What percentage of medication errors are attributed to interruptions?

• A. 25%
• B. 45%
• C. 60%
• D. 75%

Answer: (B)

Interruptions during medication administration are a major safety risk because they disrupt the nurse’s focus at the moment a medication is being prepared or given. When someone is interrupted, the likelihood of selecting the wrong drug, wrong dose, wrong route, wrong time, or even giving medicine to the wrong patient increases. Research across settings shows that interruptions account for a substantial portion of medication errors, with a commonly cited mid-range figure around 45%. This makes it a well-supported estimate for planning safety improvements, since it reflects a real and actionable source of errors. Interventions like no-interruption zones, dedicated medication rooms, barcode verification, and minimizing nonessential pages at the bedside directly target this risk. While studies vary and some report higher or lower figures, 45% is a practical, widely used reference that informs how we structure strategies to reduce interruptions and improve medication safety.