Future Pharmacy Research Articles

Curriculum update for future pharmacy technicians to enhance rational use of antibiotics in Turkey

Abstract Background Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the most important global public health issues and training of healthcare professionals and the public needs to be an integral part of all AMR efforts. In 2015, four out of six countries with the highest antibiotic consumption rate in the world were low and middle-income countries, where Turkey was reported as the country with the highest consumption. Methods This paper aims to present a new undergraduate course entitled “Rational use of antibiotics”, specifically designed for pharmacy technician students to increase their awareness on AMR and to equip them with knowledge and skills in promoting rational antibiotic use. The curriculum update was part of a larger international project, supported by the Erasmus+ KA2 Strategic Partnership Program (Project no: 2015-1-TR01-KA204-022393). Results Pharmacy technicians are among the most critical health professionals regarding rational antibiotic use because they can play a significant role in educating potential antibiotic users and have a multiplier effect in disseminating evidence-based knowledge. The 16-week long undergraduate course was designed by pharmacy and public health faculty with a multidisciplinary approach, focusing on topics such as epidemiology and control of communicable diseases, antibiotics, AMR and its public health consequences, legal regulations and medical practice regarding rational antibiotic use, as well as principles and methods of health promotion and health education. Conclusions Quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the newly introduced undergraduate course on the rational use of antibiotics showed promising results, which indicate that designing specific courses for health professions students to combat AMR can be more widely practiced in countries with high antibiotic consumption. Public health academics can take a leading role and responsibility in the design of such multidisciplinary courses for undergraduate programs in health care. Key messages Specific courses on rational use of antibiotics can be effective in changing knowledge, attitude, and behaviors of healthcare professionals, and consecutively the general public in combatting AMR. Public health academics can take a leading role and responsibility in design of such multidisciplinary courses for undergraduate programs in health care.

The state and prospects of development of national higher pharmaseutical education

The paper considers the materials of the Pharmacists Summit and International Pharmaceutical Congresses, in particular, the issue of achieving quality pharmaceutical education. It shows cause of the proper training process of pharmacy sector specialists in accordance with current state and requirements of the society and suggests a model of professional pharmaceutical education. According to the authors of the paper, the implementation of education quality in Ukraine calls for, first, professionally educated personnel in the pharmacy sector of healthcare; second, proper academic and university infrastructure for training future specialists within the system of higher pharmaceutical education; third, ensuring the high quality of higher pharmaceutical education on the basis of implementing the competence approach and taking into account international experience on pharmacy development. Increasing significance of the pharmacy branch in Ukraine is directly linked to the quality of training of pharmacy specialists, continuous improvement of the content of their education, implementation of new educational technologies, adapting higher pharmaceutical education to European standards. According to the authors, an important condition of ensuring effective professional training of future pharmacy specialists within the national system of higher pharmaceutical education is the following: firstly, considering public demand to the level of healthcare services, disease prevention; secondly, implementing the productive global experience on introducing customer service standards. The established prospects of the development of national higher pharmaceutical education include: 1) the adoption of ethical principles of training Masters of Pharmacy within the system of higher pharmaceutical education; 2) focus on European pharmacy standards which are based on high customer service standards; 3) improvement of the content of pharmacy specialist education taking into account the development of national pharmaceutical production; 4) ensuring the development of the clinical direction within the system of general pharmacist training.

Взаємозв’язок показників поточної та екзаменаційної успішності вивчення фармакології здобувачами вищої фармацевтичної освіти як індикатор для моніторингу якості освіти

