Background: Although many pharmacies sell natural health products (NHPs), there is no clear definition as to the responsibilities (if any) of pharmacists towards these products. Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore and compare pharmacy and stakeholder leaders’ perceptions of pharmacists’ professional NHP responsibilities. Methods: Semi-structured key informant interviews were conducted with pharmacy leaders and stakeholder leaders representing: consumers, complementary and alternative medicine practitioners, conventional healthcare practitioners, and industry across Canada. Results: Nearly all participants believed safety monitoring was a key responsibility of pharmacists. One challenge identified was pharmacists’ general lack of NHP knowledge. Stakeholder leaders did not expect pharmacists to be NHP experts, but should have a basic level of education on NHPs. Many pharmacy leaders seemed unfamiliar with current pharmacy NHP policies. Conclusion: Participants described pharmacists’ professional responsibilities for NHPs as similar to those for over-the-counter drugs. More awareness of existing NHP-related pharmacy policies is needed.

Background: Although many pharmacies sell natural health products (NHPs), there is no clear definition as to the responsibilities (if any) of pharmacists towards these products. Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore and compare pharmacy and stakeholder leaders’ perceptions of pharmacists’ professional NHP responsibilities. Methods: Semi-structured key informant interviews were conducted with pharmacy leaders and stakeholder leaders representing: consumers, complementary and alternative medicine practitioners, conventional healthcare practitioners, and industry across Canada. Results: Nearly all participants believed safety monitoring was a key responsibility of pharmacists. One challenge identified was pharmacists’ general lack of NHP knowledge. Stakeholder leaders did not expect pharmacists to be NHP experts, but should have a basic level of education on NHPs. Many pharmacy leaders seemed unfamiliar with current pharmacy NHP policies. Conclusion: Participants described pharmacists’ professional responsibilities for NHPs as similar to those for over-the-counter drugs. More awareness of existing NHP-related pharmacy policies is needed.

Over the past several years, both government and the profession of pharmacy have acknowledged that pharmacists are not being used to their full potential in our health care system. In order to advance the profession of pharmacy in this area, guidance on how pharmacists can be integrated need to be investigated.<p>The purpose of this study was to identify how to integrate a pharmacist into an already established primary health care team, at the Student Health Centre at the University of Saskatchewan. The project was divided into three phases: defining the role of the pharmacist, implementing the proposed role and then evaluating and prioritizing the role. Using action research, an expert panel consisting of established primary health/ambulatory care pharmacists from across Canada helped to identify possible clinical activities for a Student Health Centre pharmacist. The results were presented to the primary health care team, who then collaborated with the pharmacist and researchers to define the role of the pharmacist. Once an agreement was reached, a pharmacist provided eight weeks of full-time clinical services. Upon completion, focus groups with the primary health care team members were used to evaluate the pharmacists clinical services.<p>The role of the pharmacist was tailored specifically for the student health care centre selected for the study. However, the process of integrating and evaluating the role of the pharmacist, will serve as a template for other pharmacists desiring to be involved in any primary health care team interested in expanding their multidisciplinary service.

No description available.

