Knowledge of pharmacovigilance among healthcare professionals and the impact of an educational intervention

AIM: To determine the knowledge regarding various aspects of pharmacovigilance among doctors and nurses of a tertiary care teaching hospital and to evaluate the effect of an educational intervention. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among doctors and nurses of a tertiary care teaching hospital. The participants attended a one-hour educational session during which the concept of pharmacovigilance, the Pharmacovigilance Program of India, the need for reporting ADRs, and the method of reporting were explained by a subject expert. A 20-item questionnaire was used to assess their knowledge regarding pharmacovigilance before and after an educational session. The pre-post comparisons were done using Wilcoxon’s signed-rank test. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Forty-two doctors and 115 nurses participated in the study. A significant improvement in the participant scores was seen following the educational intervention in both doctors (Z = −5.344, p < 0.001) and nurses (Z = −8.808, p < 0.001). Lack of knowledge/awareness was perceived as the major barrier for ADR reporting among nurses as well as doctors. CONCLUSION: There is need for education and training among doctors and nurses to enhance their knowledge about drug safety and reporting practices. Educational intervention is likely to improve the knowledge regarding pharmacovigilance, and thereby enhance reporting by healthcare professionals.