Enhancing antibiotic prescribing practices at the main military training hospital of Tunis: A study of pharmaceutical interventions

Abstract

Background: Bacterial infections have historically posed significant challenges until the discovery of antibiotics, which revolutionized infectious disease treatment. However, bacterial adaptation mechanisms over time have led to increased antimicrobial resistance, necessitating judicious antibiotic use.

Objectives: This study aims to comprehensively analyze pharmaceutical interventions related to antibiotic prescriptions governed by antibiotic order forms to identify and rectify medication errors, optimizing antibiotic prescribing practices.

Material and methods: Approval for this research was obtained from the institutional review board of the Main Military Training Hospital of Tunis, Tunisia. A retrospective study was conducted at the main military training hospital of Tunis over 4 months. Pharmaceutical validation of antibiotic prescriptions through antibiotic order forms was conducted by a pharmacy resident. Pharmaceutical interventions were initiated upon detection of errors, and patient records were accessed through institutional software.

Results: Out of 1100 prescription forms analyzed, 41 pharmaceutical interventions were conducted for 7 antibiotics. Twenty-four percent of all interventions were related to antibiotic order forms, with the intensive care unit accounting for the highest number of errors. Under-dosage and prescription errors were common.

Conclusion: Our pharmaceutical interventions related to antibiotic order forms are crucial for optimizing antibiotic therapy. Feedback mechanisms to healthcare teams are essential for enhancing prescription quality and patient care outcomes. Ongoing surveillance and improvement efforts are necessary to address medication errors and enhance antimicrobial stewardship.

Keywords: Antibiotic order forms; Antimicrobial stewardship; Erreurs médicamenteuses; Formulaire de prescription d’antibiotiques; Gestion des antimicrobiens; Interventions pharmaceutiques; Medication errors; Pharmaceutical interventions.