INNOVATIONS in pharmacy (Iip - E-Journal)
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Perceptions of Preparedness for Interprofessional Practice: A Survey of Health Professional Students at Three Universities
Get PDFObjective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate health professions students’ understanding of their own and others’ roles on interprofessional (IP) teams, assess students’ perceptions of their preparedness to practice in an IP team, and determine differences by type of learning institution and participation in interprofessional education (IPE).
Methods: Medical, nursing, and pharmacy students at three Ohio universities with unique IP learning models were surveyed. Descriptive statistics, analysis of variance (ANOVA), chi-square, and two sample t- tests were used to compare measures of knowledge, IPE participation, and preparedness.
Results: Of the 981 invited students, 273 completed the survey (27.8% response). Overall, 70.7% of participants felt prepared to work on an IP team. Those who reported participation in IPE were more likely to feel prepared to practice on an IP team compared to those who did not (76.8% [149/194] vs. 55.3% [42/76], p=0.0005). Participation in IPE did not significantly affect knowledge scores (participators 79.6% vs. non-participators 81.0%, p=0.1731). Those who had higher profession-specific knowledge scores were more likely to feel prepared to work with that specific profession.
Conclusions: Participation in IPE activities in the representative institutions was high, as was knowledge of professional roles. Both participation in IPE and increased knowledge of roles were associated with increased student-assessed preparedness. Advancement of skills and behaviors including knowledge of roles and other competencies may all be important. Pharmacy in particular should prioritize IPE as a means to elucidate our role on the patient care team.
Type: Original Researc
Community Pharmacist-Provided Osteoporosis Screening and Education: Impact on Patient Knowledge
Get PDFObjective: To evaluate the impact pharmacist-provided screening and education had on patient knowledge of osteoporosis and preventive strategies.
Methods: A prospective, randomized, controlled study was conducted at 16 locations of a national supermarket chain pharmacy in the Richmond, Virginia area. Women 30 years and older with no history of osteoporosis were enrolled in the study. Patients self-selected into the study by agreeing to the bone density screening, pharmacist-provided education, and completion of a knowledge survey. Subjects were randomized to complete the osteoporosis-related knowledge survey either before (Group A) or after (Group B) the screening and education session. The survey was developed after guideline and literature evaluation and was pretested with a group of patients for content and clarity. The survey evaluated knowledge of osteoporosis, risk factors for the disease, appropriate age for testing, and preventive strategies. Groups A and B were compared using t-tests. Results: A total of 110 women were enrolled in the study. The mean (±SD) age was 52.5 ± 13.1 years in Group A (n=52) and 52.7 ± 11.5 years in Group B (n=58). Knowledge scores were higher in the group who received pharmacist-provided education prior to completing the survey in each category (knowledge of the disease, risk factors, preventive strategies, and appropriate age for testing) and overall (p<0.001).
Conclusions: Community pharmacist-provided osteoporosis screening and education increased patient knowledge about osteoporosis and preventive strategies. Community pharmacist involvement with increasing patient knowledge may empower patients to engage in prevention strategies to improve bone mass.
Type: Original Researc
Improving the Tenure Committee's Review Efficiency with Embedded Dossier Functionality
Get PDFNumerous manuscripts have been published addressing perceptions of the promotion and tenure process. Very little has been published on mechanism to improve the efficiency of dossier review or tools to assist the reviewer in understanding the comprehensive scope of the applicant’s experiences. An innovative dossier format was utilized to assess the hyperlinks and pop-up tool tips would enhance the reviewer efficiency when reviewing the applicant’s materials. Super scripted numbers at the end of the narrative’s sentences, in the same manner as a journal article, contained the embedded hyperlinks and pop-up tool tips. A majority of the reviewers found the embedded functionality in the dossier did enhance their efficiency in completing the review.
Type: Case Stud
Health Information Exchange to Support a Prescription Drug Monitoring Program
Get PDFObjective: To describe barriers to the utilization of a query based Health Information Exchange (HIE) that supports a statewide Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP).
Methods: Emergency room (ER) prescribers were surveyed bi-weekly and at the end of a four-month study to estimate HIE/PDMP utilization and identify barriers to utilization.
Results: Self-reported utilization from seventeen providers in three emergency rooms was very low. Providers estimated that prescription history was rarely available when queried. Problem lists and laboratory reports were estimated to be available 60% of the time.
Discussion: Barriers to HIE utilization for PDMP purposes included prescribers not finding the information they queried and lack of integration into clinical workflow. Low perceived need for PDMP and prescriber preparedness to manage abusers may also have reduced utilization.
Recommendation: Financial and human resources must be available for training and integration of a HIE based PDMP into the ER's clinical workflow. Minimizing information gaps is also necessary to increase utilization.
Type: Case Stud
Association Between Perceived Health Care Provider Support and Satisfaction with Insulin Pumps in Children with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: Opportunities for Pharmacists
Get PDFPurpose: The purpose of this pilot study was to describe parents’ perceived healthcare provider support for integrating technology, satisfaction with insulin pump use in their child with T1DM, and the relationship between parents’ perceived healthcare provider support and satisfaction with insulin pump use.
Methods: A cross-sectional, correlational design was used to collect data for the present study. The study was conducted through an Internet survey among Mid-South parents who have a child with T1DM, 18 years old or younger using an insulin pump and/or continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). Frequencies, descriptive statistics, and correlation coefficients were calculated.
Results: Most of the parents surveyed used an endocrinologist/pediatric endocrinologist as their primary diabetes healthcare provider and considered three to four healthcare professionals as part of the diabetes healthcare team who helped them utilize insulin pumps and advanced technologies. Parents (23.4%) indicated a pharmacist was part of the healthcare team who helped them utilize technology. Parents appeared to perceive support for using insulin pumps; however, there is room for improvement. The more perceived support for integrating technology, the more satisfied the parents were with using insulin pumps (r=0.431, p=0.005).
