INNOVATIONS in pharmacy (Iip - E-Journal)
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Collaborative Drug Therapy Agreement Topics in the State of Washington: From Dispensing Pills to Managing Ills
Get PDFType: Commentar
Differences in career paths and attributes of pharmacists completing a community pharmacy residency program (CPRP)
Get PDFObjective: To determine any differences in career paths and career attributes of pharmacists who have completed a PGY1 community pharmacy residency program (CPRP) as compared to those that have not completed a PGY1 CPRP.
Methods: A web-based survey evaluating various aspects of community pharmacists' careers was distributed to 274 CPRP graduates in addition to a random sample of 7,376 community pharmacists. The survey contained 32 questions evaluating various career attributes. Questions that assessed level of agreement were on a 6-point Likert-type Scale (1=strongly disagree; 6=strongly agree).
Results: A total of 353 participants completed the survey, with 224 indicating that they had not completed a CPRP. Pharmacists who completed a CPRP responded that they spend significantly more time on patient care services, teaching, and research, and spend less time dispensing medications compared to those that have not completed a CPRP. Compared to those that did not complete a CPRP, CPRP graduates were less likely to agree that current level of workload negatively impacts job performance, motivation to work, job satisfaction, mental/emotional health, and physical health.
Conclusion: Pharmacists completing a CPRP noted significant differences in their current employment and job responsibilities. Additional expansion and education regarding the importance of CPRPs should be considered.
Type: Original Researc
Are We Treating The Patient or the Disease?
Get PDFThe evidence abounds. A compelling body of research estimates that psychosocial stressors play a role in a significant number of patient complaints seen in primary care. In addition to the challenges faced by primary care clinicians who must consider their patients' psychosocial stressors, these factors can also affect pharmacists' care. Patient stress, through a number of mechanisms, can limit the efficacy of medicine as well as our efforts to achieve optimal medication management, and adds a poorly examined complexity to patient care practices. A landmark Institute of Medicine report calls for "whole patient "care, addressing psychosocial health needs, not as an embellishment, but as part of routine care. Whole patient care requires a fundamental shift, with patient needs at the center of healthcare delivery, and psychosocial-linked distress considered as integral to that model. These considerations place this topic squarely within the pharmacists' scope of practice and urgently call for an expanded approach to patient care and an opportunity for pharmacists to address that need. To parallel this discussion, the contributing role of practitioner stress is briefly reviewed.
Type: Idea Pape
Effective Modification of a Nonprescription Medicines Course to Optimize Learning of Millennial Generation Students
Get PDFObjective: To describe examples of effective teaching strategies utilized within a required nonprescription therapeutics course, in order to accommodate learning characteristics of Millennials.
Case Study: Instructors identified unique characteristics of Millennial generation students through literature review and focused educational workshops. These characteristics include the desire for active learning where didactic lectures make a connection to life, the incorporation of technology, and assignments that focus on team work. Course modifications were then made based on these characteristics including redesign of large group course lectures with incorporation of patient cases, inclusion of a variety of online components including the opportunity to provide course feedback, and active learning small group projects within workshop sections.
Evaluation:Student evaluation of the course and instructors significantly improved after introducing changes to the course compared to previous years. Each component of the student evaluation resulted in a statistically significant change in mean score. Verbal and written evaluations indicated a very positive learning experience for students. Grade mean (3.3 vs. 3.8, p
Conclusions: By identifying characteristics of Millennial generation student learners, traditional teaching methods can be modified in order to enhance retention of material and optimize their learning process. Course changes improved the learning experience for students and instructors. Instructors' willingness to evaluate generational differences and adapt teaching enhances the learning experiences in the classroom for both students and instructors.
Type: Case Stud
The Healthcare Future for the iGeneration: Integrating the Patient and the Healthcare System
Get PDFObjective: To propose a vision to integrate patients, their health-related data, and their wellness plans into the healthcare system using smartphone and tablet computer technology.
Setting: Ambulatory care and community practice
Practice Innovation: Utilization of smartphone and tablet computer technology to assess health care conditions, educate and involve patients, and facilitate seamless communication between the patient, electronic health record, pharmacy system, third-party payers, point-of-care testing, and all health-care providers.
Main Outcome Measures: By providing integrated and customized information at the point of use, medication adherence and access to care will be increased and patients will engage in healthy behaviors more often resulting in an improved level of care for patients.
Results: In the future, the authors believe if the vision is achieved, the health care system and patients will see improved health outcomes and more efficient utilization of the healthcare system.
Conclusions: Our proposed use of technology provides an opportunity to empower patients to positively improve their own health which could be a vital advancement in health care, especially in the areas of medication adherence, improving access to care, and health behavior support. As pharmacists, we may also embrace technology opportunities to expand our roles as health care professionals as we continue to partner with patients and the health care team to improve outcomes.
Type: Idea Pape
Student Scientific Inquiry in the Core Doctor of Pharmacy Curriculum: Critical Issues in Designing and Implementing a Student Research Program
Get PDFWhile student-driven research has been credited with many learning benefits, few schools of pharmacy require such activities. Professional organizations repeatedly urge for incorporating research content in schools' curricula, yet no guiding principles or recommendations currently exist to guide such implementation efforts. This paper provides an overview of the critical issues, guiding principles, benefits and challenges encountered in designing and implementing a required, research program in the Pharm.D. curriculum. Several critical issues are reviewed: goals, unitary focus and expectations, structure and deliverables, time and curricular integration, monitoring and institutional oversight, outcomes measurement, resources, students and faculty response, and dissemination. These general critical issues are then discussed as implemented in the student research program at Touro College of Pharmacy-New York. Different schools can address these core issues, based on their academic milieu. This paper invites an inter-institutional dialogue for the pursuit of successful incorporation of student scientific inquiry in the core curriculum.
