Medication errors room: a simulation to assess the medical, nursing and pharmacy staffs' ability to identify errors related to the medication‐use system

Rationale, aims and objectives The medication‐use system in hospitals is very complex. To improve the health professionals' awareness of the risks of errors related to the medication‐use system, a simulation of medication errors was created. The main objective was to assess the medical, nursing and pharmacy staffs' ability to identify errors related to the medication‐use system using a simulation. The secondary objective was to assess their level of satisfaction. Method This descriptive cross‐sectional study was conducted in a 500‐bed mother‐and‐child university hospital. A multidisciplinary group set up 30 situations and replicated a patient room and a care unit pharmacy. All hospital staff, including nurses, physicians, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, was invited. Participants had to detect if a situation contained an error and fill out a response grid. They also answered a satisfaction survey. Results The simulation was held during 100 hours. A total of 230 professionals visited the simulation, 207 handed in a response grid and 136 answered the satisfaction survey. The participants' overall rate of correct answers was 67.5% ± 13.3% (4073/6036). Among the least detected errors were situations involving a Y‐site infusion incompatibility, an oral syringe preparation and the patient's identification. Participants mainly considered the simulation as effective in identifying incorrect practices (132/136, 97.8%) and relevant to their practice (129/136, 95.6%). Most of them (114/136; 84.4%) intended to change their practices in view of their exposure to the simulation. Conclusions We implemented a realistic medication‐use system errors simulation in a mother–child hospital, with a wide audience. This simulation was an effective, relevant and innovative tool to raise the health care professionals' awareness of critical processes.