This study describes the development of a novel tool for identifying errors of both omission and commission in medication prescribing for pediatrics using a Delphi consensus process. This promising tool requires testing to assess validity and reliability in clinical practice.

Providers frequently override medication interaction alerts generated by computerized provider order entry systems. This study sought to classify the types of overridden alerts and explore ways of making alerts more accurate and clinically relevant.

Inpatient pediatric nurses were directly observed for 1 year to identify errors committed while preparing and administering medications. Contrary to current thought, investigators found that errors were less common when the nurses handled intravenous drugs than when they were preparing or delivering oral agents. Medications found in patient rooms, adult unit-doses prepared for pediatric use, and lower educational level of the nurses were all associated with a higher risk of errors.