A survey on medication therapy support by hospital-based emergency medical technicians

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to clarify the current status of tasks performed by hospital-based emergency medical technicians (hospital-based EMTs) providing medication therapy support and to identify the critical safety checks required during such support. These findings are intended to provide a foundation for improving EMTs training for the future and defining the scope of practice.

Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted among 50 hospital-based EMTs. The survey covered the critical safety checks during medication therapy support, the status of preparation and divided tasks and needs of improving skills.These checks were categorized according to the “8 Rights” framework (Right Patient, Drug, Dose, Route, Time, Documentation, Reason and Response).

Results: A total of 23 individuals responded, representing 46.0% of the participants. They were most frequently identified in relation to the pre-administration phase. Furthermore, during the intra- and post-administration phases, the focus was concentrated on comments identifying “medication response” as a priority. It was also found that 65.2% of participants performed “medication transport” and expressed dissatisfaction with current pharmacology education.

Conclusions: Results showed a high awareness of pre-administration checks, but highlighted insufficient focus on evaluating therapy and maintaining accurate documentation. Establishing institutional frameworks and improving education are essential to further ensure the safety of medication support.