PharmD Candidates Research Articles

CPNP 2022 Annual Meeting Poster Abstracts

CPNP 2022 Annual Meeting Poster Abstracts

Work readiness scale for pharmacy interns and graduates: A cross-sectional study

IntroductionAs the number of unemployment among pharmacy graduates increases, the Saudi Ministry of Labor implemented extra measures to facilitate their training and hiring by the private sectors. Nevertheless, there is a paucity of data regarding pharmacy graduates’ work readiness (WR). Hence, we aim to assess their WR and identify predicting factors associated with WR among pharmacy graduates’ in Saudi Arabia. MethodsA 46-item self-reported pre-validated anonymous work readiness scale (WRS) survey with a 5-point Likert scale was administered to pharmacy senior students and graduates using Qualtrics XM® survey tool over the month of May 2020. The main outcome was to assess WRS for pharmacy interns and graduates and identify factors associated with work readiness. ResultsA total of 617 participants have participated in this survey, out of which 46.5% were freshly graduated pharmacists and 19.6% were pharmacy interns. Most participants (82.3%) were PharmD candidates or graduates. Around two-third of participants (63%) have successfully completed all survey items. The maximum points scored was 223 out of 230, and the median overall score was found to be 175. There was no significant association with gender, age, or type of university regarding overall scores. However, a statistically significant odds ratio was observed with PharmD program type and previous pharmaceutical marketing training (OR = 1.778, 95% CI = 1.143–2.765: OR = 0.618, 95% CI = 0.432–0.884, respectively). ConclusionThe overall median score shows a good work readiness level among pharmacy students/graduates in Saudi Arabia; however, PharmD program graduates exposed to advance pharmacy training, including the pharmaceutical marketing experience, have higher work readiness odds than Bpharm graduates. Further studies involving other related perspectives, such as stakeholders, employers, and preceptors, would give a clear image of pharmacy graduates’ job readiness levels.

A minute with …

A minute with …

47. Assessing Viability and Outcomes following the Redistribution of Antibiotic Stewardship Tasks to the Clinical Pharmacist Team

BackgroundMethodist Hospital and Cardinal Health determined that the TJC-mandated ASP program could be further improved. In February 2018, the program was restructured and ASP responsibilities were extended to all Clinical Pharmacists. Changing the ASP structure can improve the program efficiency via increased number of interventions/day, antibiotics’ days of therapy (DOT)/1000 patient-days, total antibiotics’ cost, and antibiotics’ cost/patient day.MethodsA retrospective review was conducted for before and after data. The primary endpoints included number of ASP interventions/day, antibiotics DOT, and antibiotics’ cost/adjusted patient day. The secondary endpoints included effect on resistance of antibiotics for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 48-hours antibiotic stop review, number of cultures reviewed, 7-days antibiotics review, and restricted antibiotics review.Reports were obtained from Cardinal Health’s Drug Cost Opportunity Analytics program and Electronic Medical Record (EMR). Intervention types analyzed included: de-escalation, 48-hours review, 7-days review, cultures review, and restricted antibiotics review. Efficiency between pre and post implementation was compared via adjusted interventions/day. Resistance pattern of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, was also trended.Interventions were trended and mean/day (SD) was calculated using Wilcox Rank Sum Test.ResultsThe results showed improved efficiency with ASP interventions/day of 9.87 versus 4.73 (P≤0.0001). The DOT/1000 PD decreased from 1098 to 989 days. Antibiotics’ costs/adjusted patient day reduced from $16.62 to $9.16.For secondary endpoints: improvement in sensitivity of different antibiotics for P.aeruginosa was noticed. Increased 48-hours antibiotic stop review (2 vs 722), increased number of cultures reviewed (380 vs 518), increased 7-days antibiotics review (24 vs 78), and increased restricted antibiotics (142 vs 432) were observed.ConclusionTransforming the ASP program at MHSC with Cardinal Health from resulted in improved efficiency, increased number of ASP-related interventions/day, decreased antibiotics DOT, decreased antibiotics-related cost/patient day, and increased sensitivities of drugs against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.DisclosuresStephanie L. Do, PharmD, Cardinal Health (Employee) Saboor Shahzad, BS. PharmD, Cardinal Health (Employee) Terence Lok, PharMD, MS, Cardinal Health (Employee) Hye Hyun An, PharMD Candidate 2022, Cardinal Health (Employee) Suzanna Arnone, PharMD, Cardinal Health (Employee)

