Parenterals laboratory course to reduce microbial contamination rates in media fill tests performed by pharmacy students

• Published in: American journal of pharmaceutical education 2008-04, Vol.72 (2), p.27-27
• Main Authors: Isanhart, Christine M, McCall, Kenneth L, Kretschmer, Diane, Grimes, Barbie A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Asepsis - methods; Clinical Competence; Curriculum; Drug Compounding - methods; Drug Compounding - standards; Drug Contamination - prevention & control; Education; Education, Pharmacy; Evaluation; Humans; Injections - standards; Instructional Design and Assessment; Medical students; Microbial contamination; Pharmaceutical microbiology; Prevention; Quality Control; Students, Pharmacy; Study and teaching; Syringes - microbiology; Time Factors
• ISSN: 0002-9459; 1553-6467
• DOI: 10.5688/aj720227

To evaluate microbial contamination rates of low- and medium-risk level media fill tests performed by pharmacy students near the beginning and end of a parenterals laboratory course in the second- professional year of a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program. Students enrolled in a required parenterals laboratory class (N = 84) participated in this study. The aseptic technique procedures performed at the beginning of the course were identical to the procedures performed at the end of the course and included 3 low-risk level media-fill tests and a medium-risk level media-fill test. Single-strength trypticase-soy broth (TSB) was substituted for the drug and was used to detect microbial contamination for all manipulations. The baseline and end-of-course contamination rate was 21 of 504 syringes and 0 of 498 syringes, respectively (p < 0.001). Eighteen of 84 students at baseline and 0 of 83 students near the end of the course produced one or more contaminated syringes (p < 0.001). Of the 21 contaminated syringes at baseline, low-risk manipulations accounted for 14 and medium-risk manipulations accounted for 7. Of the low-risk procedures, the ampule produced the highest contamination rate (11 syringes), followed by the vial (2 syringes) and the reconstitution (1 syringe). This study demonstrated a decreased rate of microbial contamination during the manipulation of parenteral products and a corresponding improvement in aseptic technique skills among pharmacy students enrolled in a parenterals laboratory course. The most sensitive tests for poor aseptic technique and bacterial contamination were medium-risk manipulations and low-risk manipulations involving an ampule.