International Journal of Pharmacology and Clinical Sciences, 2022, 11, 3, 92-103.
DOI: 10.5530/ijpcs.2022.11.16
Published: December 2022
Type: Research Article
Authors: Yousef Ahmed Alomi, Nouf Saad Al-Saban, Randa Jaroudi, Hussain Mohammed Ibrahim
Aareji, Faisal Safouq Alanazi, and Maha Hussein Almadany
Author(s) affiliations:
Yousef Ahmed Alomi*, BSc. Pharm, MSc. Clin Pharm, BCPS, BCNSP, DiBA, CDE, Critical care clinical pharmacists TPN clinical pharmacist Freelancer Business Planner, Content Editor, and Data Analyst, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Nouf Saad Al-Saban, Bsc. Pharm Patient Safety Specialist, Saudi Patient Safety Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Randa Jaroudi, BSc, PharmD, TPN Clinical Pharmacist, Freelance TPN Consultation, Saudi Arabia.
Hussain Mohammed Ibrahim Aareji, BSc. Pharm, Assistant Director of Quality Management and Patient Safety, Jazan, Saudi Arabia.
Faisal Safouq Alanazi, BSc. Pharm, Pharm.D, MSc. Clin Pharm, Pharmaceutical Care Services, MOH, Hafar Albatin, Saudi Arabia.
Maha Hussein Almadany, Bsc. Pharm, Health Care Quality Management Professional Diploma (HCQM), Pharmacy Quality Department, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Medical City, Al Madina Al Monwarah, Saudi Arabia.
Abstract
Objectives: To illustrate the pharmacist practice of High-Risk/Alert medications in Saudi Arabia. Methods: It analyzes a cross-sectional survey that discussed the pharmacist practice of High- Risk/Alert medications in Saudi Arabia. The survey consisted of respondents’ demographic information about pharmacists and practices, basic and advanced High-Risk/Alert medications practice implementation, the High-Risk/Alert drugs implemented in the following medication stages, and medications considered high alert or high risk at your institution. The 5-point Likert response scale system was used with closed-ended questions. The survey was validated through the revision of expert reviewers and pilot testing. Various tests of reliability, including McDonald’s ω, Cronbach’s alpha, Gutmann’s λ2, and Gutmann’s λ6, were conducted. Data analysis was performed using SurveyMonkey, SPSS, Jeffery’s Amazing Statistics Program (JASP), and Microsoft Excel version 16. Results: A total of 442 pharmacists responded to the questionnaire. Over one-third of responses came from the Central region (183 (40.40%)), one-quarter from the Western region (119 (26.92%)), with statistically significant differences between the provinces (p=0.000). Males responded more than females (264 (59.59%) vs. 179 (40.41%)), with statistically significant differences between all levels (p=0.000). Most respondents were in the age groups of 24-30 years (266 (59.91%)) and 31-35 years (78 (17.57%)), with statistically significant differences between all age groups (p=0.000). Most of the pharmacists were staff pharmacists (323 (72.75%)) and pharmacy supervisors (56 (12.61%)), with statistically significant differences between all levels (p=0.000). The average score of the practice of pharmacists’ basic knowledge of High-Risk/Alert medications was 3.81. The element “The risk medications are a part of the medication safety vision” obtained the highest score (4.18), and the element “Policy and procedure of High-Risk/Alert medications” also scored 4.18, followed by “The High-Risk/Alert medications are a part of the medication safety mission” (4.12). The average advanced High-Risk/Alert medications practice implementation score was 3.62. The element “The pharmacist shares in the medication safety committee for High-Risk/Alert medications discussion” scored 4.12, and the element “There is documentation of potential impact and outcomes with High-Risk/Alert medications” scored 3.85. The average score of High-Risk/Alert medications implemented in the medication stages was 3.99. The dispensing stage obtained the highest score (4.21), followed by the administration stage (4.12). Most drugs considered high alert or high risk at the institutions were antithrombotic agents (332 (77.39%)) and adrenergic agonists (330 (76.92%)), followed by insulin (285 (66.43%)) and inotropic medications (284 (65.97%)). Conclusion: The pharmacist’s practice of High-Risk/Alert medications is sufficient in Saudi Arabia. However, more expanded training in anesthesia and operation rooms has been successfully implemented, leading to many preventive drug-related problems and avoiding unnecessary economic burdens on the healthcare system.
Keywords: Alert, Drugs, High-risk, Medications, Pharmacist, Practice