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Class of 2007 Abstract / Objectives: Medication reconciliation is a formal process of obtaining a complete and accurate list of each patient’s current home medications. This process is done to prevent errors of omission, therapeutic duplication, dosing/frequency errors, or drug-drug/drug-disease interactions. As of January 1, 2006, University Medical Center (UMC) implemented a new, comprehensive medication reconciliation form which was intended to prevent medication-related discrepancies upon admission. The purpose of this study was to compare the percent of missing required prescription information upon hospital admission before and after the implementation of the medication reconciliation form. Methods: This study was an inferential retrospective chart review of patients admitted to UMC in Tucson, Arizona, between January 1, 2005 and August 1, 2006. While the overall goal was to measure the impact of a new medication reconciliation form on the completeness of a patient's medication history, the specific study objectives were to: (1) evaluate medication reconciliation form utilization and compliance and (2) compare the completeness of medication information upon hospital admission before and after the implementation of the comprehensive medication reconciliation form. Patients were included in the study if they were over 18 years of age and admitted to UMC at least once in 2005, and at least once between January 1, 2006 and August 1, 2006. The following patients were excluded: patients that were institutionalized in an assisted living facility or nursing home, admitted to the emergency room, intubated, transferred to the hospital from a nursing home or a long term care facility, and discharged from the hospital within 24 hours of admit. Two hundred and thirty-four patients, who met the inclusion criteria, were randomly selected from a UMC hospital census. The researchers reviewed each medical chart and recorded the physician-reported medication history, reason for admit, length of stay, and demographic information. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis was completed using SPSS Version 11.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL). After collecting the data, counts were taken on missing prescription information, such as missing medication names, dose, route, and frequencies. If the collected data were normally distributed and were interval/ratio level data, a paired t- test was used for analysis. If the data were not normally distributed or were of nominal/ordinal level, a McNemar test was used. An a priori alpha level of 0.05 was used for all statistical tests. Results: A total of 234 patients were included in both the pre and post analysis. Approximately 53.8% of the sample was male. Fifty-one percent of the population was categorized as white in the patient’s chart. The average age at time of first admit was 50.3 years. Fifty-three percent of the population had a past medical history that included cardiovascular disease. Over 28% of the patients in the sample had diabetes and over 18% had pulmonary disease. The most common admit diagnoses for the population included shortness of breath, chest pain, and abdominal pain. Medication reconciliation forms were found in the chart 71.4% of the time. Of the 71.4% of the forms present in the patient’s medical chart, the form was utilized 66.6% of the time. The percentage of allergies recorded in the patient’s chart decreased from 89.3% before implementation of the form to 65.9% after implementation. This movement repeated itself with the recording of social history, which fell from 92.3% recorded before the form to 52.6% after implementation. Introduction of the new medication reconciliation form at UMC resulted in significantly fewer drug names missing, incorrect, or illegible from the patient’s medication history between pre and post (p=0.034), as well as a greater amount of medications recorded in the patient’s medication history (p=0.006). However, the use of the form did not result in significant differences between pre and post in the route, frequency, and dosing information being recorded. It also did not result in a significantly greater amount of non- prescription drugs recorded. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate the need for a systematic approach to ensure the process of obtaining accurate medication histories at the time of hospital admission. Utilization of a new comprehensive medication reconciliation form in this academic institution is far from optimal, and could have significant healthcare implications. Better methods of ensuring medication reconciliation at the time of hospital admission are needed.

Medication errors are a global concern that may affect patients' hospital stays, patients' lives after discharge, treatment costs, and mortality rates. Understanding medication errors among nursing students may help in preventing these errors as nurses are responsible for safe medication administration. The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to examine upper-level nursing students' understanding of and experiences with medication administration and patient safety. Benner's nursing theory of novice to expert and Dreyfus's model of skill acquisition comprised the conceptual framework. Research questions focused on students' perceptions of safe medication administration. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 7 upper-level nursing students from a baccalaureate nursing program in the Southeastern U.S. utilizing convenience sampling. Colaizzi's analysis strategy was followed in determining themes and clustering data into categories. Three major themes emerged from the data that included learning curve referring to the rigor of the pharmacology course, gaining self-confidence, and reliance on preceptor. Two sub-themes were identified from the theme learning curve, which included fear of making a mistake causing harm to a patient, and appreciating the complexity of the working environment and the intricacy of the patients. Using study findings, a hybrid pharmacology and medication administration course for nursing students was developed. The course may improve nursing students' confidence in their skills and knowledge and enable them to provide a safer environment for patients. Implications for positive social change include a potential reduction in medication errors and related adverse outcomes experienced by patients and their families and by health care organization.