Tyrimo tikslas: ištirti netoli gydymo įstaigų dirbančių farmacijos specialistų požiūrį į esamą gydytojo ir vaistininko bendradarbiavimą bei jo galimybes ateityje. Uždaviniai: 1. Ištirti netoli gydymo įstaigų dirbančių farmacijos specialistų požiūrį į esamą gydytojo ir vaistininko bendradarbiavimą. 2. Nustatyti veiksnius, turinčius įtakos gydytojo ir vaistininko bendradarbiavimui ir problemas, su kuriomis susiduriama. 3. Atskleisti farmacijos specialistų nuomonę apie gydytojo ir vaistininko bendradarbiavimo galimybes ateityje. 4. Įvardinti sprendimus, kuriuos įgyvendinant, gydytojo ir vaistininko bendradarbiavimas galėtų būti pagerintas. Metodika: Tyrimo dalyviai – farmacijos specialistai, dirbantys Kauno miesto visuomenės vaistinėse, esančiose šalia ligoninės, poliklinikos, šeimos klinikos ar individualaus gydytojo kabineto. Tyrimo metodas – anoniminė anketinė apklausa. Iš viso išdalintos 188 anketos, pilnai užpildytos grąžintos 157 anketos, iš jų (atsakomumas 83,51proc.). Duomenų statistinė analizė atlikta naudojant SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science) 20.0 programinį statistinės analizės paketą. Tyrimo rezultatai: 61,15 proc. respondentų esamą gydytojo-vaistininko bendradarbiavimą vertina kaip nepakankamą. Esamo gydytojo ir vaistininko bendradarbiavimo vertinimas skiriasi priklausomai nuo to, kokią dalį gydytojų, dirbančių šalia esančioje gydymo įstaigoje, farmacijos specialistas pažįsta (p<0,05). 48,08 proc. respondentų nurodė, kad jų praktikoje... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Aim: To analyze the attitude of pharmacy professionals working nearby to different medical institutions to the current physician-pharmacist collaboration and its future possibilities. Tasks: 1. To investigate the approach of pharmacy specialists working nearby different medical institutions to the current physician-pharmacist collaboration; 2. To identify the factors that influence the collaboration between a physician and a pharmacist and the problems encountered; 3. Reveal the opinion of pharmaceutical professionals on the possibilities of physician-pharmacist collaboration in the future; 4. Identify solutions which could improve the physician - pharmacist collaboration. Methods: The participants of the research project - pharmaceutical professionals working in the community pharmacies in the city of Kaunas, located near hospitals, clinics, family clinics or private doctors office. Test method - an anonymous questionnaire. In total there were 188 questionnaires distributed, out of which 157 were returned fully completed (response rate 83.51%). The statistical analysis was performed using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science) 20.0. Results: 61.15 % of respondents identify the existing physician-pharmacist collaboration as insufficient. The assessment of the current level of collaboration varies depending on the proportion of physicians working in a nearby treatment facility, pharmacy technician knows (p <0.05). 48.08 % of respondents indicated that in their... [to full text]

Darbe lyginami Lietuvoje vykdomi farmacijos specialistų kvalifikacijos kėlimo kursai su pasirinktomis ES šalimis (Kroatija, Vokietija, Prancūzija ir Didžioji Britanija) ir analizuojami Kauno apskrities farmacijos specialistų kvalifikacijos kėlimo kursų ypatumai. / To compare the ongoing pharmacist‘s and pharmacy technician‘s continuing education in Lithuania with selected EU countries and to analyze the features of continuing education courses in Kaunas county.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2008. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2008. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains x, 179 p. : ill. (some col.). Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 153-164).