To CBD or not to CBD?: What pharmacists need to know

To CBD or not to CBD?: What pharmacists need to know

What Does the Average Person Know About Endocrine and Vascular Surgeons?

IntroductionSurgical fields are becoming increasingly specialized. This can lead to misunderstanding or confusion about the scope of practice of different surgeons by the individual seeking specialized surgical care. To assess public understanding of subspecialty surgeons, we sought to survey general knowledge of the specialty areas of Endocrine Surgery and Vascular Surgery. MethodsA survey was conducted in three locations in Birmingham, Alabama: a local farmers market, a public park, and the University of Alabama at Birmingham hospital. Fifty people were surveyed at random at each of the three locations, with hospital staff identified by wearing a hospital ID badge recruited at the University of Alabama at Birmingham hospital location. Participants were asked to define both an endocrine surgeon and vascular surgeon, as well as identify aspects of their practice. Participant's answers to the survey were recorded and coded by three evaluators (two MDs, one PharmD candidate). Survey responses were assessed for correct definition of the specialty (yes/no), recognition of being a surgeon (yes/no), spectrum of practice (none, partial, or complete), and presence of a common misconception (yes/no). Interrater reliability (kappa) was calculated for each question. Chi-square test was used to compare the difference in each answer between the two specialties. ResultsA total of 150 people participated in the study. The majority were female (58%) and approximately 50 y of age or less (65%). Interrater reliability from 0.32 to 0.84 was observed, and agreement from 40% to 98% between raters was achieved for all questions. Significantly more respondents recognized endocrine surgery as a surgical profession (21%) compared to vascular surgeons (18%) (P < 0.001). However, significantly fewer could define what an endocrine surgeon does (14%) than could define what a vascular surgeon does (57%). Only 3% of respondents could identify the entire spectrum of practice of an endocrine surgeon, with 42% and 55% providing partially or completely incorrect responses, respectively. Significantly more respondents could identify all of a vascular surgeon's spectrum of practice (11%), with 60% and 29% providing partial or completely incorrect responses, respectively (P < 0.001). Endocrine surgeons were most often confused for endocrinologists (40%), whereas vascular surgeons were most often confused for cardiovascular surgeons (22%). ConclusionsThis study reveals an overall lack of understanding among the general public about what endocrine and vascular surgeons are and their spectrum of practice and shows that public understanding of the field of endocrine surgery is very low. More efforts need to be made to increase the visibility of these fields and communicate these surgeons' specialized expertise.

Pharmacists in Action: A minute with Brianna Flint, 2021 PharmD candidate; Walgreens to offer Mental Health First Aid; Stay Motivated: Combat burnout with resilience; Stories from the front lines

Pharmacists in Action: A minute with Brianna Flint, 2021 PharmD candidate; Walgreens to offer Mental Health First Aid; Stay Motivated: Combat burnout with resilience; Stories from the front lines

Women’s health is community health

Women’s health is community health

Vaccine recommendations in pregnancy and lactation

Send your immunization questions to the JAPhA Contributing Editors who coordinate the Vaccine Update column: ▪Mary S. Hayney, PharmD, MPH, BCPS, Professor of Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin, Madison ([email protected]). Claire M. Taylor, PharmD Candidate 2019, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN Chasity M. Shelton, PharmD, FCCP, BCPS, BCPPS, Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Science, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN

