C Lopez-Martin1, I Aquerreta2, V Faus3, A Idoate2. 1. Área de Farmacia y Nutrición. AS Hospital Costa del Sol, Marbella, Málaga, España. Electronic address: carmen_lopez_martin@hotmail.com. 2. Servicio de Farmacia, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, España. 3. Área de Farmacia y Nutrición. AS Hospital Costa del Sol, Marbella, Málaga, España.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Medicines reconciliation plays a key role in patient safety. However, there is limited data available on how this process affects critically ill patients. In this study, we evaluate a program of reconciliation in critically ill patients conducted by the Intensive Care Unit's (ICU) pharmacist. DESIGN: Prospective study about reconciliation medication errors observed in 50 patients. SCOPE ICU PATIENTS: All ICU patients, excluding patients without regular treatment. INTERVENTIONS: Reconciliation process was carried out in the first 24h after ICU admission. Discrepancies were clarified with the doctor in charge of the patient. MAIN VARIABLE: We analyzed the incidence of reconciliation errors, their characteristics and gravity, the interventions made by the pharmacist and their acceptance by physicians. RESULTS: A total of 48% of patients showed at least one reconciliation error. Omission of drugs accounted for 74% of the reconciliation errors, mainly involving antihypertensive drugs (33%). An amount of 58% of reconciliation errors detected corresponded to severity category D. Pharmacist made interventions in the 98% of patients with discrepancies. A total of 81% of interventions were accepted. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence and characteristics of reconciliation errors in ICU are similar to those published in non-critically ill patients, and they affect drugs with high clinical significance. Our data support the importance of the stablishment of medication reconciliation proceedings in critically ill patients. The ICU's pharmacist could carry out this procedure adequately.
OBJECTIVE: Medicines reconciliation plays a key role in patient safety. However, there is limited data available on how this process affects critically illpatients. In this study, we evaluate a program of reconciliation in critically illpatients conducted by the Intensive Care Unit's (ICU) pharmacist. DESIGN: Prospective study about reconciliation medication errors observed in 50 patients. SCOPE ICU PATIENTS: All ICU patients, excluding patients without regular treatment. INTERVENTIONS: Reconciliation process was carried out in the first 24h after ICU admission. Discrepancies were clarified with the doctor in charge of the patient. MAIN VARIABLE: We analyzed the incidence of reconciliation errors, their characteristics and gravity, the interventions made by the pharmacist and their acceptance by physicians. RESULTS: A total of 48% of patients showed at least one reconciliation error. Omission of drugs accounted for 74% of the reconciliation errors, mainly involving antihypertensive drugs (33%). An amount of 58% of reconciliation errors detected corresponded to severity category D. Pharmacist made interventions in the 98% of patients with discrepancies. A total of 81% of interventions were accepted. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence and characteristics of reconciliation errors in ICU are similar to those published in non-critically illpatients, and they affect drugs with high clinical significance. Our data support the importance of the stablishment of medication reconciliation proceedings in critically illpatients. The ICU's pharmacist could carry out this procedure adequately.
Authors: María Jesús Rojas-Ocaña; E Begoña García-Navarro; Sonia García-Navarro; María Eulalia Macías-Colorado; Servando Manuel Baz-Montero; Miriam Araujo-Hernández Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-08-19 Impact factor: 4.614