У системі підготовки майбутніх спеціалістів фармації фармакологія займає перехідну позицію між базовими фундаментальними (біологія, фізіологія з основами анатомії людини, патофізіологія, біологічна хімія, мікробіологія з основами імунології) та спеціальними профільними предметами (фармакотерапія, клінічна фармація, фармацевтична опіка). Цілком обґрунтовано фармакологія вважається інтегральною дисципліною, що формує професійне мислення як провізорів (фармацевтів), так і лікарів. Тому не викликає сумнівів важливість постійного вдосконалення методик викладання фармакології в закладах вищої медичної та фармацевтичної освіти, а також визначення успішності засвоєння матеріалу дисципліни як універсального індикатора ефективності навчання. Мета дослідження – оцінити успішність вивчення фармакології майбутніми спеціалістами фармації (вітчизняними та іноземними здобувачами вищої освіти) за результатами аналізу підсумкових оцінок, балів за письмовий курсовий іспит і відсотків правильних відповідей з дисципліни на ліцензійному тестовому іспиті КРОК-1 «Фармація», а також розробити процесну модель діяльності з підвищення якості підготовки з фармакології. Встановлено, що в цілому вітчизняні здобувачі вищої фармацевтичної освіти докладають найбільших зусиль до складання іспиту КРОК-1, що визначено за кращими результатами іспиту КРОК-1 порівняно з поточним рейтингом і курсовим іспитом. Іноземні здобувачі вищої фармацевтичної освіти мають нижчу поточну успішність і гірше, ніж вітчизняні, складають ліцензійний іспит КРОК-1. Кореляційний аналіз показав статистично значущі взаємозв’язки між поточним рейтингом, курсовим іспитом і відсотком правильних відповідей тесту КРОК-1 з фармакології. Проте у вітчизняних здобувачів вищої освіти зв’язки між поточним рейтингом і результатом іспиту КРОК-1 й результатами курсового та ліцензійного іспитів сильніші, ніж в іноземних, що може свідчити про більшу увагу до фундаментальних знань у процесі підготовки та складанні іспиту КРОК-1. Запропоновано процесну модель діяльності з покращання успішності вивчення фармакології та підвищення фармакологічної компетентності майбутніх фармацевтів відповідно до стандартів ISO 9001:2015.

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE On PHARMACY PRACTICE AND THERAPEUTICS

International Conference on Therapeutics and Pharmacy Practice - ‘‘Exploring and Advancing Healthcare through Novel Strategies in Pharmacy Practice’’ organized by Nirmala College of Pharmacy, Mangalagiri in collaboration with Findlay University, USA & Pharmacon Society, Hyderabad held on 17th& 18th December, 2019. The Conference main objectives are to cultivate an international forum for the ever widening scope of Pharmacy Practice research, to Create a forum for the dissemination of quality, international Pharmacy Practice research for all stake holders, to increase Pharmacy Practice contributions to global health through the provision of greater access to the latest high quality international Pharmacy Practice and to develop a policy statement on current and future Pharmacy Practice research.

Exploring student perceptions and attitude towards various aspects of peer feedback in a pharmacotherapy course

BackgroundThe purpose of this study is to gauge pharmacy students' perceptions and attitude towards peer feedback in a pharmacotherapy course. MethodsAn explanatory sequential mixed-method approach with a 20-item electronic survey and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from students enrolled in a required pharmacotherapy course at a major public university in the southeast United States. A survey design with descriptive statistics were used for the quantitative part and constant comparative approach was used to analyze qualitative data. ResultsSeventy-three completed surveys (53%) were received (n = 73). Majority of the students (90%) believed that they will be using peer feedback in their future pharmacy careers. Most students (90%) agreed that their peers are competent enough to provide constructive feedback, whereas only 78% believed in their own competency to provide feedback to their peers. Over 81% of students preferred receiving feedback from a peer they have previously worked with. Interviews with five second-year pharmacy students (n = 5) revealed three major themes regarding PharmD students' perception of peer feedback activity, namely, (1) participants' perspectives about the value of peer feedback, (2) learning from peer feedback, and (3) significance of the individuals participating in the peer feedback activities. ConclusionsPerceptions of competency, the perceived value of peer feedback and interrelationship among peers are important determinants of effective peer feedback practices. Education and training in techniques and benefits of peer feedback, as well as opportunity to practice the skill can help students promote a positive attitude towards peer feedback.

