Pharmacy practice in a small pediatric hospital.

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Practice
• Pediatric Healthcare
• Hospital Administration

Background:

• Describes pharmaceutical services within a 72-bed pediatric hospital setting.
• Outlines the staffing model: one full-time pharmacist, one full-time technician, and a half-time pharmacy assistant.
• Details operational hours: 40 hours per week with on-call pharmacist availability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the pharmaceutical services provided in a small pediatric hospital.
• To evaluate the efficiency of current pharmacy operations and identify areas for improvement.
• To justify the expansion of pharmacy hours based on workload data.

Main Methods:

• Hourly rounds by pharmacy technician for order pickup and medication delivery.
• Exchange of unit dose carts daily at 4 p.m.
• Preparation of individual doses of intravenous (IV) medications during weekdays.
• Utilization of a night cabinet for medications when the pharmacy is closed.
• Pharmacist involvement in drug information services and patient counseling.

Main Results:

• Over 80% of new medication orders are fulfilled during established pharmacy operating hours.
• The night cabinet successfully provides 75% of medications required during closed hours.
• Workload data, including after-hours calls and drug retrievals, were systematically logged.
• These data were instrumental in justifying the planned expansion of pharmacy hours.

Conclusions:

• Pharmacists in small hospitals must effectively manage distributive, clinical, and administrative duties.
• Limited pharmacy hours necessitate strategic balancing of services to ensure consistent patient care.
• The findings support the expansion of pharmacy services to meet increasing demands and improve medication safety.