ABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to describe a structured pharmacy training program in sterile compounding in a comprehensive cancer center in Jordan. A previously performed gap analysis showed a degree of non-compliance with the international standards in certain elements of sterile compounding. A structured training program with theoretical and practical domains was developed and implemented. The trainees were required to complete a compounding competency assessment at the end of the training. A questionnaire was distributed to evaluate the trainees' satisfaction. At one year of implementation, 25 pharmacists and 7 pharmacy technicians were enrolled into the training program. A questionnaire was conducted on 26 trainees. Based on the questionnaire results, 100% of the trainees were satisfied regarding the training objectives and the instructors' performance; 11.5% of the trainees stated that more time is needed for each trainee; and 3.8% said that more time is needed for the discussion. The development and implementation of a pharmaceutical sterile compounding training program in a comprehensive cancer care center was achieved by incorporating theoretical and practical techniques, with documented competency of trainees who reported satisfaction with the program. The optimal time dedicated for this program should be evaluated in future studies.
Subject(s)
Pharmacies , Pharmacy Service, Hospital , Humans , Pharmacists , Pharmacy Technicians , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to show the impact of a multidisciplinary quality improvement project on adherence to antimicrobial prophylaxis guidelines in oncological surgery. METHODS: This pre- and post-intervention prospective observational study was carried out at the King Hussein Cancer Centre (KHCC) in Amman, Jordan, between August 2009 and February 2012. The quality improvement project consisted of revising the institutional guidelines for surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis, assigning a clinical pharmacist to the surgical department, establishing an operating room satellite pharmacy and providing education regarding the appropriate utilisation of antibiotics. The medical records of adult cancer patients who underwent surgery were evaluated one month before and one month after the project was implemented to assess adherence to the guidelines with regards to antibiotics prescribed, drug doses and timing and treatment duration. RESULTS: A total of 70 patients were evaluated before and 97 patients were evaluated after the intervention, of which 57 (81.4%) and 95 (97.9%) patients received antibiotics, respectively. In comparing the pre- and post-intervention groups, an improvement was observed in the proportion of patients who received antibiotics at the appropriate time (n = 12 versus n = 79; 21.1% versus 83.2%; P <0.01), for the appropriate duration of time (n = 22 versus n = 94; 38.6% versus 99.0%; P <0.01) and in the appropriate dose (n = 9 versus n = 87; 56.3% versus 98.9%; P <0.01). CONCLUSION: Adherence to the antimicrobial prophylaxis guidelines at KHCC improved significantly after the implementation of a quality improvement project.
ABSTRACT
The medication assessment tool for cancer pain management (MAT-CP) measures the quality of medication use in relation to guidelines. The original MAT-CP was reviewed, modified and tested at a comprehensive cancer center in Jordan. The tool comprised 30 criteria covering six different aspects of pain management. Seventy patients were included, males 41 (59%), females 29 (41%), mean age 49 (range, 20-79) years. The overall level of adherence to guidelines was 78% with good inter-rater reliability (κ= 0.899). The tool's implementation showed opportunities for improvement in pain management at our institution. The MAT-CP was revised and validated for the first time outside Europe. This tool can be routinely used to assess and compare the quality of pain management in different institutions.
