Continuing Professional Development Activities Provided by Continuing Pharmacy Education Providers.

OBJECTIVE: To describe continuing professional development (CPD)-related continuing pharmacy education (CPE) activities from 2018 through 2023. METHODS: This was an exploratory study using CPE activities offered by US-based accredited providers from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education Provider Web Tool. Activities were selected based on submission and expiration date, which included activities active from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2023. The words "professional development" were used to search for CPE activities based on titles. Frequencies were calculated for provider type, delivery method, and activity types. Content analysis was used to identify categories, subcategories, and elements or components of the CPD cycle from activity titles and learning objectives. RESULTS: A total of 204 activities were identified, with the most common provider type being college or school which provided 41% (n = 83) of the activities. Most activities were designed for pharmacists 76% (n = 156) and primarily delivered in a live seminar format (68%, n = 138) and used a single delivery method (92%, n = 187). Content analysis identified 7 categories and 23 subcategories of activities. Of the 7 activity categories, only 3 had subcategories which reflected elements or components of CPD: precepting and teaching; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and CPD process and principles. CONCLUSION: This study identified that most CPE activities and learning objectives reflected educational interventions without the inclusion or use of the CPD cycle or process, suggesting that additional provider education on the implementation of CPD and differentiation between CPE and CPD may be necessary.

Development and Assessment of Targeted, Live, and Interactive Continuing Pharmacy Education Workshops in Dementia Care for North Dakota Pharmacists.

Background With the growing US aging population, need for a health care workforce able to provide dementia care will increase. Objective To develop, deliver, and assess interactive live workshops for licensed North Dakota pharmacists in dementia care. Methods Prospective interventional study of impact of free-of-charge, interactive, five-hour workshops for pharmacists providing advanced training in Alzheimer's disease, vascular and Parkinson's disease dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies, and common reversible causes of cognitive impairment. The workshop was offered three times across two different locations in ND: Fargo and Bismarck. Online pre- and postworkshop questionnaires were administered to collect demographics, attendance rationale, perceived ability to provide dementia care, and workshop quality/satisfaction. A 16-item assessment instrument/ test (1 point/item) was developed to assess pre- and postworkshop competency in dementia-related care (ie, knowledge, comprehension, application, and analysis). Descriptive statistics and paired t-test were performed using Stata 10.1. Results Sixty-nine pharmacists were trained and completed the competency test assessments; 95.7% ND pharmacists completed pre-and postworkshop questionnaires. The overall competency test scores improved from 5.7 ± 2.2 to 13.0 ± 2.8 (P < 0.001) and individual scores for each disease/problem also improved significantly (P < 0.001). Increases corresponded with increased self-reported perceived ability to provide dementia care; 95.4 to 100% of participants agreed/strongly agreed learning needs were met, teaching was effective, were satisfied with content and educational material usefulness, and would recommend workshop. Conclusion Workshop had measurable, immediate benefit on knowledge and ability to apply learned information. Structured, interactive workshops are valuable for improving pharmacists' competency in dementia care.

Pharmacists' continuing professional development for non-communicable diseases management: A consensus study.

BACKGROUND: Pharmaceutical care for non-communicable diseases (NCD) in Indonesia needs improvement especially in provinces like Kalimantan Selatan (Kalsel) with increasing NCD prevalence. This research explored possible improvements for Kalsel pharmacists NCD Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programmes. OBJECTIVES: The study aims to identify Kalsel pharmacists' engagement with, experiences of, and expectations for NCD-focused CPD activities, and CPD stakeholders' views on these expectations. METHODS: This sequential mixed-methods study used a quantitative survey to map Kalsel pharmacists' CPD engagement and preferences. The survey findings, and Kalsel pharmacists' knowledge and skills in NCD management, were further explored in four geographically-diverse focus group discussions (FGDs). Triangulated findings from the survey and FGDs were presented to pharmacist CPD stakeholders in a modified Nominal Group Technique (NGT) discussion, resulting in a prioritised list of CPD activities and allocation of local leadership for each activity. RESULTS: The survey response rate was 51% (249/490) with fair representation of the geographic spread. CPD sessions were seen as a social event to network with colleagues (34%) and improve knowledge (31%). Major hindrances for participation were work commitments (25%) and travel needs (22%). Most participants (64%), especially the more senior, preferred explicitly interactive CPD formats (adjusted odds ratio 0.94 for each additional year from graduation; 95% confidence interval 0.89-0.99; p = 0.036). The FGDs identified challenges in managing NCD, strengths and gaps in NCD knowledge, and preferences for NCD CPD. The modified NGT produced 12 actions which five major stakeholders agreed to lead. CONCLUSIONS: An explicitly interactive NCD CPD programme based on a community of practice model and supported by blended learning is likely to be most effective for pharmacists in the Kalimantan Selatan province of Indonesia. A co-designed multi-stakeholder systems-based approach to CPD programme, as used in this study, is likely to increase the engagement and success of the programme.

