Assessment of the use of medicines in multidosis containers in the inpatients units of a hospital

Abstract

Introduction: The distribution of medication in the hospital has as a priority to ensure the patient's access to the drug in a safe and effective way. The objective of this study was to assess compliance with institutional regulations (policies) for the use of multidose medications by care teams, to observe the rate of compliance with the identification and conservation criteria and determine the main errors in the storage process. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study carried out in 03 units, a medical clinic ward (ECM), surgical ward (EC) and a pediatric ward (PE) at the University Hospital Professor Edgard Santos (HUPES), located in Salvador, Brazil. Data collection was performed through the technique of direct observation and completion of an instrument with the following variables: post-opened drug labeling, storage location, expiration date and extrinsic factors that influence stability. Results: A total of 44 multidose drugs were evaluated, of which 25% (11/44) were from ECM, 27.27% (12/44) from EC and 47.73% (21/44) from EP. Of the total, 23/44 (52.52%) of the drugs were stored according to the manufacturer's indication and following the Institutional Policies. Good adherence was not observed in EC and ECM wards regarding the labeling of these drugs. In EC, there is greater exposure of multidose drugs to sunlight. It is worth mentioning that pediatrics complies more satisfactorily with regulations, possibly because it deals more routinely with this type of pharmaceutical presentation, which is of paramount importance, since the aforementioned precautions ensure that the use of multidose medication is rational and safe. Conclusion: The teams of the three wards follow much of intitutional regulations. It is worth mentioning that the Pediatrics Ward performs more satisfactorily, possibly because it deals more routinely with this type of pharmaceutical presentation.