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Background and purpose: Many drugs are used in anesthesia that have rapid direct effect on nervous system and cardiovascular system. An error in prescribing them has a lot of risks. The aim of this study was to determine the characteristics of errors associated with anesthesia and operating room in state hospitals in Mazandaran province. Materials and methods: In this cross-sectional study a questionnaire was used to investigate the errors associated with anesthesia considering drugs and operating room facilities. Anesthesiologists and anesthetists in state hospitals completed the questionnaire. Results: Among the participants 63.4% have made errors at least once to three times, also 43.3% had problems in using the anesthetic facilities. There were 53% who reported at least one IP injection instead of IV injection which mainly occurred due to similarities in size and shape of ampoules. Among medication errors 46.5% were because of similarity of drug names. Stress in emergency situation led to different kinds of errors which showed significant differences between men and women (P <0.022). Conclusion: According to this study drug errors during anesthesia are still considered as potential risk factors. Following medication protocols, careful look at the drug by two persons before injection, a quiet and orderly environment, and planning for recording and reporting any error are necessary in preventing anesthesia mistakes.

Keywords: Drug error, anesthesia, anesthetic facilities, anesthesiologist

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