Abstract
(1) Background: The processes and skills required to make decisions about drug therapy have been termed “therapeutic decision-making” in pharmacy practice. The aim of this study was to evaluate a tool constructed to measure the development of therapeutic-decision-making skills by practicing pharmacists undertaking a university-based continuing professional development program. (2) Methods: A pre- and post-intervention crossover study design was used to investigate the qualitative and quantitative features of practicing pharmacists’ responses to two clinical vignettes designed to measure the development of therapeutic-decision-making skills. The vignettes were assigned a score using a five-point scale and compared pre- and post-intervention. (3) Results: There was a median increase in score of 2 units on the five-point scale in the post-intervention scores compared to pre-intervention (p < 0.0001). (4) Conclusions: The results were interpreted to suggest that the participants’ responses to the vignettes are a reasonable measure of student learning. Therefore, we infer that the teaching and learning intervention successfully enabled the development of therapeutic-decision-making skills by practicing pharmacists.
Highlights
Abstract: (1) Background: The processes and skills required to make decisions about drug therapy have been termed “therapeutic decision-making” in pharmacy practice
We infer that the teaching and learning intervention successfully enabled the development of therapeutic-decision-making skills by practicing pharmacists
A simple search of the internet with any browser using a combination of terms like “pharmacy practice” or “pharmacy profession” and “evolution” or “change” will bring up a large number of recent publications and documents all saying basically the same thing: the pharmacy profession is in a period of rapid change
Summary
Abstract: (1) Background: The processes and skills required to make decisions about drug therapy have been termed “therapeutic decision-making” in pharmacy practice. (2) Methods: A pre- and post-intervention crossover study design was used to investigate the qualitative and quantitative features of practicing pharmacists’ responses to two clinical vignettes designed to measure the development of therapeutic-decision-making skills. A simple search of the internet with any browser using a combination of terms like “pharmacy practice” or “pharmacy profession” and “evolution” or “change” will bring up a large number of recent publications and documents all saying basically the same thing: the pharmacy profession is in a period of rapid change This evolution has been a long time coming. Moving forward, pharmacists must have transferable skills and knowledge that will prepare them for roles with an increasing focus on the delivery of clinical services, including prescribing These roles will inevitably involve pharmacists taking direct responsibility for therapy decisions, something that has not traditionally been a feature of pharmacy professional identity.
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