Evaluation of pharmacist interventions on drug and dosage prescribing in pediatric settings

Objectives: To evaluate the influence of pharmacist interventions on drug and dosage prescribing in pediatric settings. Method: Demographic, clinical, and prescribing data and parents’ measurement data were evaluated by pre- and post studies including time series studies and control groups. The data was evaluated against Australian Therapeutic Guidelines. Educational intervention strategies were designed and administered and a post-intervention evaluation was conducted. Group comparisons were made using x2 and Student’s t-test statistics. Time series analysis involved multiple linear regression analysis. Results: The major study involved antibiotics and analgesic drugs and dosages in appendectomy in children. Significant improvements occurred in the selection and dosages of prophylactic antibiotics @<0.001) and in subsequent ward antibiotic treatments @<0.001) also showed marked conformity with the guidelines Other pediatric studies involved liquid medication dosing and prescribing accuracy for paracetamol in a developing country where a simple intervention produced very marked improvements @<0.001). An intervention in severe community-acquired pneumonia showed an improvement in the prescription of appropriate drugs @<0.001) and appropriate dosages of paracetamol (p