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Towards improving dose administration aid supply: a quality improvement intervention aimed at reducing dispensing errors

International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy volume 35, pages 1152–1160 (2013)Cite this article

Abstract

Background There is a risk that medicines can be dispensed into dose administration aids (DAAs), inaccurately or unsuitably. Quality improvement interventions (QIIs) may target this pharmacy medicine supply service and reduce the occurrence of these dispensing errors. In turn, medicine administration can improve in nursing homes (NHs) that use these devices. Objective To develop, introduce and evaluate the potential of a QII to improve DAA medicine supply. Setting Fourteen Victorian community pharmacies and 45 NHs. Methods A QII was developed using findings from three focus groups with 13 participants involved with DAAs at community pharmacies and NHs. The intervention was introduced to community pharmacies and NHs via a pharmacist-facilitated education session; attendees completed an evaluation questionnaire. Main outcome measure Potential usefulness and effectiveness of the QII at improving DAA supply and reducing dispensing errors. Results The QII was titled: ‘Be alert and work together for medicine safety, DAA incident awareness toolkit’. Four-hundred and thirty-five questionnaires were returned (85.0 % response rate). Respondents believed the intervention had the potential to improve pharmacy medicine supply or NH medicine administration involving DAAs ‘very’ (47.3 % of responses) or ‘extremely well’ (23.4 %). The intervention had the potential to reduce the occurrence of DAA dispensing errors ‘very’ (49.6 %) or ‘extremely well’ (20.5 %). Conclusion A stakeholder informed QII was perceived to have the potential to improve DAA medicine supply from community pharmacies to NHs and reduce the occurrence of dispensing errors found within them. Future quantitative evaluation of the intervention is required.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Kerry Murphy and Souhiela Fakih for taking notes during the focus groups.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, 3052, Australia

    Julia Fiona-Maree Gilmartin, Jennifer Lillian Marriott & Safeera Yasmeen Hussainy

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  1. Julia Fiona-Maree Gilmartin
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  2. Jennifer Lillian Marriott
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  3. Safeera Yasmeen Hussainy
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Correspondence to Julia Fiona-Maree Gilmartin.

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Gilmartin, J.FM., Marriott, J.L. & Hussainy, S.Y. Towards improving dose administration aid supply: a quality improvement intervention aimed at reducing dispensing errors. Int J Clin Pharm 35, 1152–1160 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11096-013-9839-z

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Keywords

  • Australia
  • Clinical interventions
  • Drug administration schedule
  • Drug packaging
  • Medication errors
  • Medication systems
  • Older adults
  • Pharmacy interventions