Medical errors are a broad term used to represent all errors that take place within the healthcare system e.g., diagnostic errors, equipment failure, mistreated surgery and medication errors. Medication errors are probably one of the most common types of medical error includes prescribing, dispensing and medication administration errors. This may be because most drug doses in paediatric medications calculated individually, based on the patient’s age, weight, body surface area, and/or their clinical condition. Majority of drugs used in children are unlicensed or off-label thereby increase the potential for medication errors and risks associated with extemporaneous dispensing as adult dosage forms used for paediatrics. Restricted evidence suggests that the prevalence of medication errors and corresponding harm could be higher in children than in adults. It is necessary to identify indications for which medicines actually used in paediatrics, as well as the dosage forms. Effectiveness studies are necessary to determine the results in real-life clinical situations, and then to match evidence of harm to effectiveness by age group. Clinical Pharmacists have the responsibility of ensuring the safe and effective use of medications. Even though other health care providers and health care systems must significantly contribute to this effort but pharmacists, as champions of the medication use process, must take a leading role. This paper presents a literature review on the role of clinical pharmacists in reducing medication errors, adverse effects and highlights the pharmacist-physician-patient collaboration for all patients in the pediatric age group.
Loading....