and clinical pharmacist) with at least 1 year of work experience in the ICUs. Participants were selected using censuses sampling method. Data were collected using a two‑section self‑made questionnaire. Data were analyzed through descriptive, analytical statistics, and version 16 of the SPSS software (P < 0.05).

According to reporting of physicians, nurses, and clinical pharmacist, the medication error 1 month after implementation, the interprofessional education of medication safety program was significantly lower than before the implementation of it (P < 0.001).

Interprofessional education helps to improve interprofessional collaboration and patient care through the promotion of various professions of health to increase interprofessional collaboration compared to single profession education, which individuals learn in isolation and merely in their profession. Therefore, interprofessional education of medication safety program can reduce medication error and promote patient safety in the ICUs.