The Evaluation of Awareness of Medication Error Among Healthcare Workers

Abstract Background: Medication errors (MEs) are a major contributor to preventable patient harm worldwide, particularly in high-risk settings such as oncology units. Despite increasing emphasis on patient safety, under-reporting and system-level barriers continue to hinder effective prevention. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the awareness, perception, and practices of healthcare workers regarding medication errors and to identify the common types, root causes, and preventive strategies in a tertiary care hospital. Methods: A descriptive mixed-method study was conducted using quantitative and qualitative approaches. Secondary data were collected through medication surveillance audits of 30 inpatient records using a structured checklist. Primary data were obtained through unstructured questionnaires administered to 40 healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and administrators. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed, and root cause analysis was conducted using fishbone and Pareto techniques. Results: Among healthcare workers, 95% were aware of medication errors and 87.5% knew appropriate actions following an error. The most common medication errors reported were delay in dispensing (55%), administration errors (15%), and prescription errors (15%). Audit findings revealed frequent documentation gaps, including missing stop date/time (23%), absence of allergy documentation (17%), and dose not administered (17%). Under-reporting was significantly associated with workload (82.5%) and fear of legal consequences (12.5%). Conclusion: Medication errors are largely system-driven and under-reported despite high awareness among healthcare workers. Implementation of technology-based systems such as CPOE, barcoding, clinical pharmacy services, and a non-punitive reporting culture is essential to improve medication safety. Keywords: Medication error, patient safety, healthcare workers, oncology, clinical pharmacy, CPOE.