Interprofessional collaboration: three best practice models of interprofessional education

Interprofessional education is a collaborative approach to develop healthcare students as future interprofessional team members and a recommendation suggested by the Institute of Medicine. Complex medical issues can be best addressed by interprofessional teams. Training future healthcare providers to work in such teams will help facilitate this model resulting in improved healthcare outcomes for patients. In this paper, three universities, the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, the University of Florida and the University of Washington describe their training curricula models of collaborative and interprofessional education

Pharmacists’ journey to clinical pharmacy practice in Ethiopia: Key informants’ perspective

Objective: Clinical pharmacy practice has developed internationally to expand the role of a pharmacist well beyond the traditional roles of compounding and supplying drugs to roles more directly in caring for patients and providing medication consultation to staff. This area of practice is at the infant stage in Ethiopia. The aim of this study was to explore key informants’ perspective in the implementation of clinical pharmacy practice in Jimma University Specialized Hospital, Ethiopia. Method: A qualitative study was conducted through in-depth interviews with the heads of departments (internal medicine, paediatrics, surgery, nurse, pharmacy, medical director, administration) and pharmacy student representatives. Qualitative data analysis was done after audiotapes were transcribed verbatim and notes were compiled. Results: All of the respondents interviewed express diverse and conflicting perspectives on pharmacists’ role, varying from a health-care professional to a business man. Despite this, the current pace of change worldwide takes the professions’ mission to that of a provider of clinical pharmacy services. The data ascertained the change in pharmacy practice, and integrating clinical pharmacy services within the health-care system should be seen as a must. Pharmacists should delineate from a business perspective and focus on widening the scope of the profession of pharmacy and should come close to the patient to serve directly. Conclusions: Although the perception of people on traditional roles of pharmacists was weak, there were promising steps in developing clinical pharmacy practice within the health-care system. Moreover, the results of this study revealed a high demand for this service among health-care providers

Implementing ward based clinical pharmacy services in an Ethiopian University Hospital

Background: Clinical pharmacy practice has developed internationally to expand the role of a pharmacist well beyond the traditional roles of compounding, dispensing and supplying drugs to roles more directly in caring for patients. Studies on the activities of the clinical pharmacist in an inpatient ward in resource constrained settings are scarce, however. Objective: To assess ward based clinical pharmacy services in an internal medicine ward of Jimma University Specialized Hospital. Methods: The study was carried out in the internal medicine ward from March to April, 2011 at Jimma University Specialized Hospital. The study design was a prospective observational study where pharmaceutical care services provided by clinical pharmacists for inpatients were documented over a period of two months. Interventions like optimization of rational drug use and physician acceptance of these recommendations were documented. Clinical significance of interventions was evaluated by an independent team (1 internist, 1 clinical pharmacologist) using a standardized method for categorizing drug related problems (DRPs). Results: A total of 149 drug related interventions conducted for 48 patients were documented; among which 133(89.3%) were clinical pharmacists initiated interventions and 16(10.7%) interventions were initiated by other health care professionals. The most frequent DRPs underlying interventions were unnecessary drug therapy, 36(24.2%); needs additional drug therapy, 34(22.8%) and noncompliance, 29(19.5%). The most frequent intervention type was change of dosage/instruction for use, 23(15.4%). Acceptance rate by physicians was 68.4%. Among the interventions that were rated as clinically significant, 46(48.9%) and 25(26.6%) had major and moderate clinical importance respectively. Conclusion: Involving trained clinical pharmacists in the healthcare team leads to clinically relevant and well accepted optimization of medicine use in a resource limited settings. This approach can likely be generalized to other health care settings in the country to improve medication outcomes.Antecedentes: El ejercicio de la farmacia clínica se ha desarrollado internacionalmente para expandir el papel del farmacéutico más allá de los papeles tradicionales de formulación, dispensación y distribución de medicamentos a papeles más directamente relacionados con los cuidados de los pacientes. Sin embargo, son escasos los estudios de las actividades del farmacéutico clínico en los departamentos en establecimientos de recursos escasos. Objetivo: Evaluar los servicios de farmacia clínica en un departamento de medicina interna del hospital universitario especializado de Jimma. Métodos: El estudio fue realizado en el departamento de medicina interna desde marzo a abril de 2011 en el hospital Universitario especializado de Jimma. El diseño del estudio fue observacional prospectivo donde se documentaron los servicios de atención farmacéutica proporcionados por un farmacéutico clínico a pacientes internados durante un periodo de dos meses. Se documentaron intervenciones como la optimización del uso racional y la aceptación de los médicos de estas recomendaciones. Un equipo independiente (1 internista y 1 farmacólogo clínico) evaluó la significación clínica de estas intervenciones usando un método estandarizado de clasificar los problemas relacionados con medicamentos (PRM). Resultados: Se realizó un otal de 149 intervenciones para 48 pacientes.; de ellos, 133 (83,9%) fueron intervenciones iniciadas por el farmacéutico clínico y 16 (10,7%) fueron iniciadas por otros profesionales de la salud. Los PRM más frecuentes subyacentes a cada intervención fueron medicación innecesaria 36 (24,2%); necesidad de medicación adicional 34 (22,8%); e incumplimiento 29 (19,5%). El tipo de intervención más frecuente fue el cambio de dosis/instrucciones de uso 23(15.4%). La tasa de aceptación por médicos fue del 68,4%. Entre las intervenciones que fueron calificadas de clínicamente significativas, 46 (48,9%) y 25 (26,6%) tuvieron grande y moderada importancia clínica, respectivamente. Conclusión: Envolver a un farmacéutico clínico en el equipo de salud lleva a la optimización clínicamente relevante y aceptada del uso de medicamentos en un establecimiento de recursos limitados. Este abordaje puede, probablemente, generalizarse a otros establecimientos en el país para mejorar los resultados de la medicación

Impact of Pre-Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) Curriculum on Student Pharmacists\u27 Professional Identity Formation.

OBJECTIVE: To (1) evaluate changes in student pharmacists\u27 professional identity during a curriculum prior to advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs) and (2) describe the components of a pre-APPE curriculum that positively and negatively influenced students\u27 professional identity formation (PIF). METHODS: The University of Washington School of Pharmacy launched a new curriculum in 2019 featuring components intentionally designed to support students\u27 PIF. The Macleod-Clark Professional Identity Scale (MCPIS) was administered to the class of 2023 before starting pharmacy school (pre) and upon completion of the pre-APPE curriculum (post). The postsurvey also contained 2 open-response questions asking students to identify the most positive and negative influences on their PIF. Mean pre- and post-responses were calculated for all MCPIS items and each MCPIS item and compared using paired t tests. Responses to the open-ended questions were sorted into categories using inductive thematic analysis and frequencies were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 99 students (96%) completed both surveys. Mean MCPIS pre-scores and post-scores were both 3.3, indicating no statistically significant change in professional identity. The most frequently reported positive influences on PIF were didactic coursework (40%), experiential learning (30%), and student organizations (27%). The most frequently reported negative influences were didactic coursework (27%), none (25%), and perceptions of the pharmacy profession (22%). CONCLUSION: Students\u27 overall professional identity, as measured by the MCPIS, did not change during the pre-APPE curriculum. Didactic coursework had the most common positive and negative influence on professional identity prior to APPEs