• Lisa M Nissen, Kai Hang Wong, Anthea Jones, and Darren M Roberts.
• University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
• Aust J Rural Health. 2010 Apr 1;18(2):78-84.

ObjectiveTo determine the sufficiency of stock levels of 13 antidotes in Queensland hospitals.DesignA self-report survey was sent to 128 Queensland hospitals with acute care facilities. The stock level of the following antidotes was determined: acetylcysteine, anti-digoxin Fab antibodies (digibind), atropine, calcium gluconate, cyanokit, desferrioxamine, flumazenil, glucagon, intravenous ethanol, methylene blue, naloxone, pralidoxime and pyridoxine. Other factors sampled were bed capacity, rural, remote and metropolitan areas classification, use of formal stock reviews by pharmacists or nurses, existence of formal borrowing agreements with other facilities for non-stocked antidotes, distance to the nearest referral hospital and time taken to transfer antidotes from another hospital.ParticipantsPharmacists or nurses responsible for maintaining antidote stocks in Queensland hospitals.Main Outcome MeasuresProportions of hospitals with sufficient antidote stock to treat a 70-kg adult for four or more hours using previously published guidelines.ResultsSurvey response rate was 73.4%. No hospital had sufficient stock of all 13 antidotes. The proportion of hospitals with sufficient stocks varied from 0% (pyridoxine) to 68.1% (acetylcysteine). Larger hospitals had a higher frequency of sufficient antidote stocks. Only 16% of hospitals claimed to be able to acquire an antidote from another facility within 30 min.ConclusionsMost Queensland hospitals stocked some important antidotes, but few had sufficient stock to treat a 70-kg patient or acquire an antidote within the recommended time frame of 30 min. Specific antidote stocking guidelines might be required for Queensland hospitals. A formalised program for stock rotation with rural facilities should be explored.

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