Effects of a training program on the practices of hospital pharmacy residents in the field of prescription analysis

Abstract

The objective of the research was to evaluate the impact of a training program on pharmacy residents’ performance in the field of prescription analysis. A before-and-after study was conducted. The criteria for assessing the level of performance were the type and frequency of interventions. Before the training program, 279 pharmaceutical opinions were given (6.3% of 4458 prescriptions) versus 330 (12.1% of 2731 prescription) after the training program. Findings showed a significant improvement after the training in the fields of non-conformity to guidelines or contra-indication (0.3 vs. 0.9%), untreated indication (0.02 vs. 1.2%), overdosage (2.1 vs. 3.9%), drug interaction (2.2 vs. 3%) improper administration (1.1 vs. 2.1%) and failure to receive drug (0.07 vs. 0.5%). Insufficient analysis persisted for parenteral nutrition, drug interactions and physicochemical incompatibilities. Behaviour may have been a factor in this failure, as residents did not systematically refer to documentary tools. Methods to assess behaviour would be useful as a future research project.