Table 2

Severe harm and fatal reports from the Norwegian Incident Reporting System in 2016 and 2017

All reported errors n (%)Severe n (%)Death n (%)
Total number of errors3372177 (5.2)27 (0.8)
Error type*
 Wrong dose/strength or frequency1354 (37.5)47 (27)13 (48)
 Omitted medicine or dose836 (23.2)57 (32) 6 (22)
 Adverse drug reaction77 (2.1)24 (13.6) 3 (11)
 Wrong drug548 (15.2)20 (11.3) 1 (3.7)
 Wrong route198 (5.5)10 (5.6) 1 (3.7)
 Contraindication191 (5.3)24 (13.6) 4 (14.8)
 Other406 (11.3)14 (7.9) 0 (N/A)
Medication process stage*
 Administration2544 (68)96 (54)16 (59.3)
 Prescribing888 (23.7)70 (39.5)11 (40.7)
 Other118 (8.5)11 (6.5) 0(N/A)
Health professionals reporting
 Nurse2103 (62.4)48 (27.0) 3 (11.0)
 Physician385 (11.4)70 (40.0)16 (59.0)
 Other health professionals884 (26.0)59 (33.0) 8 (29.0)
Patient age (years)
 0–17266101
 18–651283635
 >65169810021
 Missing12540
  • *The total number of error types and medication process stages was greater than the number of incidents because the classification system permitted more than one category to be selected for one incident.