Solid Medication Dosage Form Modification at the Bedside and in the Pharmacy of Queensland Hospitals

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Author(s)
Nissen, LM
Haywood, A
Steadman, KJ
Griffith University Author(s)
Year published
2009
Metadata
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Background: Solid medication dosage forms are regularly modified to aid medication delivery to patients that are unable to swallow them. Aim: To identify medications that are commonly modified in Queensland hospitals at the bedside and in the pharmacy and to identify how these modifications are made. Method: A self-report survey was sent to 97 hospitals of varying sizes in metropolitan and rural areas across Queensland. Results: Most (n = 31; 79%) of the responding hospitals reported that medications were modified at the bedside. 73 different medications were modified at the bedside. Most of the tablets or capsules ...
View more >Background: Solid medication dosage forms are regularly modified to aid medication delivery to patients that are unable to swallow them. Aim: To identify medications that are commonly modified in Queensland hospitals at the bedside and in the pharmacy and to identify how these modifications are made. Method: A self-report survey was sent to 97 hospitals of varying sizes in metropolitan and rural areas across Queensland. Results: Most (n = 31; 79%) of the responding hospitals reported that medications were modified at the bedside. 73 different medications were modified at the bedside. Most of the tablets or capsules had standard-release characteristics. 8 hospitals crushed modified-release dosage forms and 11 hospitals crushed medications with a narrow therapeutic index. At the bedside, 88% of medications were modified for adult use, mostly by crushing multiple tablets together (84% of hospitals) using a pestle and mortar (87%) and mixing into jam (72%) or water (64%). Only 7 hospitals reported modifications in the pharmacy (many small hospitals do not employ a pharmacist). 17 medications modified in the pharmacy were all modified for children because of the lack of commercial preparations.
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View more >Background: Solid medication dosage forms are regularly modified to aid medication delivery to patients that are unable to swallow them. Aim: To identify medications that are commonly modified in Queensland hospitals at the bedside and in the pharmacy and to identify how these modifications are made. Method: A self-report survey was sent to 97 hospitals of varying sizes in metropolitan and rural areas across Queensland. Results: Most (n = 31; 79%) of the responding hospitals reported that medications were modified at the bedside. 73 different medications were modified at the bedside. Most of the tablets or capsules had standard-release characteristics. 8 hospitals crushed modified-release dosage forms and 11 hospitals crushed medications with a narrow therapeutic index. At the bedside, 88% of medications were modified for adult use, mostly by crushing multiple tablets together (84% of hospitals) using a pestle and mortar (87%) and mixing into jam (72%) or water (64%). Only 7 hospitals reported modifications in the pharmacy (many small hospitals do not employ a pharmacist). 17 medications modified in the pharmacy were all modified for children because of the lack of commercial preparations.
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Journal Title
Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research
Volume
39
Issue
2
Copyright Statement
© 2009 Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research. The attached file is reproduced here in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher. Please refer to the journal's website for access to the definitive, published version.
Subject
Pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences
Clinical pharmacy and pharmacy practice