Top New Drug Approvals of 2018

Top New Drug Approvals of 2018

Value-Added Services: Incorporating Pharmacy Students in a Hospital Setting

Megan Unger, a PharmD candidate in her fourth professional year in the College of Pharmacy, completed an introductory pharmacy practice experience at Deaconess Hospital in Evansville, Indiana, during her third professional year. This was the third of thirteen experiential learning rotations that she will complete prior to graduation in 2019. Her future plans include pursuing a postgraduate residency training program. In this article, Megan highlights the value-added services that pharmacy students can provide to institutional pharmacy settings and the patients served.

Optimizing the role of pharmacy technicians in patient care settings: First hand knowledge of the technician's value

The Association Report column in JAPhA reports on activities of APhA's 3 academies and topics of interest to members of those groups. Kyle Bryan, 3rd-year PharmD candidate, University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy, Lexington, KY

The mental health community: An underserved and undertreated population: Students call for increased efforts to reduce mental health stigma

The mental health community: An underserved and undertreated population: Students call for increased efforts to reduce mental health stigma

Community education by advanced pharmacy practice experience students: Increasing electronic cigarette awareness amongst teens

Background and purposeAn electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) is a device used to mimic the experience of smoking tobacco cigarettes. Considering their growing popularity amongst adolescents, it is imperative that education surrounding e-cigarettes be provided. The purpose of this project is to describe the development and delivery of a pilot interactive presentation and survey tool by doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) candidates to gauge the use and understanding of e-cigarettes amongst teens. Educational activity and settingAn interactive presentation providing information on e-cigarettes was created by a PharmD candidate, and presented to 357 high school students in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. An anonymous survey tool was administered after the presentation to evaluate students’ perception, use, and knowledge of e-cigarettes. FindingsWhen asked which is safer, an e-cigarette or a tobacco cigarette, most students (84%) responded “neither,” and most stated that they learned something new from the presentation. Of the 96% of students that indicated they had heard of e-cigarettes, 27% of them had tried one. PharmD candidates reported increased confidence in public speaking and preparation of patient-suitable material. DiscussionThis pilot project provided both education to adolescents and insight into their experience and understanding of the potential harms of e-cigarettes. Having a PharmD candidate deliver the presentation may have increased the students’ level of comfort. SummaryAn interactive, PharmD candidate-delivered presentation about e-cigarettes is an innovative method to both provide education about e-cigarettes, and ascertain information about knowledge and use in adolescents. Facilitating presentations like this could be successful in other settings or topics.

Distraction techniques for immunizations in children and adolescents

Send your immunization questions to the JAPhA Contributing Editors who coordinate the Vaccine Update column: ▪Mary S. Hayney, PharmD, MPH, BCPS, Professor of Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin, Madison ([email protected]). Pharmacists not only provide immunizations to adults, but also have expanded immunization services to adolescents and children. An increasing number of states allow pharmacists’ involvement in improving access to childhood immunizations. Despite the growth of pharmacists providing this service, resources geared toward pharmacists immunizing children have been scarce. A study in Oregon showed that after a law passed allowing pharmacists to immunize adolescents, immunization rates rose by almost 40%. 1 Robinson S.G. Impact of pharmacists providing immunizations on adolescent influenza administration. J Am Pharm Assoc. 2016; 56: 446-449 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF Scopus (6) Google Scholar For many children, any procedure involving a needle is one of the most frightening and painful health-related events they can experience. 2 Child Life CouncilComfort tips: techniques for keeping children’s hospital experiences positive. 2008http://www.childlife.org/files/ComfortMeasuresandTips.pdf Google Scholar This can lead to future health care avoidance behaviors. 3 Taddio A. Appleton M. Bortolussi R. et al. Reducing the pain of childhood vaccination: an evidence-based clinical practice guideline. CMAJ. 2010; 182: E843-E855 Crossref PubMed Scopus (139) Google Scholar This article focuses on techniques for making a child or adolescent’s immunization a positive and minimally painful experience by focusing on distraction, environment, and word choices when administering an immunization. Send your immunization questions to the JAPhA Contributing Editors who coordinate the Vaccine Update column: ▪Mary S. Hayney, PharmD, MPH, BCPS, Professor of Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin, Madison ([email protected]). Alyssa A. Breitbach, PharmD candidate (class of 2018), University of Iowa College of Pharmacy, Iowa City, IA Cassandra A. Jenn, PharmD candidate (class of 2018), University of Iowa College of Pharmacy, Iowa City, IA Gary Milavetz, PharmD, Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science, University of Iowa College of Pharmacy, Iowa City, IA

