The nature of dispensing errors in hospital pharmacy; a systematic review

Ibrahim Mohammed Ibrahim Alnami; Abdulrahman Hussain Mohammed Otaify; Ibrahim Ahmed Ibrahim Alaajam; Ibrahim Zaid Ibrahim Hatan; Alhussain Mohammad Abujarrah; Ibrahim Yahya Hassan Muharraq; Shoaib Ali Yahya Moraya; Shoaa Mohammed Ali Abuhadi; Samah Ali Eisi Faqih; Faiza Hussain Ahmed Tawashi

doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1703943423

2025, Vol: 9, Issue: 2

9 / 2Current Issue Online First Archive Aims and Scope Abstracting & Indexing Most Accessed Articles Most Downloaded Articles Most Cited Articles

« Previous Article

Review Article
Online Published: 31 Dec 2023

IJMDC. 2023; 7(12): 2047-2054

doi: 10.24911/IJMDC.51-1703943423

The nature of dispensing errors in hospital pharmacy; a systematic review

Ibrahim Mohammed Ibrahim Alnami, Abdulrahman Hussain Mohammed Otaify, Ibrahim Ahmed Ibrahim Alaajam, Ibrahim Zaid Ibrahim Hatan, Alhussain Mohammad Abujarrah, Ibrahim Yahya Hassan Muharraq, Shoaib Ali Yahya Moraya, Shoaa Mohammed Ali Abuhadi, Samah Ali Eisi Faqih, Faiza Hussain Ahmed Tawashi.

Abstract
Medication errors can result in several unfavorable outcomes. Dispensing medication is the fundamental function of pharmaceutical care. Dispensing error is the discrepancy between the prescription and the drug delivered to the patients. The rates of dispensing errors vary in the literature across different countries and settings, and there are several forms and a wide range of dispensing errors as well as various causes. Hence, this review aimed to identify the prevalence, types, and causes of dispensing errors in hospital pharmacy by reviewing the previous studies that investigated this subject. Obtaining eligible articles required exploration of electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, Elsevier, Springer, and Google Scholar. The exploration process involved using search terms such as "Nature, Prevalence, Incidence, Types, Causes, Dispensing errors, Hospital Pharmacy, Hospitals, and Rate". The inclusion criteria were English original articles reported dispensing errors in hospital pharmacies published after the year 2016. A total of seven studies were included as they met the inclusion criteria. The studies were from six countries with a total number of prescriptions of 66,849. The nature of dispensing errors included prevalence rates, types, and causes of dispensing errors. Dispensing errors in hospital pharmacies are a significant issue that varies between different studies, even hospital settings. The major dispensing errors included labeling errors, content errors, and documentation errors. There were various factors that led to such dispensing errors, including a shift of work, heavy work, similar drug names and packaging, poor handwriting, interruption, a high number of drugs, and quantified drugs.

Key words: Hospital pharmacy, prevalence, types, causes, dispensing errors

	ARTICLE TOOLS
	Abstract
	PDF Fulltext
	How to cite this article
	Citation Tools
	Related Records
	Articles by Ibrahim Mohammed Ibrahim Alnami Articles by Abdulrahman Hussain Mohammed Otaify Articles by Ibrahim Ahmed Ibrahim Alaajam Articles by Ibrahim Zaid Ibrahim Hatan Articles by Alhussain Mohammad Abujarrah Articles by Ibrahim Yahya Hassan Muharraq Articles by Shoaib Ali Yahya Moraya Articles by Shoaa Mohammed Ali Abuhadi Articles by Samah Ali Eisi Faqih Articles by Faiza Hussain Ahmed Tawashi
	on Google
	on Google Scholar

How to Cite this Article

Pubmed Style

Alnami IMI, Otaify AHM, Alaajam IAI, Hatan IZI, Abujarrah AM, Muharraq IYH, Moraya SAY, Abuhadi SMA, Faqih SAE, Tawashi FHA. The nature of dispensing errors in hospital pharmacy; a systematic review. IJMDC. 2023; 7(12): 2047-2054. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1703943423

Web Style

Alnami IMI, Otaify AHM, Alaajam IAI, Hatan IZI, Abujarrah AM, Muharraq IYH, Moraya SAY, Abuhadi SMA, Faqih SAE, Tawashi FHA. The nature of dispensing errors in hospital pharmacy; a systematic review. https://www.ijmdc.com/?mno=183244 [Access: March 17, 2025]. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1703943423

