Assessment of the inappropriate used of normal saline intravenous fluids in emergency department

Objective: To monitor inappropriate usage of intravenous normal saline fluids in emergency department Hospital Seberang Jaya.
Methodology: This descriptive study was carried out in the emergency department in Hospital Seberang Jaya, Pulau Pinang. The duration of study was three months, from October 2011 to December 2011. Medical card of patients from emergency department HSJ containing prescribed intravenous normal saline fluids were obtained.
Result: It showed that increasing patients until the end of the year 2011. Male patients are more than female patients. The average of age that treated from emergency department is 40- 59 years old. The patients around 60-79 year age group are most using intravenous normal saline fluids when treatment process in emergency department. It was also found that usage of intravenous normal saline fluids is not tally with total of indent from Ward Supply Pharmacy. Therefore, there was inappropriating uses of intravenous normal saline fluid usage in emergency department in Hospital Seberang Jaya
Conclusion: This study gave a general idea of how to reduce inappropriate of intravenous normal saline fluids usage in emergency department HSJ. Besides that, documentation system needs to improve to get accurate quantity of intravenous normal saline fluids that use in emergency department and corresponding to the indent from Ward Supply Pharmacy, Pharmacy Department HSJ.