The implementation of a structured preventive educational intervention for health professionals in a regional NICU reduced the medication error rate, possibly by the dissemination of a patient safety culture.

Calculation errors are avoided using concentration standard preparation protocols. Accuracy in the preparation process depends mainly on the degree to which commercial drug preparations meet current legal requirements and the syringes and preparation techniques used.

• Medication use is associated with a risk of errors and adverse events. Medication errors are more frequent and have more severe consequences in paediatric patients. • Lack of commercial drug formulations adapted to newborn infants makes medicine preparation process more prone to error. What is New: • Calculation errors are minimising using concentration standard protocols. Preparation rules are essential to ensure the accuracy process. • Environmental conditions affect the accuracy process.

The presence of a person reviewing and registering the drug records apparently had by itself a substantial positive effect on the overall drug error rate. This phenomenon known as the Hawthorne effect should be taken in consideration when evaluating the efficacy of any preventive intervention aimed at improving patient safety.

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