Importance and level of knowledge perceived by nurses from Cantabria about pharmacology, adverse reactions to drugs, and drug-drug interactions

Section: Originals

How to quote

González-Expósito J, Martínez-Rioja E, Prado-Amores M, García-Román JC, Bustamante-Revuelta E, Pini SF. Importancia y grado de conocimiento percibido por las enfermeras de Cantabria sobre farmacología, reacciones adversas medicamentosas e interacciones farmacológicas. Metas Enferm oct 2018; 21(8):5-10.

Authors

Josefina González-Expósito1, Elena Martínez-Rioja2, María Prado-Amores2, Juan Carlos García-Román3, Eva Bustamante-Revuelta2, Stefanie Francesca Pini4

Position

1Especialista en Enfermería Geriátrica y Gerontológica. Centro de Atención a la Dependencia de Santander. Instituto Cántabro de Servicios Sociales. Cueto (Cantabria)2Enfermera. Centro de Atención a la Dependencia de Santander. Instituto Cántabro de Servicios Sociales. Cueto (Cantabria)3Enfermero y Grado de Antropología. Centro de Atención a la Dependencia de Santander. Instituto Cántabro de Servicios Sociales. Cueto (Cantabria)4Grado de Medicina. Especialista en Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria. Centro de Salud Camargo Interior. Servicio Cántabro de Salud. Muriedas (Cantabria)

Contact address

Josefina González Expósito. Centro de Atención a la Dependencia de Santander. C/ Arriba, 38. 39012 Cueto (Santander).

Contact email: jogoex@gmail.com

Abstract

Objective: to understand the importance and perceived level of knowledge by nurses from Cantabria about pharmacology, adverse reactions to drugs (ARDs) and drug-drug interactions (DDIs); and to determine if there are differences according to their professional characteristics.
Method: a cross-sectional descriptive study. A printed self-completion questionnaire was designed, anonymous and including six questions, after a literature review, consensus and pilot trial of the tool. Through convenience sampling, a survey was conducted on nursing professionals from hospitals, Primary Care (PC) and Healthcare and Social Work (HSW) from Cantabria. Descriptive statistics was conducted, as well as Hypothesis Contrast Test through Pearson’s Chi Square.
Results: in total, 132 questionnaires were collected; 72% and 90.9% of participants considered insufficient the undergraduate and post-graduate training on Pharmacology, respectively. Sixty per cent (60%) with < 6-year seniority considered they were qualified to identify ARDs vs. 84.3% with >15 years (p= 0.01), and 59.7% of temporary workers vs. 77.1% of permanent workers (p= 0.03); 41.9% of temporary workers were aware of the main DDIs vs. 62.9% of permanent workers (p= 0.02). Hospital nursing was the setting with a higher perception of receiving an adequate continuous training on Pharmacology (p= 0.001).
Conclusions: there is an important deficit perceived in terms of Pharmacology training. There are certain differentiating professional characteristics: hospital nurses with permanent contracts and higher experience show better results vs. the nurses in PC and HSW, temporary and with lower work experience.

Keywords:

knowledge; pharmacology; adverse reactions to drugs; drug-drug interactions; Descriptive Study

Versión en Español

Título:

Importancia y grado de conocimiento percibido por las enfermeras de Cantabria sobre farmacología, reacciones adversas medicamentosas e interacciones farmacológicas