Conclusions: Results from this study suggest that parents and children need continued education, support and training to integrate insulin pumps into diabetes self-management. As more patients attempt to adopt insulin pumps and other advanced technologies, it will be important for pharmacists to support the adoption and integration of these technologies and be knowledgeable and helpful if asked about technology-related challenges.
Type: Student Projec
Classifications of Controlled Substances: Insights from 23 Countries
Get PDFControlled substances are among the most highly regulated and highly abused medications. The purpose of this study was to describe the classification systems for controlled substances in 23 countries and make comparisons. From this review, recommendations are provided for improving classification systems and their impact on medication use.
Type: Student Projec
Development and Implementation of Charitable Pharmacy Services within a Federally-Qualified Health Center (FQHC)
Get PDFUnderserved patient populations often have limited access to health care services, especially medications, leading to lower quality care due to their transitional status and lack of access. To ensure access to medications for underserved patients in the Johnson City, Tennessee area, the Colleges of Nursing and Pharmacy at ETSU developed a charitable pharmacy to serve those of greatest need in hopes of improving quality of care. By establishing a community pharmacy within a FQHC, clinical community pharmacists were able to establish enhanced community pharmacy services as a part of the health-care team. This manuscript describes the development, implementation, and benefits of the community pharmacy integration within a FQHC
Type: Clinical Experienc
Assessing Unmet and Latent Demand for Pharmacists at the State Level
Get PDFBackground: Past reports suggest that a near balance has been reached in the supply and demand for pharmacists in the US. Although data on the level of supply of pharmacists is available, there is no continuous and systematic tracking of the level of demand (unmet and latent) for pharmacists at state level. Unmet demand, an established construct in pharmacy workforce, is important to measure the number of vacancies and assess pharmacist shortage consistently over time. Latent demand or potential demand is a novel construct and has never been measured in pharmacy workforce. With the increase in supply, it is important to measure the potential demand that could be budgeted in pharmacies in the near future.
Objective: The objective of this study was to measure the unmet and latent demand for pharmacists and explore the association between latent demand and workload characteristics in community and hospital pharmacies in Wisconsin in 2011-12.
Methods: The study used a cross-sectional, descriptive survey design. A sample of community pharmacies (n=1,064) and hospital pharmacies (n=126) licensed in Wisconsin in 2011-12 was identified. Key informants (managers/owners) of sampled pharmacies were sent a one-page cover letter explaining the purpose of the study and requesting participation and a three page survey form. The main outcome measures of the study were total number of FTE pharmacist positions vacant, presence of adequate staff size, additional number of FTE pharmacist positions needed to attain adequate staff size, prescription volume, daily census, hospital size and number of hours prescription department is open. Descriptive statistics were calculated for all the pharmacies collectively, then separately for community and hospital pharmacies. Pharmacy setting, vacancies and workload characteristics of pharmacies with and without latent demand were compared using chi-squared test of independence and/or t-test. Sample weights were calculated and used in all the analyses to weigh the estimates to all pharmacies in Wisconsin.
Results: Overall response rate to the survey was 50.1%. Of the total number of FTE pharmacist positions budgeted in Wisconsin, 54.3 FTE positions (1.5%) were reported vacant in 2011-12. Approximately 28.2% of the community and hospital pharmacies reported the presence of latent demand. Latent demand was significantly associated with higher workload in community pharmacies and larger bed size in hospital pharmacies.
Conclusion: There appeared to be a balance between the supply and demand for pharmacists in Wisconsin in 2011-12. There is a potential for additional FTE positions (latent demand) to be budgeted in pharmacies to attain adequate pharmacist staff size. It is important to consistently track the level of unmet and latent demand for pharmacists in Wisconsin and combine this information with other workforce characteristics to guide the decision making of pharmacy workforce planners and pharmacy managers.
Type: Original Researc
Evaluating Pharmacy Student Attitudes Toward the Medium of Comics for Providing Information on Adult Immunizations
Get PDFObjectives: This study aimed at designing and assessing educational materials for adult immunizations through the medium of comics. The study design evaluated the effects of two vaccine information flyers (a CDC flyer vs a flyer designed in Comic medium) on participants’ attitude towards the flyers.
Methods: A between-group, randomized trial was used to compare the effectiveness of two vaccine information flyers on participants’ attitude towards the flyers. Upon approval from the human subjects review committee, student participants (age ≥18 years) were randomly assigned either the CDC or comic flyer. They were then asked to respond to survey items developed to measure the flyers’ effect on participants’ attitude towards the flyer. Items were measured using a 7-point semantic differential scale. Cronbach’s alpha was computed for reliability testing of the study instrument. Independent-samples t-test was used to compare means of the two groups with respect to their attitudes toward the flyer.
Results: A total of 170 third-year pharmacy students participated in the study (N = 91 for Comic flyer & N = 79 for CDC flyer). There was a significant difference in attitudes toward the flyer between students who read comic flyers (mean = 6.14; SD = 0.62) and those who read CDC flyers (mean = 4.93; SD = 1.20). Additional comments provided by students further confirmed the quantitative findings of the study. Student responses to the use of comics as a medium of providing information on adult immunization were constructive and encouraging.
Conclusion: The study findings showed that the flyer with comics was evaluated more attractive than the CDC flyer. The positive findings of our study could provide a new direction for developing educational materials about adult immunizations. Future research on comics, as a medium of communication, could explore its use as a tool for providing healthcare information to consumers.
Type: Original Researc