REGIONAL PHARMACOKINETICS EDUCATIONAL-PROGRAM

An educational program for hospital pharmacists in and near Vermont is described and its impact on departmental clinical practice evaluated. Pharmacists were instructed by practitioners from a single institutio n in basic pharmacokinetics, practice guidelines for aminoglycoside th erapy, and use of a computer program for aminoglycoside dosage determi nation. Participants completed a multiple-choice precourse test, a sim ilar postcourse test, and a third test six months after class completi on. Test scores were compared with those from a control group of pharm acists. Pharmacy directors from study group hospitals completed questi onnaires measuring aminoglycoside clinical services before and six mon ths after the program. Compared with the control group, participants s cored higher on the postcourse tests. Results from the questionnaire i ndicate that the program affected clinical practice in almost all part icipating pharmacy departments. A consistent pharmacokinetic strategy for reviewing aminoglycoside dosages and evaluating serum aminoglycosi de concentrations is now practiced in most Vermont hospitals. An educa tional program originating in one hospital can expand pharmacists, kno wledge and influence departmental clinical practice throughout a regio n.