Abstract
This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. Competency frameworks is implemented to support continuing professional development in an academic medical centre, with the aims of establishing and retaining a competent pharmacist workforce; and is described using Kotter's change management framework. The desire to provide a clear developmental route with defined criteria to identify and bridge competency gaps through systematic training of our pharmacists and meeting JCI requirements for documented continued competence gave impetus to the establishment of the General and Advanced Level Frameworks. To aid implementation, a series of roadshows were organized to communicate the vision to pharmacists and experts from the UK were invited to share experience and to "train-the-trainers". Clinical groups were set up to provide learning platforms for the advanced pharmacist practitioners to coach the pharmacists. Competency assessment was conducted biyearly using workplace based assessment tools. Formative feedback was provided post-assessment and learning objectives and training plan for the next assessment cycle would be discussed. The implementation of competency frameworks provides an opportunity for pharmacists to identify competency gaps and plan their training and development to achieve higher standards of practice. The portfolio and competency-based developmental frameworks enable systematic approach to evaluate and facilitate performance management.
Highlights
Competency frameworks is implemented to support continuing professional development in an academic medical centre, with the aims of establishing and retaining a competent pharmacist workforce; and is described using Kotter’s change management framework
Entry-level competency in Singapore-trained pharmacists is imparted through a rigorous 4-year undergraduate program [Bachelor of Science Pharmacy (Honors)] at the National University of Singapore (NUS), followed by a year of pre-registration training in an accredited training institution under the supervision of a qualified preceptor who certifies that the competencies for fitness to practice have been met, as mandated by the Singapore Pharmacy Council (SPC) (Singapore Pharmacy Council [SPC], 2011)
Post registration, continuing professional development of the pharmacist usually takes the form of on-the-job training and Continuing Professional Education (CPE)
Summary
The demonstration of competence for GLF involved the use of formative work-based assessment tools like direct observation of dispensing skills and Mini-CEX. Several points have been raised by pharmacists, GLF assessors and CG leaders, including difficulties in identifying learning experiences required for bridging the competency gaps, and inter-assessor variability in assessment. The GLF handbook was last revised in 2013 to include more relevant competencies in local pharmacy practice and will be revised again with more emphasis on providing the knowledge, skills and attributes for each competency standard and help users identify the learning experiences needed to bridge specific competency gaps. Plans are underway to identify and develop in-house or on-the-job education and training programs to support specific competency standards and moving forward, the department hopes to assess the impact of implementing such competency frameworks on patient outcomes
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