Abstracts

RATIONALE: Concern about the preventability of adverse drug events (ADEs) and medication errors, especially in the pediatric population, is increasing. Programs targeting the most common classes of ADEs are needed. Based on a retrospective review at our institution of all ADEs spontaneously reported that between 1997 and 2000, anticonvulsants accounted for 10.4% of ADEs of which 39.7% were considered preventable due to a lack of consistent parent/patient education.
METHODS: We designed a study to evaluate the parents knowledge at baseline and following a comprehensive educational program provided by a pharmacist regarding their childs anticonvulsant medications with respect to dose, adverse effects, and storage. Parents were also surveyed at baseline and post education regarding their satisfaction with the information provided by all healthcare professionals as well as the amount of information the parent know about proper seizure first aid and precautions. All new and return parents of seizure patients were included in the study.
RESULTS: Seventy parents knowledge improved following the educational program provided by a pharmacist. Knowledge of anticonvulsant adverse effects, adverse even management, seizure first aid, medication storage, and seizure precaution for pre versus post pharmacist consultation improved from 0.134 to 0.926 (p[lt]0.001), 0.478 to 1.00 (p[lt]0.001), 0.217 to 1.00 (p[lt]0.001), 0.550 to 0.986 (p[lt]0.001), and 0.289 to 0.957 (p[lt]0.001), respectively. All parents were also highly satisfied with the role of the pharmacist (1.97 to 3.69 (p[lt]0.0001).
CONCLUSIONS: The pharmacist is perceived by the parents to be a valuable medication education resource. Pharmacists can play an important role in the multidisciplinary approach to the management of pediatric patients with seizures.