INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACHES TO MEDICATION RECONCILIATION IN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS: COLLABORATION BETWEEN NURSES AND PHARMACISTS

Abdulaziz Mustoor Mujieb Alotaibi*, Hussain Muidh Hadi Alqahtani, Tareq Salem Alsewar, Naif Ghanem M. Alotaibi and Maryam Saud Alsharif

ABSTRACT

Background: Medication errors are prevalent in healthcare, particularly in emergency departments (EDs), where accurate medication reconciliation is critical. The involvement of interdisciplinary teams, including nurses and pharmacists, is essential for improving the accuracy of medication histories and reducing adverse drug events. Methods: This study reviews existing literature on the roles of pharmacy technicians in medication reconciliation processes within EDs. A systematic search was conducted using databases such as MEDLINE and Academic Search Premier, focusing on studies that included pharmacy technicians in the medication reconciliation process and reported outcomes related to quality and accuracy. Results: Findings indicate that pharmacy technicians can effectively gather Best Possible Medication Histories (BPMH) with accuracy comparable to that of pharmacists and nurses. Several studies demonstrated that involving pharmacy technicians significantly reduces medication discrepancies, with accuracy rates improving from 16% to 89% following their implementation. In one study, pharmacy technicians identified 775 discrepancies in medication histories, suggesting their critical role in minimizing errors in acute settings. Conclusion: The inclusion of pharmacy technicians in medication reconciliation processes can enhance the accuracy and efficiency of medication histories collected in emergency departments. This approach not only alleviates the workload of pharmacists and nurses but also contributes to improved patient safety outcomes. Future research should further explore the integration of pharmacy technicians into interdisciplinary teams to optimize medication management in emergency care settings.

Keywords: Medication reconciliation, pharmacy technicians, emergency department, medication errors, interdisciplinary collaboration.