1. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2011 May;12(4):308-11. Epub 2010 Oct 13.

Organization of the medication management process in Belgian nursing homes.

Verrue C, Petrovic M, Mehuys E, Boussery K, Somers A, Spinewine A, Bauwens M,
Gobert M, Elseviers MM, Vander Stichele R.

Pharmaceutical Care Unit, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University,
Ghent, Belgium.

BACKGROUND: With the increase of the proportion of old (>80 years), frail people 
living in long-term care settings, concern about the quality of medication
management processes in nursing homes is growing.
OBJECTIVES: To characterize the organization of medication management processes
in Belgian nursing homes.
METHOD: This cross-sectional, observational study of a representative sample of
76 Belgian nursing homes was performed in November and December 2005. The results
are based on structured interviews that were conducted with 76 facility directors
and 112 head nurses, using 2 questionnaires.
RESULTS: A self-reporting medication error system was set up in 69.7% of the
nursing homes. Almost all nursing homes had a therapeutic drug formulary, but its
use was not compulsory. Medications were mainly delivered from a community
pharmacy (82.9%). The role of the pharmacist was often restricted to mere
delivery of medications. Medications were not always administered by nurses, but 
also by care aides (67%) or nursing students (12.5%). The practice of
postscription (i.e., prescribing medication after it has been dispensed by the
pharmacist) was also found to be quite common (69.9%).
CONCLUSION: This study provides a detailed description of the organization of
medication management processes in Belgian nursing homes. Based on these results,
problem areas can be identified and, consequently, targeted improvement actions
can be investigated and implemented.

Copyright © 2011 American Medical Directors Association. Published by Elsevier
Inc. All rights reserved.

PMID: 21527173  [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]