Antipsychotic Drug Dispensations in Older Adults, Including Continuation After a Fall-Related Hospitalization: Identifying Adherence to Screening Tool of Older Persons' Potentially Inappropriate Prescriptions Criteria Using the Nova Scotia Seniors' Pharmacare Program and Canadian Institute for Health's Discharge Databases.

Purpose: Despite well-established concerns regarding adverse drug effects, antipsychotics are frequently prescribed for older adults. Our first objective was to identify trends in antipsychotic dispensations to older Nova Scotians. STOPP (Screening Tool of Older Persons' Potentially Inappropriate Prescriptions) criteria identify antipsychotic use in those with a history of falls as potentially inappropriate.

Antipsychotic Prescribing Practices in Those with Parkinsonism: Adherence to Guidelines.

Several evidence-informed treatment guidelines recommend against the use of typical antipsychotics in patients with Parkinson's disease; of the atypical antipsychotics, clozapine and quetiapine are preferred. The purpose of this study is to determine the frequency with which potentially inappropriate antipsychotics are dispensed to older adults in Nova Scotia who are on levodopa-containing medications. In this cohort, 59.

A Cost Analysis of Salbutamol Administration by Metered-Dose Inhalers with Spacers versus Nebulization for Patients with Wheeze in the Pediatric Emergency Department: Evidence from Observational Data in Nova Scotia.

Background: Despite evidence demonstrating the advantages of metered-dose inhalers with spacers (MDI-s), nebulization (NEB) remains the primary method of asthma treatment in some pediatric emergency departments (PEDs). There is a perception that delivering salbutamol by MDI-s is more costly than by NEB. This research evaluates the relative costs of MDI-s and NEB using local, hospital-specific, patient-level data.

Evaluating a clinical practice intervention to promote delivery of salbutamol by metered-dose inhalers with holding chambers in a pediatric emergency department.

Objective: The primary objective of this study was to quantify the impact of a clinical practice intervention to promote the delivery of salbutamol by metered-dose inhaler (MDI) in a pediatric emergency department (PED). A secondary objective was to retrospectively document the components of the intervention.

Methods: PED inventory data for salbutamol inhalation solution (nebules), MDIs, and holding chambers were obtained from the pharmacy department.

Medication records in the emergency department: agreement between paper-based charts and automated dispensing device.

Background: Research exploring the agreement between traditional medication records and electronic records generated by an automated dispensing device has been limited.

Objective: To evaluate the extent of agreement between medication administration records written in paper-based emergency department charts and records generated by an automated dispensing device with regard to the presence or absence of a single, prespecified medication.

Methods: Medication administration records in paper-based emergency department charts and medication dispensation records generated by an automated dispensing device were evaluated for concordance.