Journal of Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences

  Background and Objectives: Prescription is one of the most important phases of medication use and so much so that it could be said that high quality of prescription overall indicates high quality of care. The most frequent number of medication errors occurs during drug prescription which leads to patient injury or death in the hospitals. Present study was carried out to evaluate the prescription quality of medication chart of hospitalized patients in Rafsanjan hospitals, 2007 .

  Material and Methods: This descriptive cross sectional study was conducted in three months during the year 2007. Drug order sheets of 800 patients from 20 wards were studied by systematic randomized sampling. Data were collected using a researcher made check list, include demographic characteristics of physicians and 18 items related to quality of medication chart and medication related indicators. Data were analyzed using the SPSS version 18 software .

  Results : The mean score of total of checklists was 12.3±2.84 which indicated desirable conditions. Mean score of medication chart related indicators was 3.49 ± 0.74 which showed desirable status. Patient allergies were not recorded . Medication related indicators mean score was 8.89 ± 2.4 which shows semi desirable status.

  Conclusion : Based on the findings, observance of prescription standards such as legibly writing of drug order, documentation of patient allergies, drug preparation and its special precaution had undesirable status which are potential risk factors for medication errors.

  Key words: Drug, Prescription quality, Prescription Errors, Hospitalized Patients

  Funding: This research was funded by the Food and Drug organization of ministry of Health, Treatment and Medical education

  Conflict of Interest: Non decalred

  Ethical approval: The Ethics Committee of Food and Drug organization of ministry of Health, Treatment and Medical education approved the study.

  How to cite this article : Heidari Sh, Khodadadi A, Ravari A, Asadi Gh, Fatehi Z . Prescription Quality of Medication Chart of Hospitalized Patients in Hospitals Affiliated with Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, 2007 . J Rafsanjan Univ Med Scie 2012 11(5): 437-48. [Farsi]