Following an intervention, clinical pharmacist documentation must occur within how many hours?

• A. 24 hours
• B. 72 hours
• C. 48 hours
• D. 1 week

Answer: (A)

Timely documentation of a clinical pharmacist intervention is essential for patient safety, clear communication, and accountability. The standard is to complete the documentation within 24 hours of the intervention. This prompt entry ensures the care team sees the recommendation and the plan while it’s still fresh, supports continuity across shifts, and keeps the patient’s record accurate for audit and quality-improvement purposes. Delays to 48 hours, 72 hours, or longer can lead to missed information, duplicated work, or uncertainty about what was changed and why. When you intervene, you should record the intervention, the problem identified, the rationale and evidence consulted, the proposed action or change, who was notified, and the immediate outcome or plan. If you communicate the intervention to the prescriber right away, still complete the formal documentation within 24 hours so the chart reliably reflects what was done and the rationale behind it.