RESUMEN
This study examines differences in the administration of PRN (pro re nata or give "as needed") sleep medication between licensed practical nurses and registered nurses working in long-term care facilities. Work characteristics, characteristics of the residents cared for, and the extent of orders and administration of PRN sleep medications were similar in the two groups. No significant differences in the administration of PRN sleep medication were found.
Asunto(s)
Hipnóticos y Sedantes/administración & dosificación , Personal de Enfermería , Enfermería Práctica , Instituciones de Cuidados Especializados de Enfermería , Adulto , Anciano , Humanos , Recursos HumanosRESUMEN
A review of the literature on the extent of medication ordering and consumption in long-term-care facilities is presented. Studies conducted in the United States were evaluated to answer two questions: (1) What is known about how much medication, particularly p.r.n. medication, is ordered for and consumed by residents of long-term-care facilities? and (2) What factors are related to medication use in these facilities? The studies most commonly determined how much medication was being ordered or prescribed in long-term-care facilities by assessing the number of medications (or prescriptions) per resident at a given point in time or on a particular day. Most studies report that about seven medications were ordered per resident at any one point in time. However, because of the variation in indices and time frames, generalizing about the extent of actual medication consumption is not possible. Residents' characteristics, pharmacy and drug policy characteristics, and facility characteristics were studied to determine whether they are related to the ordering or use of medications in long-term-care facilities. It is notable that the effect of residents' illness was rarely examined or controlled for. The different variables under examination among the various studies make many current findings tentative. Future researchers need to apply conceptual models that allow a coherent summary of the findings.
Asunto(s)
Utilización de Medicamentos , Cuidados a Largo Plazo , Prescripciones de Medicamentos , Humanos , Servicio de Farmacia en Hospital , Estados UnidosRESUMEN
It is often assumed that women received more prescribed drugs because they have different attitudes towards illness and medical care, higher anxiety and more time to visit physicians, or because physicians are biased. This study examines an alternative explanation, that is, much of the excess is associated with women's reproductive role. The study involved a detailed audit of the medical and pharmacy records of 862 men and women. Results showed that women received more prescribed drugs during the 2-year study period. However, the differences between men and women were not the same for all age groups. As expected, the differences were most apparent during the peak child-bearing years. Further analysis showed that the gender differences were virtually eliminated after excluding women with female-specific diagnoses and excluding the drug categories used to prevent or treat female-specific conditions. Previous studies based on gross measures of self-reported drug use seem to have underestimated the importance of factors that relate to women's reproductive role.
Asunto(s)
Prescripciones de Medicamentos , Utilización de Medicamentos , Adolescente , Adulto , Factores de Edad , Anciano , Métodos Epidemiológicos , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Factores SexualesRESUMEN
A review of the literature on job satisfaction that is relevant to pharmacists is presented. Studies conducted in the United States between 1951 and 1982 were evaluated to answer two questions: (1) What is known about the level of job satisfaction among pharmacists? and (2) What factors are related to pharmacists' job satisfaction? Some study populations were selected on the basis of work setting, others on position in the job hierarchy, and others on different criteria. Job satisfaction measures were of two general types, facet-free measures, which assess overall satisfaction, and facet-specific measures, which gauge satisfaction with respect to a specific aspect of the job. Pharmacists in the studies represented a wide variety of work settings and geographic locations. Most of the studies were not comparable because they used instruments unique to a particular study. In some cases, response rates were low and sample sizes were small. Frequently, results were not analyzed statistically for significance. A few studies compared pharmacists with other job populations; the differences were not striking, although pharmacists may be slightly less satisfied with their specific jobs than the general public. Repeatedly, job position and ability utilization appeared related to pharmacists' job satisfaction. Further study of the extent, causes, and consequences of pharmacists' job satisfaction is needed. Research methods should be designed so that results can be analyzed and compared statistically.