Newborn intensive care units (NICUs) are high-risk areas of care, where complex medical interventions are performed, and are recognized as a resource for improved outcome in premature and low-birth-weight infants or those presenting with acute conditions. This critical environment, along with the vulnerable nature of the population it serves, places patients at risk for medication errors, which can result in permanent harm or death. Promoting safe medication practices requires participation of all individuals involved in the medication use process (e.g., physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, respiratory therapists, pharmacy technicians). The following recommendations, organized in accordance with the Institute for Safe Medication Practices' Key Elements of the Medication Use System™, will focus on significant areas of concern within the NICU. All individuals caring for neonates, supported by administrators and organizational leaders, should recognize themselves as active partners responsible for the safety of this fragile patient population by participating in the design and sustainment of a safe and efficient medication use system.
ObjectivesTo evaluate implementation of safety standards of compounded sterile preparations in different hospitals.MethodsThis cross-sectional study included 124 hospitals from 19 countries. A survey was developed based on the guidelines and safety practices of the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) for sterile preparations compounding, and was sent to the members of the Intravenous and Parenteral Nutrition experts’ network (IV PN experts’ network) in the Gulf region and beyond using SurveyMonkey software.Results124 pharmacists were invited to participate in this study. Only 39 (31.5%) pharmacists from seven countries responded: 16 (41%) of the participants were pharmacy supervisors, and 23 (59%) had >10 years of work experience. However, a majority, 27 (69%), of the respondents were from Saudi Arabia. Written policies and procedures for sterile preparations compounding were available in 37 (95%) hospitals. The concentrated electrolytes were removed from all patient care areas in 28 (72%) hospitals, and 30 (77%) hospitals clearly labelled those as high-alert medications. The use of advanced technologies, such as bar code verification or IV robotics, for compounding sterile preparations were not implemented in 27 (69%) hospitals.ConclusionsMinimum standards and best practice recommendations to ensure safety of sterile preparation compounding were implemented in many hospitals of different countries. However, advanced technologies were not implemented by the majority of the hospitals.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.