Abstract
Background: Patients with suspected community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) are managed according to treatment guidelines. This study aimed to determine the guideline adherence of health professionals at National District Hospital (NDH), Bloemfontein.Methods: This retrospective descriptive study included a study population of 149 patients admitted to NDH with suspected CAP from January 2015 to September 2016. Information was noted from the patient files and included signs and symptoms, investigations done and medication prescribed.Results: Most patients (n = 111, 75.0%) presented with a cough, 87 (60.0%) had a sputum test and 125 (83.9%) had a chest X-ray of whom 108 (86.4%) had a consolidation on the X-ray. The CURB-65 score of five (3.4%) patients was mentioned in the files, of which only three patients’ scores were indicated. One patient had a noted CURB-65 score that required admission.Conclusion: The adherence of health professionals to the treatment guideline for suspected CAP patients is poor.
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