Good storage practices for medicines at Hospital Escuela of Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Abstract

Context: The poor storage practices in warehouses and pharmacies may lead to drug degradation. Aims: To analyze the Good Storage Practices for medicines in the warehouse and pharmacies of the Hospital Escuela of Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Methods: A mixed research was carried out using a qualitative-quantitative approach, non-experimental design, and descriptive cross-sectional scope. Semi-structured interviews were applied to warehouse and pharmacy staff using an instrument with dichotomous responses and a box for recording observations during visits. The facilities, storage, equipment, documentation, internal distribution, and the responsible staff in the warehouse and pharmacies were evaluated. Results: Giving the compliance percentages obtained were the following: facilities, 37%; storage, 59%; equipment, 42%; documentation, 63%; internal distribution, 61%; staff, 53%. Further, 77% of the areas where medicines were stored that did not need refrigeration were found within the permitted ranges of temperature and percentage of relative humidity. On the other hand, 85.71% of temperature measurements in refrigeration equipment were reported outside the permitted range. However, no drugs stored were found to be at risk of frostbite during the study. Conclusions: The Good Storage Practices at Hospital Escuela should be strengthened to reach a maximum level of compliance. Likewise, the processes of handling, conservation of the cold chain, and preservation of the medicine should be improved until it is dispensed to the patient.