Parenteral Beta-Lactam/Beta-Lactamase Inhibitor Ordering in Hospitals That Provide Care for Pediatric Patients.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to define current practices related to beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor (BL/BLI) dose descriptions in hospitals that provide care for pediatric patients and to identify perceived implications of standardizing BL/BLI dose communication and ordering to a total drug-based strategy.

Methods: A 27-item electronic survey was distributed via 4 pediatric pharmacy and infectious diseases listservs. Survey questions pertained to hospital demographics, dosing communication practices, BL/BLI ordering and labeling practices, obstacles to safe BL/BLI use, and the effects of potential standardization to a total drug communication strategy. SPSS was used for quantitative analysis and MAXQDA was used for qualitative analysis.

Results: A total of 140 unique survey responses were analyzed after exclusion of incomplete responses and reconciliation of multiple responses from the same institution. Overall, 56.2% of institutions order BL/BLIs by BL component for pediatric patients, and 22% of institutions order by BL component for adult patients. Approximately half (51.8%) of respondents felt that standardizing to total drug would have a negative effect at their institution; perception of potential effect varied based on the institution's ordering strategy.

Conclusion: Communication and ordering of BL/BLIs is inconsistent across institutions and between pediatric and adult patients. In the short term, the perception is that standardization would compound institutional challenges.