Exploring Canadian pharmacy students' e-health literacy: a mixed method study.

Background:While much has been described about technology use by digital natives in general, understanding of pharmacy student’s knowledge and understanding of technology is lacking.Objective:This study explores the current state of pharmacy students’ self-rated digital health literacy in British Columbia, Canada, and seeks to identify future opportunities for technology training in pharmacy education and in practice.Methods:A mixed methods design using surveys and semi-structured interviews was conducted. An online, validated survey (eHEALS) was conducted among currently enrolled 2nd to 4th year pharmacy students at the University of British Columbia. An additional interview was offered to consenting participants to further explore the use of technology in daily lives, pharmacy practicums, and implications on future pharmacy curricula. Both quantitative and qualitative thematic analysis was done of all data.Results:A total of 30 pharmacy students completed the eHEALS survey and 5 completed interviews. Most participants were 2nd year students (50%), were 25 years and younger (80%), and female (87%). Ranking of digital health literacy was lower than expected with participants stating they know what (87%), where (87%) and how to find (77%) health resources on the Internet. Even less students (77%) rated that they have the skills to evaluate the health resources that they find on the Internet and only 53% felt confident in using information from the Internet to make health decisions. Most students mentioned that they had limited technology related training at school and would like more training opportunities throughout their program and connect what they have learned at school to their practice.Conclusions:These results expose significant and surprising gaps in student understanding of technology despite modifications seen in the entry-to-practice PharmD curriculum. Regional differences and digital health literacy of practicing pharmacists are areas that require better understanding and hold significant impact as practice evolves.

Health consumer engagement in developing novel preventive health community pharmacy roles in cardiovascular disease in Saudi Arabia: A qualitative analysis

IntroductionCardiovascular diseases (CVD) are one of key leading causes of mortality worldwide. Both modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors contribute to the development of CVD. Modifiable risk factors such as smoking, unhealthy diets and lack of exercise are increasing in prevalence in Saudi Arabia but may be mitigated using pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches. Thus, identifying, assessing and managing these modifiable risks at an early stage is essential. Pharmacists are highly accessible primary health professionals and can play a crucial role in screening and managing these risk factors in collaboration with primary care physicians. There is currently no research in Saudi Arabia exploring the views of health consumers with CVD risk factors regarding their preferences for or willingness to engage with community pharmacy CVD preventive health services. ObjectivesTo explore the perceptions of health consumers about current and feasible future services by pharmacists with a specific focus on CVD risk screening and management in Saudi Arabia. MethodsSemi-structured interviews were conducted with consumers with at least one modifiable CVD risk factor. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, translated into English and then thematically analysed. ResultsA total of 25 individuals, most of whom were Saudi (88%) and women (65%), participated in face to face interviews. Five main themes emerged from the analysis of consumers’ responses. 1. Perception of pharmacists’ role, the pharmacists’ main role was perceived as medication supply. 2. Trust and satisfaction with current service, most participants appeared to have low trust in pharmacists. 3. Preferences for future pharmacy services, most participants were willing to engage in future pharmacy delivered CVD preventive health services, provided there was stringent regulation and oversight of the quality of such services. 4. Viability of new pharmacy services was raised with promotion of such services to the public, collaboration with other health professionals, financial incentivization and motivational rewards thought of as essential ingredient to ensure service feasibility. 5. Health beliefs and help seeking behaviours of consumers were diverse and low health literacy was evident; it was thought that pharmacists can help in these matters by educating and advocating for such consumers. Overall, the data suggested that clinical, communication and professional skills need to be enhanced among Saudi pharmacists to enable them to provide optimal patient cantered services. ConclusionHealth consumers participants were willing to participate and utilise CVD risk screening and management pharmacy-based services, when offered, provided their concerns are addressed. Therefore, in light of the burden of CVD disease in the country, development, implementation and evaluation of pharmacist provided CVD risk screening and management should be undertaken.