An enhanced appreciation of cultural competency: Applying knowledge at home and abroad

An enhanced appreciation of cultural competency: Applying knowledge at home and abroad

Computer-Assisted Decision Support for Student Admissions Based on Their Predicted Academic Performance

Objective. To develop predictive computational models forecasting the academic performance of students in the didactic-rich portion of a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) curriculum as admission-assisting tools. Methods. All PharmD candidates over three admission cycles were divided into two groups: those who completed the PharmD program with a GPA ≥ 3; and the remaining candidates. Random Forest machine learning technique was used to develop a binary classification model based on 11 pre-admission parameters. Results. Robust and externally predictive models were developed that had particularly high overall accuracy of 77% for candidates with high or low academic performance. These multivariate models were highly accurate in predicting these groups to those obtained using undergraduate GPA and composite PCAT scores only. Conclusion. The models developed in this study can be used to improve the admission process as preliminary filters and thus quickly identify candidates who are likely to be successful in the PharmD curriculum.

Future direction of program influenced by student pharmacist voices

Within my first few weeks in the PharmD program at the Ohio State University (OSU) College of Pharmacy, I was elected PharmD representative for the class of 2017. In that role, I have served for 3 years on 2 committees: our curriculum committee, known as the PharmD Program Committee, which works to improve the structure of the current program; and the Curriculum Change Task Force, which designed the new Doctor of Pharmacy program that OSU is implementing this academic year. The committees are composed of faculty, staff, administrators, and student representatives from each PharmD class. Paul Swinger, final-year PharmD candidate, Ohio State University College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

Student Pharmacist Perceptions of a Behind-The-Counter Class of Medications

Objectives: To report perceptions of PharmD candidates regarding a behind-the-counter (BTC) class of medications and to identify perceived barriers to its successful implementation. Methods: PharmD candidates in their second, third, and fourth professional years were invited to complete an online survey. Responses were used to assess perceptions of competency and willingness to participate in a BTC program and perceived preparedness of the current community pharmacy practice environment for a BTC class of medications with regard to 8 specific classes of medications. Results: The survey response rate was 28%. In all, 78% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that a BTC class of medications is a change that they would be willing to embrace, and 54% agreed or strongly agreed that their PharmD curriculum provided them with adequate training in laboratory and diagnostic test interpretation. Less than half of the respondents agreed or strongly agreed that community pharmacies are currently equipped with the resources necessary to clinically assess a patient and dispense BTC medications. Conclusion: PharmD candidates are prepared and willing to participate in a BTC program but believe that the current community practice environment lacks access to resources necessary to do so.

Nutrition education improves patient care

Nutrition has been an integral component of, and significantly shaped, my journey to pharmacy. It was while earning a master's degree in nutrition that exposure to drug-nutrient interactions sparked my interest in pharmacy. Curious about how medications interact with food and affect drug efficacy, I started to research medication-related careers. Starting with the pharmaceutical industry, I shifted more toward patient care and focused efforts on shadowing pharmacists and pursuing pharmacy. Shiny Parsai, BS, MS, fourth-year PharmD candidate, University of Iowa College of Pharmacy, Iowa City, IA