Implementation of a QTc-interval monitoring protocol by pharmacists to decrease cardiac risk in at-risk patients in an acute care inpatient psychiatric facility.

Introduction: Many medications commonly prescribed in psychiatric hospitals can cause QTc-interval prolongation, increasing a patient's risk for torsades de pointes and sudden cardiac death. There is little guidance in the literature to determine when an electrocardiogram (ECG) and QTc-interval monitoring should be performed. The primary end point was improvement of the appropriateness of ECGs and QTc-interval monitoring of at-risk psychiatric inpatients at Barnabas Health Behavioral Health Center (BHBH) and Monmouth Medical Center (MMC) following implementation of a standardized monitoring protocol.

Ziconotide-induced psychosis: A case report and literature review.

Ziconotide is an intrathecally administered medication indicated for the treatment of severe chronic pain in patients who are intolerant of or refractory to other treatment options. A black box warning is included in the packaging and states ziconotide is contraindicated in patients with a preexisting history of psychosis. Patients taking ziconotide should be monitored for evidence of cognitive impairment, hallucinations, or changes in mood, and ziconotide should be discontinued if neurological or psychiatric signs and symptoms appear.

Evaluation of STAT medication ordering process in a community hospital.

Background: In most health care facilities, problems related to delays in STAT medication order processing time are of common concern.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate processing time for STAT orders at Kimball Medical Center.

Methods: All STAT orders were reviewed to determine processing time; order processing time was also stratified by physician order entry (physician entered (PE) orders vs.