Future Pharmacy Research Articles

Recognition of community-based pharmacist practitioners: Essential health care providers

ObjectivesTo introduce the term community-based pharmacist practitioner (CPP), detail how community pharmacists are transitioning into this essential role, suggest 4 tenets of CPPs, and discuss the role of CPPs in future pharmacy practice. SummaryThe focus and nature of community pharmacy is expanding into new practice settings and including enhanced patient care services. With these shifts toward better meeting the health care needs of the communities they serve, community-based pharmacists who provide patient care services have refined specialized skills and should be widely viewed and accepted by the profession, patients, other health care providers, and the public as health care practitioners. Four suggested tenets of CPPs are: deliver direct patient care, contribute to team-based care, manage patient care services, and serve as leaders for advancing patient care. ConclusionPharmacist-provided patient care services are expanding in a variety of community-based settings. The term “community-based pharmacist practitioner” highlights the unique skillset that pharmacists use when they provide patient care services, and it brings recognition to the value community pharmacists contribute to patients, communities, and the health care system.

Perception of the Relevance of Organic Chemistry in a German Pharmacy Students’ Course

Objective. To investigate German pharmacy students' attitudes toward the relevance of organic chemistry training in Julius Maximilian University (JMU) of Würzburg with regard to subsequent courses in the curricula and in later prospective career options. Methods. Surveys were conducted in the second-year organic chemistry course (50 participants) as well as during the third-year and fourth-year lecture cycle on medicinal and pharmaceutical chemistry (66 participants) in 2014. Results. Students' attitudes were surprisingly consistent throughout the progress of the degree course. Students considered organic chemistry very relevant to the pharmacy study program (95% junior and 97% senior students), and of importance for their future pharmacy program (88% junior and 94% senior students). With regard to prospective career options, the perceived relevance was considerably lower and attitudes were less homogenous. Conclusions. German pharmacy students at JMU Würzburg consider organic chemistry of high relevance for medicinal chemistry and other courses in JMU's pharmacy program.

Teaching Certificate Program Participants’ Perceptions of Mentor-Mentee Relationships

Objective. To assess teaching certificate program (TCP) participants' perceptions of mentor-mentee relationships. Methods. A 15-item survey instrument was administered to all 2014-2015 participants of the Indiana Pharmacy Teaching Certificate (IPTeC) program. Results. One hundred percent of IPTeC program participants (83/83) responded to the survey. The majority of participants indicated that having a professional mentor was either very important (52%) or important (47%) to their professional development and preferred to choose their own professional mentor (53%). Mentor characteristics rated as highly important by mentees included having similar clinical practice interests (82%), having similar research interests (66%), and being available to meet face-to-face (90%). Age, race, and gender of the mentor were not rated by mentees as important. Conclusion. Teaching certificate program participants place high importance on having a professional mentor. Mentorship of pharmacists completing TCPs should be a priority for current pharmacy faculty members so adequate guidance is available to future pharmacy educators.

An Innovative Approach to Pharmacy Law Education Utilizing a Mock Board of Pharmacy Meeting.

A thorough understanding of pharmacy law by students is important in the molding of future pharmacy practitioners but a standardized template for the best way to educate students in this area has not been created. A mock Board of Pharmacy meeting was designed and incorporated into the Pharmacy Law course to meet the ACPE accreditation standards at the University of Tennessee College of Pharmacy. Students acted as Board of Pharmacy members and utilized technology to decide outcomes of cases and requests addressed in a typical 2 day Tennessee Board of Pharmacy meeting. The actual responses to those cases, as well as similar cases and requests addressed over a 5 year period, were revealed to students after they made motions on mock scenarios. Student participation in this interactive learning experience resulted in good understanding of the rules and regulations of pharmacy practice and the consequences associated with violating regulations. Such mock Board of Pharmacy meeting is recommended for future pharmacy law education.

Characterization of published randomized controlled trials assessing clinical pharmacy services around the world.