Heart failure is a chronic condition that increases the risk for death and disability. Beta blockers and ACE inhibitors have become standard treatments in heart failure because clinical trials have demonstrated their beneficial effect on mortality and morbidity in these patients. As not much is known about adherence to these medications, the main objectives of this project were to determine long term adherence to ACE inhibitors and beta blockers and determine how various degrees of adherence to a beta blocker can affect major health outcomes in patients with heart failure.<p> Data was obtained from Saskatchewan health from January 1, 1994 to December 31, 2003 for all heart failure patients from their first hospitalization for heart failure. Adherence was calculated using the fill frequency measure of adherence, and all survival analyses were completed using the Cox proportional hazards model.<p>Although 14, 000 patients were admitted to hospital for a first admission for heart failure, only 1143 subjects started a beta blocker and 5084 subjects started an ACE inhibitor within 3 months of the index hospitalization. Within the first year, adherence was excellent for both beta blockers (80.8 percent) and ACE inhibitors (82.5 percent). The proportion of patients remaining adherent slowly decreased to reach approximately 60 percent, for both medication classes, after 4 years. There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality between patients with high adherence and low adherence, but there appeared to be a trend towards decreased survival time in those remaining adherent throughout the study period [HR = 1.18 (95% CI: 0.98 to 1.43; p=0.07)].<p>Since the overall rate of adherence to beta blockers was excellent in most patients during the first year, it is possible that non-adherence is not responsible for a significant burden of mortality in Saskatchewan heart failure patients, and perhaps and the focus of quality improvement should be optimal prescribing of evidence-based therapies, and continued adherence over time.

SAMMANFATTNING Bakgrund: Antipsykotika utgör grunden i behandling av psykossjukdomar. Bristande följsamhet till läkemedelsbehandlingen är dock vanligt förekommande och en stor anledning till att patienter återinsjuknar i psykos och behöver vårdas inom slutenvård. Syfte: Dels att beskriva hur patienter som vårdas inom sluten psykiatrisk psykosvård uppfattar läkemedelsadministrering och dels att beskriva om patienterna uppfattar att sjuksköterskors bemötande i samband med läkemedelsadministrering har betydelse för deras inställning till att medicinera. Metod: Kvalitativ ansats. Intervjustudie med fenomenografi som metod i datainsamling och analys. Resultat: Tio beskrivningskategorier identifierades: Läkemedel befogat och bra, tar läkemedel trots ambivalens/motstånd, läkemedelsadministrationen – ett odramatiskt moment, tvångsmedicinering, behov av information om läkemedel, att vilja ha kontroll eller överlåta ansvar, en stressig situation, belöning för medverkan i medicinering, bemötandet spelar ingen roll och bemötandet spelar stor/viss roll.  Slutsats: Patienter som vårdas inom sluten psykiatrisk psykosvård uppfattar medicinering med antipsykotika och momentet läkemedelsadministration olika. Dessa individuella uppfattningar skulle troligtvis kunna identifieras om rutiner för samtal med patienter kring dessa frågor utarbetas på avdelningar där sådan vård bedrivs. Sannolikheten för att frivilliga lösningar och en bättre individuellt anpassad vård lättare skulle kunna bedrivas borde då öka. Strävan måste vara att så långt det är möjligt undvika tvångsmedicinering och situationer och bemötande som i denna studie identifierats som mindre positiva då de kan utgöra en risk att patienter blir negativt inställda till att medicinera. Ambitionen måste vara att hitta arbetssätt som syftar till långvarig följsamhet. / ABSTRACT Background: Antipsychotics are the basis of the treatment of psychotic illnesses. Lack of adherence to medication is common and a major reason why patients recurrence of psychosis and need to be cared for in hospital. Purpose: To describe how patients with psychosis, cared for in inpatient psychiatric wards, understand medication administration and also to describe if the patients perceive that nurses treatment in the moment of medication administration has an impact on their attitudes to medicate. Method: Qualitative approach. An interview study with phenomenography as a method of data collection and analysis.  Results: Ten categories were identified: medicines justified and well, take medicine despite ambivalence/resistance, administration of medicine – an undramatic moment, coerced medication, need for information about medicines, want to have control or assign responsibility, a stressful situation, reward for participation in the medication, treatment don´t  matter and treatment play a major/some role. Conclusion: Patients with psychosis, who are cared for in inpatient psychiatric wards, understand medication with antipsychotics and the moment of drug administration different. These individual understandings would likely be identified if routines for dialogue with patients about these issues were developed at wards where such care is conducted. The probability of voluntary solutions and better individualized care should then be increased. The ambition must as far as possible be to avoid forced medication and situations identified as less positive in this study as they may pose a risk to cause negative attitudes to medication among patients.  The ambition must be to find ways of working aimed at long-term adherence.

