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Eliminating insulin errors: R.Ph.s share tricks
Not only do 11% of serious medication errors involve insulin misadministration, but the same errors seen today have been documented at least as far back as 1975. These were but two of the points Matthew Grissinger, R.Ph., used to emphasize the importance of health-system insulin safety during February's ISMP teleconference, "Preventing Errors with Insulin: A Multidisciplinary Approach."
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Easing the pain: New alternatives, new problems emerge in treating persistent pain
Not long ago, facing up to the reality that more than 50 million Americans live with persistent pain, Congress declared the period from 2001 through 2010 "The Decade of Pain Control and Research."
Key to this initiative was the National Pain Care Policy Act of 2003 (HR 1863), a bill sponsored by Rep. Mike Rogers (R, Mich.). At an estimated annual cost of $61.5 million, it aimed to give the National Institutes of Health new powers in dealing with pain issues.
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R.Ph.s are playing greater role in critical care
A huge focus on patient safety, a severe nursing shortage, and a shift in philosophy about how traditional medicine has come to view the role of pharmacy have led to health-system pharmacists playing a much larger role in critical care and emergency medicine. Nationwide, especially at large tertiary care centers, pharmacists have become permanent and welcome members of healthcare teams in intensive care units, trauma centers, and coronary care units. The demand for pharmacists is so great that some facilities have developed critical care residencies for pharmacists.
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Resolving C. difficile infection
A 76-year-old woman, D.N., is hospitalized with a severe E. coli urinary tract infection (UTI). She has taken ciprofloxacin 500 mg every 12 hours and is responding to it. Prior to admission, because she is allergic to sulfamethoxazole, D.N. was taking amoxicillin which has been discontinued. D.N. takes digoxin 0.125 mg and pravastatin (Pravachol, Bristol-Myers Squibb) 20 mg daily. Over the past 24 hours, she developed severe diarrhea and a 101°F temperature. Her stool specimen is positive for C. difficile. D.N. is receiving replacement fluids and electrolytes, but her physician is considering how to resolve the C. difficile infection. What do you recommend?
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