AMA (American Medical Association) Style

Alnami IMI, Otaify AHM, Alaajam IAI, Hatan IZI, Abujarrah AM, Muharraq IYH, Moraya SAY, Abuhadi SMA, Faqih SAE, Tawashi FHA. The nature of dispensing errors in hospital pharmacy; a systematic review. IJMDC. 2023; 7(12): 2047-2054. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1703943423

Vancouver/ICMJE Style

Alnami IMI, Otaify AHM, Alaajam IAI, Hatan IZI, Abujarrah AM, Muharraq IYH, Moraya SAY, Abuhadi SMA, Faqih SAE, Tawashi FHA. The nature of dispensing errors in hospital pharmacy; a systematic review. IJMDC. (2023), [cited March 17, 2025]; 7(12): 2047-2054. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1703943423

Harvard Style

Alnami, I. M. I., Otaify, . A. H. M., Alaajam, . I. A. I., Hatan, . I. Z. I., Abujarrah, . A. M., Muharraq, . I. Y. H., Moraya, . S. A. Y., Abuhadi, . S. M. A., Faqih, . S. A. E. & Tawashi, . F. H. A. (2023) The nature of dispensing errors in hospital pharmacy; a systematic review. IJMDC, 7 (12), 2047-2054. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1703943423

Turabian Style

Alnami, Ibrahim Mohammed Ibrahim, Abdulrahman Hussain Mohammed Otaify, Ibrahim Ahmed Ibrahim Alaajam, Ibrahim Zaid Ibrahim Hatan, Alhussain Mohammad Abujarrah, Ibrahim Yahya Hassan Muharraq, Shoaib Ali Yahya Moraya, Shoaa Mohammed Ali Abuhadi, Samah Ali Eisi Faqih, and Faiza Hussain Ahmed Tawashi. 2023. The nature of dispensing errors in hospital pharmacy; a systematic review. International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries, 7 (12), 2047-2054. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1703943423

Chicago Style

Alnami, Ibrahim Mohammed Ibrahim, Abdulrahman Hussain Mohammed Otaify, Ibrahim Ahmed Ibrahim Alaajam, Ibrahim Zaid Ibrahim Hatan, Alhussain Mohammad Abujarrah, Ibrahim Yahya Hassan Muharraq, Shoaib Ali Yahya Moraya, Shoaa Mohammed Ali Abuhadi, Samah Ali Eisi Faqih, and Faiza Hussain Ahmed Tawashi. "The nature of dispensing errors in hospital pharmacy; a systematic review." International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries 7 (2023), 2047-2054. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1703943423

MLA (The Modern Language Association) Style

Alnami, Ibrahim Mohammed Ibrahim, Abdulrahman Hussain Mohammed Otaify, Ibrahim Ahmed Ibrahim Alaajam, Ibrahim Zaid Ibrahim Hatan, Alhussain Mohammad Abujarrah, Ibrahim Yahya Hassan Muharraq, Shoaib Ali Yahya Moraya, Shoaa Mohammed Ali Abuhadi, Samah Ali Eisi Faqih, and Faiza Hussain Ahmed Tawashi. "The nature of dispensing errors in hospital pharmacy; a systematic review." International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries 7.12 (2023), 2047-2054. Print. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1703943423

APA (American Psychological Association) Style

Alnami, I. M. I., Otaify, . A. H. M., Alaajam, . I. A. I., Hatan, . I. Z. I., Abujarrah, . A. M., Muharraq, . I. Y. H., Moraya, . S. A. Y., Abuhadi, . S. M. A., Faqih, . S. A. E. & Tawashi, . F. H. A. (2023) The nature of dispensing errors in hospital pharmacy; a systematic review. International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries, 7 (12), 2047-2054. doi:10.24911/IJMDC.51-1703943423

Most Viewed Articles

Most Accessed Articles

Marginal adaptation of fixed prosthodontics
Shahad Mohammed Halawani, Sahar Amer Al-Harbi
IJMDC. 2017; 1(2): 78-84
» Abstract » doi: 10.24911/IJMDC.1.2.7

Parasites in central nervous system
Amal Ahmed Mohamed, Asmaa Mohamed Mansour
IJMDC. 2017; 1(2): 72-77
» Abstract » doi: 10.24911/IJMDC.1.2.6

Non-diabetic retinopathy: a case report
Hassan F. Alkwikbi, Nabil Mamon Abdelfattah, Haithem Mamon Abdelfattah
IJMDC. 2017; 1(1): 33-37
» Abstract » doi: 10.24911/IJMDC.1.1.6

