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Title: | Exploratory study to identify the process used by pharmacy staff to verify the accuracy of dispensed medicines |
Authors: | Anto, Berko Jamesa, Kathryn Lynette Barlow, Dave Brinklow, Nigel Oborne, C. Alice Whittlesea, Cate |
Keywords: | dispensing education medication risk patient safety practice |
Issue Date: | 2013 |
Publisher: | International Journal of Pharmacy Practice |
Citation: | International Journal of Pharmacy Practice 2013, 21, pp. 233–242 |
Abstract: | Objectives To determine the common stages and strategies involved in the dispensing
accuracy-checking process used by pharmacy staff and to determine the training
activities used by these staff to gain the knowledge and skills for accuracy checking.
Method Face-to-face tape-recorded ethnographic interviews (n = 28) were undertaken
in 2009–2010 at two large teaching hospitals with a purposive sample of
pharmacists and accredited checking technicians qualified to undertake the final
accuracy check on dispensed medicines. Participants described their accuracychecking
process, strategies used to aid checking using anonymised prescriptions
and accurate dispensing of medicines to aid discussion. The range of training activities
undertaken to develop this skillwere discussed. Qualitative datawere analysed in
accordance with the principles of grounded theory to identify themes.
Key findings The accuracy-checking process was described as a cognitive and systematic
process. The order in which accuracy checking was executed was found to
followtwo pathways,with all participants checking the prescription first before verifying
either the label or dispensed product. Various physical and sensory aids were
used to assist in this verification process. There were inconsistencies in the level of
accuracy-checking training received by pharmacists and accredited checking technicians,
with many pharmacists reporting no training.
Conclusion Although an important medication-error prevention strategy, until
this study little was known about the process used by pharmacy staff when verifying
the accuracy of dispensedmedicines.Accuracy checking is a complex cognitive task
involving verification of the product and label with the prescription. Strategies
obtained during past experience and in trainingwere used to aid checking.The study
highlighted that pharmacy staff training to undertake this task was variable. Application
of strategies identified in this study may allow individuals to adopt further
safeguards to improve patient safety. |
Description: | International Journal of Pharmacy Practice 2013, 21, pp. 233–242 doi: 10.1111/j.2042-7174.2012.00255.x |
URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/7030 |
Appears in Collections: | College of Health Sciences
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