title: Determining the "proper" gentamicin dosage in a hospital setting.
abstract: A method for determining a gentamicin dosage was applied to a patient in a community hospital setting. It was found that many factors, some beyond the practitioner's control, confused proper use of the drug. A case is used to illustrate the difficulties encountered in a community hospital setting when a seemingly straightforward protocol for gentamicin administration for therapy was initiated. The errors associated with each of five levels of personnel are illustrated which if summed could result in potentially serious consequences. In addition to reviewing the literature on gentamicin dosage schedules and making recommendations regarding future research in this area, specific guidelines are proposed for the use of gentamicin in clinical practice.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D006764:Hospitals, Community; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008508:Medication Errors; D008510:Medication Systems, Hospital; D008722:Methods; D011512:Proteus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D011704:Pyelonephritis / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D005839:Gentamicins