Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices about the Management of Medication Errors among Healthcare Professionals in District Sialkot, Pakistan

Abstract

Introduction: Medication errors are often involved in reported adverse events. Research has revealed the need for improved knowledge in drug dose, dosage form, and medication knowledge, as a whole, is poorly investigated. The purpose of this survey was to study the medication knowledge, certainty, and estimated risk of errors. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a validated questionnaire in IITH, IIH Cantt, and different community pharmacies of Sialkot, Punjab, from April to May 2025. The questionnaire consists of four sections. The first contains demographic variables. The second portion assesses the knowledge of HBV infection and its vaccination. The third portion is about the attitude of healthcare workers towards the vaccination, and the last portion evaluates the practice of healthcare workers. To calculate the sample size of the study, the absolute error was estimated to be 5% and a 95% confidence level was used. Result: This study investigated the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding medication errors among 150 healthcare professionals in Sialkot, Pakistan. Most participants were aware of medication errors, with a significant proportion familiar with the five rights of medication administration and supportive of error reporting. The primary causes of errors were identified as poor communication, inadequate training, and heavy workloads. Older professionals had a better understanding of administration practices, while doctors and pharmacists showed higher confidence in reporting errors compared to nurses. Access to reporting systems varied by work setting. The study suggests that further training and better communication are essential to reduce errors and improve patient safety. Recommendations include expanding the study to other hospitals and implementing feedback systems. Discussion: Medication errors are a significant concern, with 76% of healthcare professionals experiencing them on a regular basis. Most agree on the importance of error reporting, and technology can help prevent errors. Targeted training and improved reporting systems are necessary to enhance patient safety. Healthcare professionals support error reporting; however, blame culture and a lack of training remain significant barriers.