Heart failure is a chronic condition that increases the risk for death and disability. Beta blockers and ACE inhibitors have become standard treatments in heart failure because clinical trials have demonstrated their beneficial effect on mortality and morbidity in these patients. As not much is known about adherence to these medications, the main objectives of this project were to determine long term adherence to ACE inhibitors and beta blockers and determine how various degrees of adherence to a beta blocker can affect major health outcomes in patients with heart failure.<p> Data was obtained from Saskatchewan health from January 1, 1994 to December 31, 2003 for all heart failure patients from their first hospitalization for heart failure. Adherence was calculated using the fill frequency measure of adherence, and all survival analyses were completed using the Cox proportional hazards model.<p>Although 14, 000 patients were admitted to hospital for a first admission for heart failure, only 1143 subjects started a beta blocker and 5084 subjects started an ACE inhibitor within 3 months of the index hospitalization. Within the first year, adherence was excellent for both beta blockers (80.8 percent) and ACE inhibitors (82.5 percent). The proportion of patients remaining adherent slowly decreased to reach approximately 60 percent, for both medication classes, after 4 years. There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality between patients with high adherence and low adherence, but there appeared to be a trend towards decreased survival time in those remaining adherent throughout the study period [HR = 1.18 (95% CI: 0.98 to 1.43; p=0.07)].<p>Since the overall rate of adherence to beta blockers was excellent in most patients during the first year, it is possible that non-adherence is not responsible for a significant burden of mortality in Saskatchewan heart failure patients, and perhaps and the focus of quality improvement should be optimal prescribing of evidence-based therapies, and continued adherence over time.

This study evaluated the epidemiological relationship between diabetes and incident depression, as well as antidepressant medication utilization among indigent care patients diagnosed with diabetes. Medical data for 2,886 subjects receiving care in a public indigent care provider network were utilized for this study. Diagnoses of diabetes, depression, and other comorbid medical conditions were identified from the electronic medical record. Prescription claims data from the clinic pharmacy network were used to evaluate medication-taking behaviors. Clinical laboratory data were extracted, as available, from the electronic clinic records. After controlling for the influence of age, gender, race/ethnicity, marital status classification, and Charlson score, a diagnosis of diabetes was associated with a 42 percent reduction in odds of new-onset depression (p = 0.021). In the a priori analysis of factors associated with new-onset depression among diabetic patients, none of the risk factors evaluated were associated with incident depression at a statistically significant level. Post-hoc exploratory analyses revealed that female gender and White non-Hispanic race/ethnicity were associated with increased odds of a prevalent diagnosis of depression among diabetic patients. Patients with diabetes were more likely to be prescribed selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) as their initial antidepressant medication compared to non-SSRIs. Diagnosis of diabetes was not associated with antidepressant switch, discontinuation, or 6-month antidepressant adherence; however, diagnosis of diabetes was associated with a higher level of 12-month antidepressant adherence (p = 0.024). Diagnosis of diabetes was also associated with a higher level of 3-month antidepressant persistence (p = 0.004), but not 12-month persistence. There were no statistically significant relationships observed between initial class of antidepressant medication prescribed and any of the medication-taking behaviors evaluated. For subjects with available data (n = 106), glycemic control was evaluated in terms of hemoglobin A1c. Increased antidepressant medication adherence was associated with higher hemoglobin A1c values during follow-up. Results suggest that prevalent diabetes is associated with a reduced risk of diagnosis of new-onset depression in indigent care patients. Further research is necessary to evaluate the effect that chronic comorbid medical conditions such as diabetes may have on antidepressant medication-taking behaviors, and the relationship between antidepressant exposure and glycemic control. / text

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Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1983. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 64-70).

Class of 2006 Abstract / Objectives: To assess the accuracy of medication histories taken upon hospital admission. Methods: This study was a prospective chart review comparing the accuracy of hospital admission medication histories with outpatient pharmacy and physician records. Eleven hundred patients admitted to El Dorado Hospital were eligible for participation. Patients were excluded if they were: under 18 years old, non-English speaking, in a room with precautions, transferred from a hospital or skilled nursing facility, unable to give oral consent, or admitted to a geri-psychiatric unit. After verification of medication, dose, and schedule with outpatient pharmacy and physician records, the findings were documented as perfect agreement, error of omission, or error of commission. Results: One hundred and nineteen patient histories were analyzed. Forty three patients (36%) had at least one error in their medication history. Of the 582 medications verified for accuracy, 491 medications were accurate and 91 errors were identified. Of the errors identified, 64 were errors of commission and 27 were errors of omission. The average age of patients who had at least one error type was 74.9 years, and the average age of patients who did not have any errors was 68.3 years (p = 0.004). Medication histories with six or more medications were more commonly associated with errors (p = 0.001). There was no relationship between medication history errors and specific classes of medications such as cardiovascular, lipid-lowering, and antidiabetic agents. Conclusions: Medication histories for patients older than 75 years or those that contain six or more medications are more likely to contain an error. There appears to be no link between medication class and occurrence of error. While this study does not address methods to reduce error rates, verification of medication histories with outpatient pharmacies and physicians may help reduce hospital medication errors and promote positive health outcomes.