Antimicrobial Resistance: Challenges And Potential Solutions In Pharmacy Practice

Abstract

1. Introduction
Medicines are complex interventions that can improve patient outcomes but also have the potential to harm if inappropriately selected or used. The available international evidence reveals that 60 to 70% of patients may experience at least one medication error during their time in hospital. In the community sector, it is even higher with studies indicating that 82.6% of the general public report that they have been prescribed medication unnecessarily, and 95% of individuals who seek advice from pharmacists have at least one drug-related problem. The reasons why medication-related risks occur are complex. Factors associated with the individual, the task, the work system, and the organizational safety culture all play a role in creating an environment that makes it easy for staff to make errors. There is a belief that if the error can occur, it will, and this approach to systems thinking creates an environment where risk reduction and minimization is a priority.