Depressed Residents Make Medication Errors

Unfortunately, medication errors are frequent, and severe ones can affect morbidity and mortality. Most investigators into the issue have focused on system factors, such as scheduling that causes sleep deprivation and overwork. These researchers prospectively examined the relation between self-reported depression and “burnout” in residents and subsequent medical errors in two pediatric residency programs. Errors were confirmed by review of charts and medication orders and by formal hospital reports of errors.

Of eligible residents, 123 (50%) participated. Twenty-four (20%) had scores on a 10-item validated rating scale indicating probable clinical depression; of these residents, three (12%) were taking antidepressants and seven (29%) reporte…