Reducing Errors In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Reducing Errors In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The SAPHET-i Study: Secure, Automated, Functional, High-Tech Therapeutic Approach for iNFANTS

This is a monocentric prospective pre and post-intervention study, aiming at analyzing the efficacy of the Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) plus Bar Code Medication Administration (BCMA) as compared to paper order entry in reducing medication erros (MEs) in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

Medication errors are a burden to the health care system. The neonatal population, in particular the infants admitted to the NICU, are at higher risk of MEs as compared to the adult and pediatric population. Moreover adverse events (ADEs) occur more frequently and may be particularly severe in neonates.

Several strategies have been tried in order to decrease the incidence of MEs in the NICU. Among these, some studies investigated the effectiveness of CPOE in reducing MEs in hospitalised patients. However, results have been inconsistent. So far, no study investigated the association of CPOE + BCMA in neonates.

The investigators designed a monocentric prospective pre and post-intervention observational study to investigate the efficacy of the CPOE plus BCMA as compared to paper order entry in reducing MEs in the NICU population.

Inclusion criteria:

• Admission to the NICU
• Need of pharmacological intervention
• Informed parental consent

Exclusion criteria:

• Lack of parental consent