Pharmacy Practice of Extemporaneous Preparations; A Comprehending Operational Services within Some Iraqi Hospitals

<ns3:p>Background Extemporaneous compounding preparations are a critical component of pharmacy practice inside and outside hospitals, as they customize therapy to meet each patient’s unique needs. Despite their clinical significance, data on the operational standards and prescription patterns of such products in some Iraqi hospitals are still limited. Comprehending these elements is important to ensure safe and efficient compounding and to improve pharmacy services. Objective To evaluate the nature and extent of extemporaneous compounding preparations and explore the challenges of pharmacists’ ability to practice compounding services. Methods An observational, cross-sectional, multicenter study encompassing 25 hospital pharmacies and 70 pharmacists was conducted. A five-section checklist was used (pharmacist characteristics, nature and extent of extemporaneous compounding, requirements for extemporaneous compounding, challenges against compounding practice, and pharmacists’ opinions). Results Pediatricians requested orders was (45.76%), sterile preparations (69.56%) for compound dosage forms. The primary service was the reconstitution or processing of readymade commercial formulations (71.43%). Most of compounded preparations were labeled (92%). The compounding protocols depended on physician’s order (82.5%). Only (48%) of hospitals possess laminar airflow hoods for aseptic operations, whereas (72%) were equipped with personal protective equipment. The primary challenge against pharmacists was the lack of specific equipment or supplies (91.43%), their self-confidence in preparing products was (40.0%), and professional satisfaction was (34.29%). Conclusions The findings of this study indicate that most hospital pharmacies lack standardized extemporaneous preparation services and that pharmacists’ professional judgments and perceptions are influenced by their personal and workplace facilities.</ns3:p>