ASHP national survey of pharmacy practice in hospital settings: dispensing and administration—2014.
Clinical pharmacists can improve medication safety in the inpatient setting. Researchers surveyed hospital pharmacy directors about safety practices related to medication dispensing and administration. Although hindered by a low response rate, this study sheds light on medication errors in hospital settings. Key findings include the near universal implementation of automated dispensing cabinets and high levels of pharmacist review of medication orders in selected environments. Use of handwritten medication administration records is declining with time. However, in 2014 few respondents reported using barcode medication administration. While these results demonstrate increased attention to medication safety in inpatient settings over time, evidence-based practices remain incompletely implemented.