Newborns are a vulnerable patient population. Fatal medication dosing errors have occurred internationally as a consequence of calculation errors in babies cared for in neonatal intensive care units (NICU). Compared with other hospital patients, medication errors are relatively common in sick babies due to the complex nature of neonatal intensive care. Sick newborns are also particularly vulnerable to adverse effects if medication errors do occur due to multiple medical conditions and immature organ, liver and kidney function. Errors can occur at each stage of the medication use process from prescribing to the administration of medicines. Interventions that reduce the risk of error occurrence are important to ensure the delivery of safe and effective healthcare. This study will provide preliminary information on the impact of an educational intervention on pharmaceutical calculation competency of staff working in an NICU. The data collected during this study will pave the way for further studies on the prevention of medication errors through education of healthcare professionals.
