Adverse drug reaction program using pharmacist and nurse monitors.

The feasibility of instituting an adverse drug reaction (ADR) monitoring program was examined. Nurses and pharmacists were requested to fill out an ADR report form whenever a change in a patient's condition or a medication order raised suspicion of a possible ADR. The reports were investigated by the clinical pharmacy resident and evaluated for probable causal relationship, severity, and mechanism. The process used for reporting ADRs is described, and the parameters used to define an ADR are defined. The success of this program in increasing the number of ADR reports is evaluated, and the amount of time required by the various monitors is estimated. This voluntary ADR reporting system did increase ADR documentation in the study institution and may be adopted by P & T Committees in other hospitals.