A critical analysis of the research on clinical pharmacy services with regards to study characteristics has not been undertaken since 1998. However, several meta-analyses have been conducted to demonstrate the impact of pharmacists' interventions in specific medical conditions. These meta-analyses present high heterogeneity in part because the interventions are poorly and inconsistently described in primary studies. The aim of this article is to present the characteristics of randomized control trials (RCTs) that assess clinical pharmacy services to identify areas of improvement in future pharmacy practice research studies. Different emphasis of research across geographic regions of the world were also examined. During these 40 years, 520 articles reporting 439 RCTs assessing clinical pharmacy services were published. Of the 439 studies, 77.7% (n=341) were published in the year 2000 or thereafter, 41.46% (n=182) were conducted in the US, 27.56% (n=121) in Europe, and 30.98% (n=136) in the rest of the world. Studies in pharmacy practice have improved in terms of design, with an increase in the number of published RCTs after 2000. However, the small sample size of RCTs is still an issue. After 2000, a significantly higher proportion of studies were conducted in community pharmacy, targeting specific medical conditions, and with a higher number of patients randomized to the intervention group. Conversely, a significantly smaller proportion of studies were conducted in the hospital and targeted a single recipient after 2000. Studies conducted in the US had significantly more intervention arms, focused mostly on a specific medical condition, and were performed in primary care. Different health care systems' organization and policies may influence clinical pharmacy services research across countries.

The future of pharmacy will not be defined by cuts, says Burt

The future of pharmacy will not be defined by cuts, says Burt

KNOWLEDGE OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AND TRAINING NEEDS IN FINAL YEAR MEDICAL AND PHARMACY STUDENTS

Although a significant number of medical and pharmacy professionals come into contact with an increasing number of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, there is concern on the lack of knowledge and skills received during their undergraduate training programmes with the consequence of not providing the required hospital and community care for these individuals following programme completion. The aim of this report is to describe the results of a small scale study investigating the level of knowledge of Alzheimer’s disease and training needs in medical and pharmacy students at the end of their final year of undergraduate training. The findings indicated a lack of in-depth knowledge for both categories of students, in particular on risk factors and pharmacotherapeutic management highlighting an urgent need of refining existent training programmes that equip future medical and pharmacy professionals with the necessary skills in providing adequate care and management for individuals with the disease.

Looking ahead to the future of pharmacy in Wales

Looking ahead to the future of pharmacy in Wales

Use of CLIA-waived point-of-care tests for infectious diseases in community pharmacies in the United States

Review of point-of-care (POC) testing in community pharmacies, availability and specifications of CLIA-waived infectious disease POC tests, and provide recommendations for future community pharmacy POC models in an effort to improve patient outcomes while reducing antibiotic resistance. PubMed and Medscape were searched for the following keywords: infectious disease, community pharmacy, rapid diagnostic tests, rapid assay, and POC tests. All studies utilizing POC tests in community pharmacies for infectious disease were included. Studies, articles, recommendations, and posters were reviewed and information categorized into general implementation of POC testing in community pharmacies, CLIA-waived tests available, Influenza, Group A Streptococcus pharyngitis, Helicobacter pylori, HIV and Hepatitis C. POC testing provides a unique opportunity for community pharmacists to implement collaborative disease management programmes for infectious diseases and reduce over-prescribing of antibiotics and improve patient outcomes through early detection, treatment and/or referral to a specialist.

