Improving the Clinical Pharmacist Handover Process in the Intensive Care Unit with a Pharmacotherapy-Specific Tool: The I-HAPPY Study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Pharmacists in the intensive care unit (ICU) provide pharmaceutical care to critically ill patients. Identification and resolution of drug therapy problems improves outcomes for these patients. To maintain continuity of care, pharmacotherapy plans should be transferred to a receiving pharmacist upon discharge of patients from the ICU. No previous studies have addressed the development or evaluation of a systematic, standardized clinical handover tool and process for pharmacists.

Objectives

To assess pharmacists' satisfaction with and utilization of a pharmacotherapy-specific handover tool and process.

Methods

Plan-do-study-act methodology was employed to develop a clinical handover tool and process, which were implemented in a Canadian health authority. For

SUBMITTER: Attfield E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5931070 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Mar-Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature