Abstract
BackgroundThe objective of this study was to evaluate the existing Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy [BSc (Pharm)] curriculum at Qatar University College of Pharmacy (QU CPH), for addressing international prescribing competencies.MethodsThe Australian National Prescribing Service (NPS MedicineWise) Competencies Required to Prescribe Medicines framework (the Prescribing Competencies Framework) was used in the BSc (Pharm) curriculum mapping process. The NPS MedicineWise Prescribing Competencies Framework outlines seven competency areas that are essential for pharmacist prescribing. The first mapping activity assessed the learning outcomes (LOs) of 62 courses within the BSc (Pharm) curriculum for covering and addressing the NPS MedicineWise competencies. The second mapping activity involved matching the LOs identified to address the NPS MedicineWise prescribing competencies, to the 2017 Association of Faculties of Pharmacy of Canada (AFPC) educational outcomes, on which the QU CPH BSc (Pharm) program is based. The AFPC educational outcomes address seven key program-level learning outcomes.ResultsThe QU CPH BSc (Pharm) curriculum addresses most of the prescribing competencies listed in the NPS MedicineWise Prescribing Competencies Framework. However, gaps were identified in the curricular content and in the LOs that were related, but not restricted, to the following: electronic prescribing, physical examinations/preparing patients for investigations, and policies/procedures and quality assurace related to prescribing. Other gaps identified include legislative and workplace requirements for obtaining consent to access confidential patient's health information.ConclusionThe curriculum mapping exercise provided evidence that, for the most part, the existing BSc (Pharm) curriculum at QU CPH prepares pharmacy graduates for prescribing. However, there are areas that need better alignment between the taught curriculum and training on prescribing in practice. The results of this study are important to consider if pharmacist prescribing is to be implemented in Qatar.
Highlights
The objective of this study was to evaluate the existing Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy [BSc (Pharm)] curriculum at Qatar University College of Pharmacy (QU CPH), for addressing international prescribing competencies
Selection of prescribing competency framework After an extensive review of the literature, the Australian National Prescribing Services (NPS) MedicineWise Prescribing Competencies Framework [12] was chosen for the mapping process as it provides an extensive description of the prescribing competency standards with evidence examples that facilitated mapping the learning objectives (LOs) of all courses covered in the BSc (Pharm) curriculum at QU CPH
The majority of the competency areas (CAs) addressed in the Australian NPS MedicineWise prescribing framework were addressed in the QU CPH BSc (Pharm) curriculum [12]
Summary
The objective of this study was to evaluate the existing Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy [BSc (Pharm)] curriculum at Qatar University College of Pharmacy (QU CPH), for addressing international prescribing competencies. Significant advances in the healthcare system have been achieved over the past few decades For these advances to take place, expanding the scope of practice and the prescribing role of healthcare practitioners has become necessary to ensure efficient healthcare delivery. In this regard, several countries have changed their legislation to introduce non-medical prescribing (NMP) [1]. NMP authorizes nonmedical healthcare professionals, such as pharmacists and nurses, to prescribe pharmacological agents that are legislated as “prescription medicines” under legal certification. In 2015, it was estimated that there were 53,572 nurses, 3845 pharmacists, and 689 allied healthcare providers, registered as either supplementary or independent prescribers in the UK [2]. There are several models of NMP, including: independent, collaborative, and dependent prescribing models; the latter includes supplementary prescribing, prescribing by protocols, patients group direction, prescribing by formulary, prescribing by patient referral, and repeat prescribing [4]
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