Implementation of the Pharmacists’ Patient Care Process in a Medicinal Chemistry Course

Objective. To implement the Pharmacists' Patient Care Process (PPCP) in a medicinal chemistry course. Methods. Doctor of Pharmacy students in a medicinal chemistry course were challenged to apply the PPCP in a lesson on cholinesterase inhibitors and NMDA receptor antagonist in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. A clinical faculty member with expertise in the topic reviewed the clinical information provided to ensure applicability to patient care. A pre- and post-course survey was administered to assess students' understanding of the PPCP and the effectiveness of the strategies used. Students' pre- and post-course responses were analyzed, and qualitative themes were identified. Results. Of the 141 students enrolled in the course, 96% and 97% completed the pre- and post-course surveys, respectively. Students' post-course responses were higher than pre-course answers to the question that they knew all the steps of the PPCP (96% vs 66%, respectively). Ninety one percent in the post-course survey compared to 62% in the pre-course survey listed the PPCP steps correctly. In addition, more than 90% of the students indicated that the strategies used in the class helped them understand and relate to the PPCP. Qualitative responses revealed themes with positive responses related to the course, course activities, PPCP goals and curriculum design based on the implementation of the PPCP. Conclusion. The introduction of the PPCP as a framework for all pharmacy practitioners is a worthy endeavor. Purposeful strategies to introduce the PPCP in a medicinal course were positively received by students. Formalized efforts to implement the PPCP in clinical, social and administrative, and science courses are critical to introduce the PPCP as a framework for all future pharmacy practitioners.

Considerations in training student pharmacists to perform physical assessment

Background and purposePatient assessment skills are an integral component of pharmacy education. Fostering a realistic learning experience requires simulated interaction with standardized patients (SPs). Cost, student performance, and student preference are important factors to consider when selecting a SP option. The study objective was to compare student peer SPs (SPSPs) and manikins for training student pharmacists to perform physical assessment skills. Educational activity and settingFirst-year student pharmacists were taught five physical assessment techniques and practiced on both a manikin and SPSPs. An examination was administered to assess student knowledge and technique performance. Student preference was assessed via survey. A cost utility analysis compared the costs of a SimMan manikin with SPSPs. FindingsAll enrolled student pharmacists met competency during the final exam. Students strongly agreed or agreed: practicing on a live simulated patient enhanced my ability to perform physical assessment skills (95%); practicing on SimMan enhanced my ability to perform physical assessment skills (88%); I am interested in incorporating physical assessments in my future pharmacy (88%); and I believe future practice will support implementing physical assessments (85%). The cost utility analysis determined a utility of 4.74 with student peer SPs and 4.49 with SimMan. SummaryStudent pharmacists were successfully trained to perform physical assessment techniques utilizing both SPSPs and a manikin. Understanding differences in instructional methods allows educators to determine best practices when teaching physical assessment.

RPS lays out the future of pharmacy in new policy document

RPS lays out the future of pharmacy in new policy document

RPS survey on future of pharmacy after COVID-19 calls for greater use of remote consultations

RPS survey on future of pharmacy after COVID-19 calls for greater use of remote consultations

Using MyDispense to simulate validation of controlled substance prescriptions in a pharmacy law course

Background and purposeMyDispense is an innovative, web-based program which simulates a community pharmacy. Use of this software may assist students' comprehension of validating controlled substance prescriptions by determining if prescriptions contain errors or omissions. Educational activity and settingFourteen MyDispense practice exercises were created and implemented into a required second-year pharmacy law course. Completion of the MyDispense exercises and performance on the pharmacy law midterm exam were recorded. A questionnaire was administered to students to receive feedback on the exercises. FindingsThere were complete data on all 94 student pharmacists enrolled in the didactic course. Thirty-five students (37%) completed all MyDispense exercises, 15 students (16%) completed some of the exercises, and 44 (47%) did not complete any of the exercises. Linear regression results indicate that students who completed more MyDispense exercises were significantly more likely to score higher on the midterm than those who completed fewer exercises (β = 0.28, p = 0.02). Students reported moderate to high exercise value and a willingness to use the software in preparation for future pharmacy law examinations. SummaryMyDispense provided a platform for students to apply controlled substance laws to the prescription validation process in the community pharmacy setting. Completion of practice exercises in MyDispense was shown to positively impact student performance on a pharmacy law midterm. Students valued the innovative simulation tool and were willing to access the tool again to prepare for future examinations.

