Abstract

DRUG RELATED PROBLEM (DRP) IDENTIFICATION AND RESOLUTION AMONG HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS WORKING IN THE EMERGENCY AND INTENSIVE CARE UNITS OF A NIGERIAN TEACHING HOSPITAL

Ezeuko Amaka Y.*, Nduka Sunday O., Ogbuagu Chukwuanugo N., Ugoji John O., Ilodigwe Emmanuel E. and Okonta Mathew J.

ABSTRACT

Drug related Problem (DRP) is an event or circumstance involving drug therapy that actually or potentially interfere with the desired patients’ health outcomes. Drug related problems are often associated with mortality, morbidity and poor patients' quality of life. It’s identification and classification is crucial in its resolution. This study was designed to determine the pattern of drug related problems identification and resolution among healthcare professionals working in the emergency and intensive care units of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, South East Nigeria. The study was carried out in the Accident and Emergency (A&E), the Children Emergency (CHER) and the Intensive Care unit (ICU) of the hospital. Only the Doctors, Nurses and Pharmacists were the healthcare professionals included in this study. A total of one hundred and eight (108) healthcare professionals were surveyed and 90.7% of them believed that identification of DRP is critical to patients’ therapeutic outcome. About 93.0% reported having encountered DRPs in their practice, however, 75.0% did not resolve encountered DRPs due to poor awareness, unavailability of systems for DRP identification/resolution, unavailability of DRP committee and unit responsible for DRP in the hospital, poor training of the professionals on DRPs, and uncertain of whose responsibility it is to identify and document DRPs. Drug Related Problems identification, prevention and resolution in the surveyed hospital is faced with lots of challenges which is depicted in the high level of knowledge but poor attitude and practice level by the surveyed population mainly due to lack of cooperation between the healthcare team.

Keywords: Drug related Problem, Identification, Resolution, Healthcare professionals, Emergency department, Hospital.