TY - JOUR T1 - A retrospective comparison of oxygen prescription errors during social and unsocial hours JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J DO - 10.1183/13993003.congress-2016.PA3711 VL - 48 IS - suppl 60 SP - PA3711 AU - Rachelle Asciak AU - Caroline Gouder AU - Julia Tua AU - Maria Ciantar AU - Valerie Fenech AU - Stephen Montefort Y1 - 2016/09/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/48/suppl_60/PA3711.abstract N2 - Introduction: Both hyperoxia and hypoxia can be harmful, yet oxygen therapy prescription is often incomplete and with errors. Frequent long work shifts have been shown to increase medical errors (LK Barger et al. PLoS Med. 2006), but evidence of the effect of time, ie day vs night shifts, on oxygen prescription errors is scarce.Aim: To compare oxygen therapy administration and prescription during social and unsocial hours at the emergency department (ED), Mater Dei hospital, Malta, where doctors' night shifts are usually between 20:00-08:00.Method: 277 patients hospitalised with medical conditions likely to require oxygen therapy were recruited over 2 months. Data was collected on oxygen therapy administered and prescribed at the ED. A p value<0.05 was statistically significant.Results: 138 patients presented between 8:00-19:59 ('Day' group), 89 between 20:00-07:59 ('Night' group). Oxygen therapy was indicated in 30.4% in Day, 38.2% in Night (p=0.2).Oxygen saturation on air was not documented in 2.9% in Day, 6.7% in Night (p=0.2), so it was not possible to determine whether oxygen was indicated or not.Where oxygen therapy was indicated: administration of oxygen therapy documented in 95.2% in Day, 94.1% in Night (p=0.8), and the documentation was complete (delivery device and flow rate) in 73.8% in Day, 74.5% in Night (p=0.9).In patients in whom oxygen therapy was indicated, it was prescribed in the admission plan in 85.7% in Day and 85.3% (p=0.9) in Night. Prescription was complete in 76.2% in Day and 70.6% (p=0.6) in Night.Conclusion: Although frequent long work shifts are associated with increased medical errors, the time of day did not influence oxygen prescription errors. ER -