Digital content delivery in a pharmacy technician training program in a health system.

Development and implementation of a pharmacy technician training program are described. As key members of the healthcare team, pharmacy technicians are integral to a pharmacy's operation. Training programs allow technicians to assume roles that support pharmacists practicing "at the top of their license," assist in providing optimal patient care, and serve as an important tool for retaining trained pharmacy technicians. Duke University Health System (DUHS) launched its Pharmacy Technology Training Program (DUHS-PTTP) within the department of pharmacy at Duke University Hospital in April 2018 to assist in meeting current and future pharmacy technician demand. Candidates are provided with the tools to become certified pharmacy technicians through the completion of an affordable accredited program incorporating didactic, simulation-based, and experiential education. The program's partnership with a digital content provider enables accelerated start-up, minimizes investment in content creation and maintenance, enables automated record keeping, and provides flexibility for program participants to complete didactic content outside of the traditional classroom setting. Implementation of this program aims to support students both internal and external to the institution. Students are trained to begin a career as a pharmacy technician with the intent of producing graduates well equipped and eligible for certification by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board. Implementation of a pharmacy technician training program is a logical extension of the demonstrated core training competency of health-system pharmacy departments.

National survey of UK general practice pharmacy services

Abstract Background The Clinical Pharmacists in General Practice (CPGP) initiative aims to recruit over 2000 clinical pharmacists in general practice (GP) surgeries in England by 2020. This study aimed to explore the services delivered by all GP pharmacy professionals (GPPPs; pharmacists/pharmacy technicians) across the UK. Methods 30-item e-questionnaire was developed using SurveyMonkey platform and piloted during one-to-one cognitive interviews with GPPPs. The survey was distributed via the Primary Care Pharmacy Association, social media sites, collaborating GP organisations and via emails to participants of CPGP pilot. Three reminders were sent out 1 week apart. University ethics approval was obtained. Results Ninety-one responses were received between November 2018 and March 2019 (89% pharmacists, 52% from CPGP pilot). Participants provided an average of 9 services (95% CI 8.3-9.9). Over 90% of pharmacists delivered medication reviews and over 80% managed patients with polypharmacy. More pharmacists within than outside of the CPGP pilot managed repeat prescribing requests (70% vs. 47%, p = 0.035). Technicians took responsibility for primarily non-clinical services such as service commissioning (90%), management of safety alerts/drug recalls (80%), standard operating procedures (80%) and education & training (80%). Over 40% of GPPPs not providing care home services wished to do so by 2024. Four technicians wanted to be more involved in medication reviews. The main perceived benefits of GP pharmacy services included identifying medicines-related issues (93%), utilisation of pharmacy professionals’ skills (93%) and a reduction in medication waste (92%). Conclusions GPPPs provide a range of clinical and non-clinical services which may benefit public health at an individual and healthcare system levels. Pharmacists within the pilot are more likely to deliver repeat prescribing services. Future GP pharmacy landscape will likely include additional services to care homes. Key messages GPPPs including pharmacy technicians provide clinical and non-clinical services, appropriate to their scope of practice, to benefit patients, healthcare systems and themselves. Developing future GP pharmacy services to care homes offers further opportunities to benefit a vulnerable group of patients with long-term illnesses.

Swedish Pharmacy Students' Expectations and Perceptions of Their Education and Future Pharmacy Profession.