Vitamin D deficiency among high school female students in Riyadh
Sahar Mohsen Aldhafeeri, Fatemah Ibraheem Alrawaji, Abrar Mubarak Algharbi, Alanoud Abdullah Alhessan, Ayat Sami Qabaja, Ghaleah Abdulaziz Alnassar, Ghaliah Ofayn Alsulami, Mashael Belal Alrubaian, Norah Abdulaziz Alhatim, Salehah Salih Alotaibi, Zahra Ali Alkhamees
IJMDC. 2017; 1(1): 18-23
» Abstract » doi: 10.24911/IJMDC.1.1.4

Prognosis of chronic complications of diabetes mellitus (DM) after multiple events of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)
Baraa Faiez Rajab, Anwar Essa Alamrim, Ali Essa Alamri
IJMDC. 2019; 3(5): 474-479
» Abstract » doi: 10.24911/IJMDC.51-1546551993

Most Downloaded

Top Downloaded Articles

Anti-IL-17 markedly inhibited the in vitro granuloma induced by Schistosoma mansoni soluble egg antigen.
Asmaa Ezz, Irene S. Gmail, Fatma Elzahraa H. Salem, Rabab Salama, Soad Nady
IJMDC. 2018; 2(January 2018): 38-46
» Abstract » doi: 10.24911/IJMDC.2.1.7

Antibiotic Resistance Crisis
Nuha Saad Mobarki, Buthaina Abdullah Almerabi, Ahmad Hattan Hattan
IJMDC. 2019; 3(6): 561-564
» Abstract » doi: 10.24911/IJMDC.51-1549060699

The knowledge of mothers about children malnutrition and associated factors
Anas Abdulrahman Aljohani, Mujahid Abdulrahman Aljohani
IJMDC. 2020; 4(1): 7-11
» Abstract » doi: 10.24911/IJMDC.51-1541620358

Knowledge and attitude of caregivers of cerebral palsy children in Riyadh city
Abdulaziz Alruwaished, Baleegh Ali, Lubna Abdullah Alhowaimil , Abaraa adullah Alhowaimil, Najd Abdullah Alhowaimil, Aminah Alessa
IJMDC. 2020; 4(1): 12-17
» Abstract » doi: 10.24911/IJMDC.51-1547833051

Most Cited Articles

Most Cited Articles

Antibiotic Resistance Crisis
Nuha Saad Mobarki, Buthaina Abdullah Almerabi, Ahmad Hattan Hattan
IJMDC. 2019; 3(6): 561-564
» Abstract » doi: 10.24911/IJMDC.51-1549060699
Cited : 34 times [Click to see citing articles]

Prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress among diabetes mellitus patients in Arar, Northern Saudi Arabia
AMohammed Elamin Mukrim, Nujud Muteb D. Alshammari, Wurud Muteb D. Alshammari, Maali Subhi T. Alshammari, Yousef Nasif R. Alshammari, Abdulaziz Sael M. Alshammari, Maisa Hamad F. Alanazi, Abdulelah Abdulrhman F. Alzammam, Muharib Mana M. Alshammari, Slwa Khaled Abu Asyah, Aseel Jamal Alzuhayri, Mushref Saeid Alshammari
IJMDC. 2019; 3(3): 229-233
» Abstract » doi: 10.24911/IJMDC.51-1542576396
Cited : 8 times [Click to see citing articles]

Knowledge, attitude, and practice of breast self-examination toward breast cancer among female students at King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Abdullah Nasser Alomair, Dania Ghazi Felemban, Mohannad Sami Felemban, Jameel Abdullah Awadain, Ammar Saud Altowairqi, Nawaf Fawzan Alfawzan, Fatimah Mohammed Almazayen, Abdulrahman Jalwi Korkoman, Nawaf Saad Alrusayyis
IJMDC. 2020; 4(2): 429-434
» Abstract » doi: 10.24911/IJMDC.51-1576668182
Cited : 8 times [Click to see citing articles]

Population awareness about rheumatoid arthritis in Jazan region, Saudi Arabia
Ahmad Ali Hazzazi, Mohssen Hassen Ageeli, Ahmed Ali Muyidi, Abdulaziz Mohammad Abulgasim, Abdullah Ahmad Yateemi, Nabil Alhakami
IJMDC. 2020; 4(3): 668-675
» Abstract » doi: 10.24911/IJMDC.51-1576010943
Cited : 4 times [Click to see citing articles]

Prevalence and factors associated with depression among health care workers in National Guard Hospital in Riyadh, KSA
Noor Mohammad AlFahhad
IJMDC. 2018; 2(September 2018): 92-96
» Abstract » doi: 10.24911/IJMDC.51-1526306040
Cited : 4 times [Click to see citing articles]

About International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries

Contact Information

How to cite this article