Medication errors, pharmacological knowledge and interventions amongst employed pharmacy technicians in qom drugstores, Iran: A cross-sectional study

Introduction: Different factors are effective in medication errors, but some dispensing errors may occur by the pharmacy technicians due to the expanded responsibilities of them and lack of standardised training. This study aimed to assess the pharmacy technician awareness in different dimensions including pharmacological knowledge, interventions and medication errors in employed technicians of Qom pharmacies. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in all 101 employed pharmacy technicians in medical pharmacies of Qom, Iran, in 2017. The data collection conducted by a standard researcher-made questionnaire. The questionnaire was including demographic characteristics, pharmacological knowledge, intervention and medication errors. Data were analysed by t-test, analysis of variance and Pearson's correlation coefficient tests in SPSS. Results: The mean score in pharmacological knowledge, interventions and medication errors was 5.72 ± 2.35, 1.05 ± 0.744 and 6.68 ± 2.26, respectively. Moreover, the total score of pharmacological awareness was 13.45 ± 3.96. Only 12% of the pharmacy technicians in Qom educated in medical field, 45% were diploma and lower and 61% of participants reported that they have not passed any educational pharmacological courses. The mean score of pharmacological knowledge (P = 0.010) and errors (P = 0.026) and the total score of pharmacological awareness (P = 0.005) were significantly lower in 23 years' age group and higher in 23-year-old pharmacological technicians. Moreover, week-work is directly associated with medication errors. Gender, job history and educational field are related factors in pharmacological knowledge of pharmacy technicians. Conclusion: The mean score of pharmacological knowledge, intervention and medication errors of pharmacy technicians was moderate. Nevertheless, there was some main challenge in Iranian pharmacy staffs including irrelevant education of pharmacy technicians, low educational level and low experience job in drugstores