Distance education is becoming more and more common, and today distance education is well established within academic settings. The aim was to investigate first-year pharmacy students’ expectations and perceptions of web-based pharmacy programs and of their future profession. Furthermore, student characteristics were compared over time. A questionnaire was distributed to all first-year students admitted to the pharmacy programs at Umeå University in 2017. The students were asked questions about their background, motives for choosing pharmacy education, and their expectations and perceptions of their education and profession. Factors of most importance when choosing the education were: the education is interesting, leads to an interesting job, and is web-based. The students’ expectations of the education were high, and they want to learn as much as possible and be well prepared for their future profession. Regarding the students’ perception of their future profession, three themes were identified: to help other people, professional development, and employment related issues. Student characteristics have changed over the years, suggesting that the web-based pharmacy education and the flexibility it entails attracts other groups of students today compared with when the programs started.

Ciecze jonowe – przyszłość farmacji?

Ciecze jonowe – przyszłość farmacji?

Enhancing future pharmacy practice through integration of reflective practice strategies to embed self-development in a medication safety culture

Enhancing future pharmacy practice through integration of reflective practice strategies to embed self-development in a medication safety culture

Knowledge of the risk factors of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among pharmacy students: findings from a Malaysian University

ABSTRACT Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are a global health burden that affects a broad scope of individuals worldwide. Pharmacists, as members of the multidisciplinary team, play a significant role in promoting public awareness towards potential risk factors for NCDs. This study aims to gauge the knowledge of NCDs risk factors among pharmacy students of a Malaysian public university. This paper also outlines perspectives of pharmacy students on the strategies to raise the awareness of NCDs risk factors. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in the Faculty of Pharmacy, International Islamic University Malaysia. Self-administered questionnaires were pretested and validated before being distributed to pharmacy students across different years of study. The data indicated an average level of knowledge towards risk factors of NCDs among study participants with no significant differences in knowledge between male and female genders (p = 0.583). However, there is a significant difference in knowledge concerning the year of study (p < 0.001); as positive correlation can be seen between the level of education and the knowledge of NCDs risk factor. Most of the students (75%) were unaware of the planning by the Ministry of Health (MOH) to control NCDs. Reinforcement of NCDs-related education activities is imperative in order to increase the overall awareness concerning the risk factors of NCDs among future pharmacy practitioners. Further collaborations between educational institutions and the MOH were proposed to help raise awareness of NCDs risk factors among the younger population.

Implementation of a Student-Developed, Service-Based Internship for Pharmacy Students.

This article describes the development, implementation, and impact of a student-created pharmacy internship program with aspects of service-learning, professional development, and ambulatory care pharmacy practice. As the pharmacy profession continues to evolve, pharmacy internships present valuable opportunities for student pharmacists to explore career pathways and develop personal and professional skills. While internships in clinical and industry settings support interns' professional development, service-based internships provide additional benefits to student pharmacists by promoting cultural awareness, community engagement, and commitment to serving underserved patients. Student leaders from the Student Health Action Coalition (SHAC) at the University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy created a service-learning, ambulatory carefocused pharmacy internship for fellow student pharmacists. Two rising third-year students were selected to participate in the internship in the summer of 2018. Over the two-month program, the interns participated in various program components including direct patient care activities, faculty-led workshops and topic discussions, and quality improvement projects. In addition to supporting the interns' academic and professional growth, this program also furthered the mission of SHAC to promote positive health outcomes for underserved populations. The SHAC Ambulatory Care in Underserved Populations Internship represents an innovative initiative by pharmacy student leaders to develop a service-focused internship for fellow student pharmacists. Participation in the internship provides unique opportunities not often available in conventional pharmacy curricula, including engagement with underserved patient populations and exploration of strategies to mitigate health disparities. Crafted by students for fellow students, this internship provides opportunities for personal and professional growth for both student developers and interns to carry into their future pharmacy careers.

How the RPS in Wales helped shape the vision for pharmacy's future

How the RPS in Wales helped shape the vision for pharmacy's future