Assessment of Pharmacist Dispensing Practices and their Educational Role Toward Patients on Oral Cytotoxic Drugs Regimen in Radiation and Isotopes Center at Khartoum, Sudan

Abstract

Background: Increasing use of oral cytotoxic chemotherapy among cancer patient in Sudan, rising important concern about safety practicing and using of these drugs. This study aimed to assess and demonstrate pharmacist dispensing pattern and their educational role toward patients on oral cytotoxic drugs regimen in Radiation and Isotopes Center at Khartoum (RICK). Methods: Across-sectional study was carried out at (RICK) hospital pharmacies. Data collected by using self-administered questionnaire distributed to all staff in active works (40 pharmacists) during February 2016. Results: All the participants responded to the questionnaire. The study reported variation among pharmacists when checking prescription. In which 97.4% of them checked drug name while only 76.9% calculating the dose according to the body surface area. For the patients-pharmacist counseling and it is effectiveness the study revealed that 77.5% of pharmacist providing counseling for the patient at the first visit. 75% of pharmacists counseling the drugs regimen. 28.1% of them including the drugs side effects and management. The counseling of the drugs handling and storage was registered by 65.6% of the participants. 53.1% of the pharmacists advice the patients to swallow the tablets and not crush it. The drugs interaction was counseled by 9.4% and only 2% of pharmacists counseled patients about medications teratogenicity. The finding revealed significant association between pharmacist experience and counseling practice by chi-square (p-value=0.008) while, the hospital training and staff attending has on significant association with (p-value=0.922, p-value=0.479). Conclusion: The study concluded that dispensing practice among pharmacists was main divers. Moreover, most of the pharmacists followed no standard when counseling patients and their experience becomes the main source when educating them.