Abstract
We aimed to assess the impact of a professional development course on clinical pharmacists’ level of confidence using physical assessment (PA) and whether it resulted in changes to their clinical practice. Workshop participants were asked to complete a pre-workshop survey, as well as three post-workshop surveys, to assess the pharmacists’ level of confidence in PA. Pharmacists were also asked about their integration of PA skills and use of Additional Prescribing Authority (APA). Pharmacists’ confidence in performing PA, discussing PA findings, and using PA to manage drug therapy were significantly higher at all time-points post workshop. Pharmacists with APA also indicated increased confidence with prescribing. Professional development in physical assessment may provide opportunities for pharmacists to integrate new knowledge and skills within their practice. Future research should examine if such educational opportunities will support sustainable practice change.
Highlights
The landscape of pharmacy practice is dramatically changing as pharmacists shift their focus from medication distribution to patient-centered care
Consent to participate in the study was obtained from 86 pharmacists
Pharmacists who had been in pharmacy practice for
Summary
The landscape of pharmacy practice is dramatically changing as pharmacists shift their focus from medication distribution to patient-centered care. To provide this level of care, pharmacists have been challenged to develop new skills and adopt an expanded scope of practice. At the onset of clinical care, the pharmacist performs a patient assessment to determine any medication related needs. Pharmacy curriculums in North America have not traditionally included training in the area of PA, many Canadian and US schools of pharmacy have incorporated PA into their curriculum [1,2,3,4]. The Canadian Pharmacist’s Association (CPhA) Blue Print for Pharmacy: The
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