An Evaluation of Knowledge and Perception of Pharmacy Students toward Pharmacovigilance and Adverse Drug Event Reporting

To evaluate the knowledge and perception about pharmacovigilance (PV) and adverse drug event (ADE) reporting among undergraduate pharmacy students. A cross-sectional study was conducted in the month of August 2013 using a questionnaire form given to B. Pharmacy students of Vth semester onwards including five different pharmacy colleges of Anand district in Gujarat. Before starting the study, approval from Institutional Ethics Committee was taken. Participants were explained properly about the study and confidentiality was maintained at all levels. A total of 300 filled forms were collected from the participants. Of these 142 (47%) were from Vth semester, remaining were from VIIth semester. One hundred and thirty-six students (45%) were aware of PV. One hundred and twenty-four students (41%) replied that pharmacist is qualified to report ADEs. One hundred seventy-six students (59%) replied that all types of ADEs should be reported. Two hundred and four students (68%) advocated compulsory ADE reporting. Two hundred and eighty-six students (95%) said that ADE reporting is either very important or important. Only 58 students (19%) knew about PV program of India. Pharmacists can play a crucial role in both ADE reporting and PV activities. The knowledge about PV and ADE reporting is found quite low among pharmacy students in our study. Hence, they need to be well trained on how to recognize, prevent, and report ADE as they are future pharmacy practitioners.

Has The Time Come for a Bachelor’s Degree Prerequisite to Pharmacy School?

Has The Time Come for a Bachelor’s Degree Prerequisite to Pharmacy School?

Students' Perceptions of Pharmacy as a Specialization and Their Future Career : A Cross Sectional Study of Final Year Pharmacy Students in Jordan = انطباعات الطلبة عن الصيدلة كتخصص و مهنة مستقبلية : دراسة مقطعية لطلبة السنة الأخيرة لتخصص الصيدلة في الأردن

This study aimed to establish a baseline understanding of the career aspirations, motivations and expectations of students within undergraduate pharmacy education in Jordan and to examine students’ incentives to select pharmacy and how they feel about their choice as they are approaching graduation. A draft survey instrument was designed to collect the required information. The questionnaire was administered to final year pharmacy students (B.Sc. Pharmacy and PharmD) at the University of Jordan and the Jordan University of science and Technology. The questionnaire was administered at the end of all lectures at both universities. Following data collection, responses were coded and entered into a customized database in SPSS, version 17, for statistical analyses. Chi-square and Fisher exact tests were used to test for significant differences between groups A total of 240 final-year pharmacy students took part in the present study. The majority of respondents (n=147, 61.3%) indicated that pharmacy was not their first choice of study at the time of application to universities. More than half (n=138, 57.5%) the respondents claimed that they were optimistic regarding the future of pharmacy as a profession. When asked to rank pharmacy among different suggested professions, the majority of respondents (n=95, 39.58%) ranked pharmacy second after medicine and before dentistry. The majority of respondents (n=202, 84.17%) thought they had a positive self image. Students studying pharmacy seem to have optimistic aspirations of their future career and a positive image. Further qualitative research is needed to gain more in-depth understanding of this issue and to create a realistic connection between market needs and pharmacy education outputs.

2015 Report of the President and Chair of the Board: ASHP: Setting the standard for the future of pharmacy practice.

Today, I want to start with a heartfelt thank you. As my presidential year draws to a close, it is hard to express how grateful I am for the opportunity to have served ASHP and its 43,000 members as president. I also wish to express my thanks to you as members of the House of Delegates for all that you do for ASHP, for our profession, and for patients. Everything that you have done all year to shepherd ASHP policies through to completion, along with the ongoing work of ASHP’s Councils, Sections, Forums, and State Affiliates, shows your commitment to and how focused you are on improving patient care and the future of pharmacy. On behalf of the Board of Directors, I also want to thank Dr. Abramowitz for his support and leadership throughout this year. His cheerful presence and leadership have made this year a true pleasure. Thank you, Paul.

Inaugural address of the Incoming President: Building bridges to pharmacy's future: Optimizing patient outcomes.

To say it is an honor to serve as your president is an understatement. I am so grateful for this opportunity to serve our patients, our profession, and our society. Ever since my introduction to ASHP during my college years at Ohio Northern and my ongoing training at Ohio State, I have been

The rise and rise of advanced practice nursing

The rise and rise of advanced practice nursing

New labour, new NHS, new‐age pharmacy?

