THE SPONTANEOUS REPORTING OF ADVERSE DRUG-REACTIONS BY NURSES

In an attempt to improve the low reporting rate of adverse drug reacti ons (ADR) we examined the potential for hospital nurses to report ADRs through a spontaneous 'yellow card' system. Over 14 months 100 cards were received (compared with 28 cards from doctors). Although reports from doctors for the same period were of a more substantial nature, nu rses nevertheless reported many life threatening (17%) or moderately s evere (76%) reactions. Nurses identified uncertainty concerning their role and deficient in-service education on drug therapy as major const raints in their participation. Given their unique position in drug adm inistration and recording observations on patients, we believe that nu rses could contribute significantly and in a complementary fashion to the spontaneous reporting of adverse reactions.