Type: Idea Pape
Design and Implementation of Acute Emergency Decision Making Tools to Aid Case Managers: A Focus Group Study
Get PDFObjectives: To evaluate and determine if use of specific reference cards for diabetes, stroke, and heat stroke [1] heightened understanding of the signs and symptoms of these conditions and [2] helped case managers (CMs) on the community-based integrated multidisciplinary program of assertive community treatment (IMPACT) team better evaluate patients.
Background: Healthcare professionals who service those with a severe mental illness (SMI) diagnosis face many unique challenges. One particular challenge is medical assessment of patients with a SMI diagnosis. Often CMs do not have a background or work experience differentiating medical concerns from psychiatric signs and symptoms.
Methods: Reference cards were developed at the request of the IMPACT team. Feedback was elicited through a one-time focus group session conducted by an independent party on the use of the reference cards as an educational tool. Anonymity was maintained. The responses were evaluated for themes. The moderator asked questions regarding the reference cards in each of the following areas: usability when answering questions about hypo- and hyperglycemia, stroke and heat stroke, understanding key points, recommendations for enhancement, and presentation of information.
Results: Of the 8 CMs on the IMPACT team, 5 participated. Identified themes were quick reference and easily identifiable information. The use of pictures to illustrate the concepts was helpful. The language was appropriate for the cards and readily understandable. Suggestions for changes to the existing cards included use of a larger font, lighter background color, and moving medication information to the same side of the card. The limited availability of the heat stroke card in the summer was an identified limitation.
Conclusions: The use of reference cards as an educational tool for CMs has not been extensively reviewed. Although data are limited from this pilot project, the CMs are enthusiastic about this resource and requested cards on additional topics.
Type: Original Researc
An Elective Course in Women's Health Issues
Get PDFPurpose: To develop, implement, and evaluate an elective course for the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) curriculum that provides students with a comprehensive overview of women's health across the lifespan and exposes them to social and economic issues that impact women's health.
Case Study: At the time of this writing, the class has been delivered 3 times to a total of 56 students. Students read and discussed (both in-class and online) timely articles in women's health issues on topics including sex-based biology; women in clinical trials; maternal and child health; women's health coverage and access to care in the United States; gender and health communication; abuse and the role of healthcare professionals; and international issues in women's health and women's rights. Students completed a pre- and post-test; developed seminar presentations regarding women's health issues; wrote reflective essays about the course; and designed and implemented health promotion projects for National Women's Health Week (NWHW). At the end of the course, the number of correct answers on the post-test significantly improved from the pre-test (p<0.001). Through anonymous course evaluations, students indicated that the assignments fulfilled the learning objectives (mean 4.68 on a 5-point Likert scale) and the exercises were useful in helping their understanding of the material (mean 4.66 on a 5-point Likert scale). Over 500 women from the campus and community participated in the NWHW projects.
Implications: An elective course was designed to educate pharmacy students regarding women's health issues and to provide students with an opportunity to perform community outreach.
Type: Case Stud
Psychometric Assessment of the PPDG: Utilizing Cronbach's Alpha as a Means of Reliability
Get PDFIntroduction: Since the development of the 10 item Purdue Pharmacist Directive Guidance (PPDG) Scale several studies of the psychometric properties of the PPDG have been conducted. Although Cronbach's alpha was calculated as a means of internal consistency reliability, a demonstration of the mean centering of the individual items from the instrument were not explored.
Objectives: This study focused on investigating the mean stabilization of items within the PPDG as they pertain to Cronbach's reliability coefficient calculation.
Methods: Using item analysis procedures in SPSS, the mean stability of items within the general factor of directive guidance and subscales of instruction and feedback and goal setting were examined for the PPDG.
Results: Mean stability scores for entire PPDG scale and the subscales of instruction and feedback and goal setting were strong. Also, corrected item-total correlations and Cronbach's alphas following item deletion were good for the overall PPDG scale and the subscales.
Conclusions: The results provide evidence to enhance understanding of the psychometric stability of the PPDG scale and its subscales.
Type: Original Researc
Drug shortage management in Alabama hospital pharmacies
Get PDFPurpose: The purpose of this study is to identify effective strategies used by Alabama hospitals to manage drug shortages. Moreover, this study aims to determine if there are any relationships among hospital size, utilization of a standard policy for drug shortage management and perceived usefulness of standard procedures for drug shortages.
Methods: A paper survey was mailed to 129 hospital pharmacies in Alabama (per the Alabama Hospital Association directory). The survey consisted of 5 demographic questions, questions involving perception of current medication shortages, sources of information about shorted drugs, and frequency of discussion at P&T committee meetings. Most importantly, the survey contained questions about the use of a standard policy for handling drug shortages, the effectiveness of the policy if one is used, and an open-ended question asking the recipient to describe the policy being used.
Results: A response rate of 55% was achieved as 71 surveys were completed and returned. Approximately 70% of the survey respondents described the current drug shortage issue as a top priority in their pharmacy department. The pharmacy distributor served as the primary source of information regarding drug shortages for 45% of the facilities. There is a direct relationship between size of hospital and likelihood of utilization of a standard policy or procedure for drug shortage management among the sample. The smaller facilities of the sample perceived their management strategies as effective more frequently than the larger hospitals.
Conclusion: Common components of effective management strategies included extensive communication of shortage details and the ability to locate alternative products. The use of portable technology (e.g., Smart phones and tablets) along with mobile applications may emerge as popular means for communicating drug product shortage news and updates within a facility or healthcare system.
Type: Original Researc