O estudo emergiu a partir da experiência da autora como preceptora em Unidade Básica de Saúde que recebe residentes farmacêuticos. Constitui-se como objeto de estudo a construção de competências pelo preceptor de Farmácia na Atenção Primária na formação de residentes farmacêuticos e teve como objetivo construir um manual educativo a ser utilizado como apoio pelo preceptor farmacêutico da Atenção Primária à Saúde a fim de orientá-lo na formação de residentes farmacêuticos. Compreendendo como ocorre o ensino desenvolvido por farmacêutico assistencial em serviços que são cenários para o processo de ensino-aprendizagem, a partir das Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais, projetos políticos pedagógicos, metodologias de ensino aprendizagem, e suas articulações teóricas e práticas, segundo o modelo de saúde integral preconizado pelo SUS. Trata-se de uma pesquisa documental, com abordagem qualitativa, com consultas em artigos publicados em periódicos nacionais e internacionais indexados nas principais bases de dados, utilizando as questões norteadoras: qual é a atuação do farmacêutico preceptor na Atenção Básica tendo em vista a formação do residente farmacêutico?; que competências o farmacêutico preceptor necessita desenvolver para atuar na formação de residentes farmacêuticos?; que estratégias podem ser utilizadas para o exercício da preceptoria farmacêutica na Atenção Básica? O tratamento dos dados ocorreu por meio da análise de conteúdo de Bardin. Os resultados revelaram que, no \"cenário ideal\" do processo ensino-aprendizagem, os protagonistas são os preceptores, que acolhem e ensinam os residentes ao mesmo tempo que precisam dar conta da demanda do serviço. Simultaneamente, convertem seu local de trabalho em um cenário de aprendizagem para si também, e cedem esse espaço para que se construa algo novo, considerando as opiniões, experiências e os conhecimentos de todos os envolvidos: residentes, preceptores e tutores. / The study emerged from the author\'s experience as a preceptor in the Basic Health Unit that receives pharmaceutical residents. The object of study is the construction of competences by the Preceptor of Pharmacy in Primary Care in the training of pharmaceutical residents and had as objective to construct an educational manual to be used as support by the pharmacist preceptor of Primary Health Care in order to guide him in the training of pharmaceutical residents. Understanding how the teaching developed by pharmacist care in services that are scenarios for the teaching-learning process, from the National Curricular Guidelines, pedagogical political projects, learning teaching methodologies, and their theoretical and practical articulations, according to the health model integral approach advocated by SUS. It is a documentary research, with a qualitative approach, with consultations in articles published in national and international journals indexed in the main databases, using the guiding questions: what is the performance of the pharmacist preceptor in Primary Care with a view to the formation of pharmaceutical resident ?; what competences does the pharmaceutical preceptor need to develop to act in the training of pharmaceutical residents ?; what strategies can be used to exercise the pharmaceutical preceptor in Primary Care? The treatment of the data occurred through the Bardin content analysis. The results revealed that, in the \"ideal scenario\" of the teaching-learning process, the protagonists are the preceptors, who welcome and teach the residents while also having to deal with the demand of the service. Simultaneously, they convert their workplace into a learning scenario for themselves as well, and they give up this space to build something new, considering the opinions, experiences and knowledge of all involved: residents, preceptors and tutors.

Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are common and should be reported to the CSM, particularly for newly marketed drugs. There is under-reporting of ADRs by doctors. Involving the patient in self-reporting, particularly when initiated by pharmacists is feasible and could help to improve reporting rates. This study investigated a comprehensive checklist questionnaire listed symptoms in all body systems to facilitate patient self-reporting using both established and new 'black triangle' centrally-acting drugs. Symptoms reported were compared to their documentation in medical notes and for new drugs to reports from other sources. A novel classification system for ADRs was developed to take account of the minimal data available and used to evaluate the potential accuracy of symptom attribution by patients. An external comparison of a sample of symptom classifications by an ADR expert was also obtained. The questionnaire was sent to 464 patients prescribed carbamazepine, sodium valproate, trazodone, doxepin and co-proxamol from three participating medical practices in a pilot study. Subsequently, it was sent to all patients (n=2307) prescribed tramadol, fentanyl patch, venlafaxine, nefazodone, citalopram, moclobemide, gabapentin, lamotrigine and topiramate from 79 participating medical practices in Grampian during January-March 1997. The overall response rates were 44.6% (n=207) for the pilot study and 36.3% (n=837) for the main study. The most frequently reported symptoms were: drowsiness for carbamazepine, unusual tiredness for sodium valproate, constipation for co-proxamol, dry mouth for trazodone, doxepin, tramadol, venlafaxine, nefazodone, moclobemide and citalopram, weight gain for gabapentin, loss of memory for lamotrigine, weight loss for topiramate and constipation for fentanyl patch. Overall only 22.4% (522/2330) of symptoms reported by patients were recorded by GPs in the 310 medical notes accessed. In general, common symptoms were reported more frequently by patients than in CSM reports and PEM data. Patients tended to report minor and known ADRs which bothered them, while CSM and PEM reports received were of more severe ADRs. Respondents were more likely to report symptoms (6040/8630,70%) potentially caused by the study drugs than those not to be caused by the study drugs. Moderate agreement (Kappa = 0.4-0.5) was found between expert and researcher classifications of symptom causality. It is suggested that interpretation by pharmacists of patient self-reporting using the checklist questionnaire could result in much higher ADR reporting rates, in particular for new drugs.