The role of labelling and packaging on medication error

23 January 2017

Medication administration error contributes to deaths and injury in hospitals, especially in the area of anaesthesia. Labelling and packaging contribute to medication error. This study examined the role of labelling and packaging in medication error and compared medically trained and medically naive participants.
Using eye-tracking equipment, Study 1A investigated the distribution of fixations across 32 pre-existing medication labels and packages. Participants fixated less on the dose and top of medications than on the name and ‘other’ features. Both medical experience and packaging type influenced on which label areas participants fixated (Victoria University of Wellington, December 2016).
Click here for an abstract of the thesis.
Click here to download the full thesis report (3.78 MB).
Click here for more information about the NVC project Pharmaceutical Packaging Innovation.
Click here for more information about the NVC E-Course Pharmaceutical Packaging.

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