@article{ref1,
title="Unit of measurement used and parent medication dosing errors",
journal="Pediatrics",
year="2014",
author="Yin, H. Shonna and Dreyer, Benard P. and Ugboaja, Donna C. and Sanchez, Dayana C. and Paul, Ian M. and Moreira, Hannah A. and Rodriguez, Luis and Mendelsohn, Alan L.",
volume="134",
number="2",
pages="e354-61",
abstract="BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Adopting the milliliter as the preferred unit of measurement has been suggested as a strategy to improve the clarity of medication instructions; teaspoon and tablespoon units may inadvertently endorse nonstandard kitchen spoon use. We examined the association between unit used and parent medication errors and whether nonstandard instruments mediate this relationship.<br><br>METHODS: Cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from a larger study of provider communication and medication errors. English- or Spanish-speaking parents (n = 287) whose children were prescribed liquid medications in 2 emergency departments were enrolled. Medication error defined as: error in knowledge of prescribed dose, error in observed dose measurement (compared to intended or prescribed dose); >20% deviation threshold for error. Multiple logistic regression performed adjusting for parent age, language, country, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, education, health literacy (Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults); child age, chronic disease; site.<br><br>RESULTS: Medication errors were common: 39.4% of parents made an error in measurement of the intended dose, 41.1% made an error in the prescribed dose. Furthermore, 16.7% used a nonstandard instrument. Compared with parents who used milliliter-only, parents who used teaspoon or tablespoon units had twice the odds of making an error with the intended (42.5% vs 27.6%, P =.02; adjusted odds ratio=2.3; 95% confidence interval, 1.2-4.4) and prescribed (45.1% vs 31.4%, P =.04; adjusted odds ratio=1.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-3.5) dose; associations greater for parents with low health literacy and non-English speakers. Nonstandard instrument use partially mediated teaspoon and tablespoon-associated measurement errors.<br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Findings support a milliliter-only standard to reduce medication errors.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0031-4005",
doi="10.1542/peds.2014-0395",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1542/peds.2014-0395"
}