Evaluation of Drug-Related Problems in a Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit Identified by a Clinical Pharmacist in-training in a 7-Month Period

Abstract

Objective: This cross sectional study was performed to demonstrate the importance of clinical pharmacists’ participation in pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplantation patient management with regards to the detection, prevention, and management of drug-related problems.Methods: The study was carried out from 1st October 2015 to 1st May 2016 in a pediatric bone marrow transplantation unit of a tertiary care hospital. The inpatients and outpatients between 0 to 18 years of age were included and the patients were monitored and evaluated for drug-related problems (interactions, side effects, preparation, and administration). A clinical pharmacist-in-training made recommendations to the physicians and the nurses on the problems that were identified.Results: Twenty inpatients and twenty-two outpatients were monitored during the study. In total, 245 problems were identified in the inpatients, 37.14 % of which were drug-related; 33 % of the drug-related problems were the side effects of cyclosporine. Eleven recommendations on drug-related problems were made to the physicians and six of them were for the problems identified in the inpatient services with regards to drug dosing and administration. Five recommendations regarding total parenteral nutrition, drug incompatibility, drug administration from the feeding tube, and drug side effects were made to the nurses. Twenty-nine information on the dosing, side effects, incompatibilities, administration, and preparation of the drugs, were given by the pharmacist to the physicians and the nurses.Conclusion: Clinical pharmacists’ participation will improve the detection and the management of drug-related problems in pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplantation units in Turkey