At the turn of the century the government produced its vision for the future of pharmacy. So how did it work out?

An exploration of clinical interventions provided by pharmacists within a complex asthma service

Pharmacists in Australia are accessible health care professionals, and their provision of clinical pharmacy interventions in a range of areas has been proven to improve patient outcomes. Individual clinical pharmacy interventions in the area of asthma management have been very successful. An understanding of the nature of these interventions will inform future pharmacy services. What we do not know is when pharmacists provide a complex asthma service, what elements of that service (interventions) they choose to deliver. To explore the scope and frequency of asthma-related clinical interventions provided by pharmacists to patients in an evidence-based complex asthma service. Pharmacists from 4 states/territories of Australia were trained in asthma management. People with asthma had 3 or 4 visits to the pharmacy. Guided by a structured patient file, the pharmacist assessed the patient's asthma and management and provided interventions where and when considered appropriate, based on their clinical decision making skills. The interventions were recorded in a checklist in the patient file. They were then analysed descriptively and thematically. Pharmacists provided 22,909 clinical pharmacy interventions over the service to 570 patients (398 of whom completed the service). The most frequently delivered interventions were in the themes 'Education on asthma', 'Addressing trigger factors', 'Medications - safe and effective use' and 'Explore patient perspectives'. The patients had a high and ongoing need for interventions. Pharmacists selected interventions based on their assessment of perceived need then revisited and reinforced these interventions. Pharmacists identified a number of areas in which patients required interventions to assist with their asthma management. Many of these were perceived to require continuing reinforcement over the duration of the service. Pharmacists were able to use their clinical judgement to assess patients and provide clinical pharmacy interventions across a range of asthma management needs.

RPS publishes strategy for future pharmacy workforce

RPS publishes strategy for future pharmacy workforce

Academic Pharmacy Practice Fellowships Address Challenges of Evolving Pharmacist Roles

Academic Pharmacy Practice Fellowships Address Challenges of Evolving Pharmacist Roles

Course experiences, satisfaction and career intent of final year pre-registration Australian pharmacy students.

In Australia, the profession of pharmacy has undergone many changes to adapt to the needs of the community. In recent years, concerns have been raised with evidence emerging of workforce saturation in traditional pharmacy practice sectors. It is not known how current final year pharmacy students' perceive the different pharmacy career paths in this changing environment. Hence investigating students' current experiences with their pharmacy course, interaction with the profession and developing an understanding of their career intentions would be an important step, as these students would make up a large proportion of future pharmacy workforce. The objective of this study was thus to investigate final year students' career perspectives and the reasons for choosing pharmacy, satisfaction with this choice of pharmacy as a tertiary course and a possible future career, factors affecting satisfaction and intention of future career paths. A quantitative cross sectional survey of final year students from 3 Australian universities followed by a qualitative semi-structured interview of a convenience sample of final year students from the University of Sydney. 'Interest in health and medicine' was the most important reason for choosing pharmacy (n=238). The majority of students were 'somewhat satisfied' with the choice of pharmacy (35.7%) as a course and possible future career. Positive associations were found between satisfaction and reasons for joining pharmacy such as 'felt pharmacy is a good profession' (p=0.003) while negative associations included 'joined pharmacy as a gateway to medicine or dentistry' (p=0.001). Quantitate and qualitative results showed the most frequent perception of community pharmacy was 'changing' while hospital and pharmaceutical industry was described as 'competitive' and 'research' respectively. The highest career intention was community followed by hospital pharmacy. Complex factors including university experiences are involved in shaping students' satisfaction and perception of career. This may relate to challenges in the community pharmacy sector, job opportunities in hospital and limited understanding of the pharmaceutical industry. The results offer insight for the profession in terms of entry into various roles and also to pharmacy educators for their roles in shaping curricula and placement experiences that attract future graduates to defined career pathways in pharmacy.