An evaluation of virtual ethics discussion groups as a method of learning on a pharmacist Independent Prescribing (IP) programme.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: A postgraduate body within Queen's University Belfast (QUB) has offered a pharmacist Independent Prescribing (IP) programme to pharmacists living locally in Northern Ireland (NI) since 2006. In 2016, this course was modified and delivered by the School of Pharmacy within QUB for a non-local population of pharmacists from Great Britain (GB). In order to substitute face-to-face, live training in NI, distance learning methods were employed for one of the modules that involved studying ethical dilemmas. The purpose of this study was to assess participant acceptance and perceived effectiveness of the utilized distance learning methods. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AND SETTING: All participants within Cohort 2 of the IP programme offered to GB pharmacists viewed an online recorded lecture on dealing with ethical dilemmas. This involved being taught about a professional decision-making model. Participants then applied this model to four ethical case studies via virtual discussion groups and were invited to complete a questionnaire regarding their views on these teaching methods. FINDINGS: Twenty participants viewed the online recorded lecture, and 19 attended the virtual discussion groups. Eighteen participants (90%) responded to the survey. Participants reacted positively to the e-learning format. Following the training, all participants felt confident applying the professional decision-making model and only one did not intend to apply the model to their practice. SUMMARY: The utilized e-learning format was well received and effective in producing pharmacists who felt confident approaching and resolving ethical dilemmas in their new roles as pharmacist prescribers.

Community pharmacy staff oral health training, training needs and professional self-efficacy related to managing children's dental problems.

OBJECTIVES: Few studies have explored the oral health training needs and professional self-efficacy (PSE) in both pharmacy support staff and pharmacists related to managing children's dental problems. This study assessed community pharmacy staff perceptions of their (i) training experiences and interests; (ii) PSE; and (iii) whether this was influenced by the pharmacy being part of a minor ailment scheme (MAS), where staff could directly offer advice and issue prescription medications without patients seeing a doctor. METHODS: All of the 1851 community pharmacies across London, UK, were invited to participate in an online questionnaire. Staff rated their prior training, perceived need for further training and confidence in giving parents advice related to three dental problems in children (dental pain, mouth ulcers and dental trauma). Information was collected about staff roles and whether the pharmacy was a MAS. KEY FINDINGS: From 752 community pharmacies, 846 community pharmacy staff participated. Positive experiences of training were variable but interest in further training for all three dental problems was high. Pharmacy support staff had significantly lower PSE scores than pharmacy professionals (P = 0.009). A significant interaction showed that pharmacy staff who had poorly rated prior training on advising parents about managing their child's dental pain and who did not work in a MAS had lower PSE scores than staff who had highly rated training and who worked in a MAS (P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Minor ailment scheme pharmacies may be an optimal environment for frontline pharmacy support staff to develop higher PSE when combined with good quality oral health training.

Extending the scope of community pharmacists' practice to patients requiring urgent care - An evaluation of a training programme using the Theoretical Domains Framework.

Redesigned health systems could meet the rising demand for healthcare, with community pharmacy currently an underused resource for the treatment and management of patients requiring urgent care. This study aimed to investigate whether a training intervention delivered over 2 days to community pharmacists resulted in behaviour and practice change. Validated measures of psychological motivation and capability factors relevant to understanding behaviour and behaviour change were collected 1 week before, 1 week after and 2 months after training in a non-controlled before and after study design. Two targeted behaviours of the intervention were the primary outcome measures: taking a structured history and applying clinical examination techniques to patients requiring urgent care. Secondary outcomes measured participants' reported patient management behaviours to investigate possible bridging of gaps in the health system. Training was provided in 14 locations in the UK to 258 community pharmacists, with data collection occurring from July 2015 to September 2016. In total, 81 participants completed all three rounds of data collection (31.4%). Findings suggest that 1-week post-training significant changes in psychological capability had taken place, and that these were sustained 2 months later: of the eight domains influencing behaviour and stimulating behaviour change, knowledge, skills, professional role, beliefs about capabilities and goals all increased significantly between T1 and T2, and T1 and T3 (all p < 0.0001). At T3, participants were more likely to have taken a structured history than performed a clinical examination, and reported both managing patients themselves and changing referral practices to other healthcare providers. Participants reported workload and the need for liability insurance as structural and contextual barriers to implementation. While findings suggest the potential to transform models of care through training to extend community pharmacists' practice these barriers to successful implementation of the urgent care service would need to be addressed if this service is rolled out nationally.

Novel approach for quality assessment and improving diagnostic accuracy in cell-based infection imaging using 99mTc-HMPAO labeled leukocytes.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Labeled leukocytes with 99mTc-HMPAO are routinely used for infection imaging. Although cell labeling with 99mTc-HMPAO represents an imaging probe to detect infection sites, the diagnostic efficiency of the probe is largely influenced by cell manipulation, multidisciplinary interventions (i.e., biologist, technicians) and available technology (i.e., SPECT, SPECT/CT). The aim of the study was to assess in vitro and in vivo accuracy of a comprehensive approach for quality assessment (QA) of all steps of the procedure. METHODS: Radiochemical purity (RCP), pH, labeling efficiency (LE) were measured in 320 procedures. White Cell Viability Factor (WVF) was determined in consecutive blood samples. Images (490 studies) were scored using a 5-point scale. Training program was evaluated using a Learning Questionnaire and a score system. RESULTS: Pre/post-labelling WVF was 0.99% (max value 1%) in all blood samples. LE (mean value 72%) and RCP (>80% until 55 minutes) yielded considerably high values. The vast majority of images were scored as diagnostic by three independent observer (90% with score ≥4). CONCLUSIONS: This method appears highly reproducible and easy to use in clinical routine for leukocyte labeling, especially when standardized training and total QA system are implemented.

Reporting adverse drug reactions: contribution, knowledge and perception of German pharmacy professionals.

Background The detection, assessment and prevention of adverse drug reactions along the product's life cycle is known as pharmacovigilance. German pharmacists are obliged by law to conduct pharmacovigilance measures, a specific training is not required. Objectives To assess the knowledge, contribution and perception of German pharmacy professionals regarding pharmacovigilance activities, in order to identify their needs to report better on the issue. Setting A semi-quantitative survey among German pharmacy professionals was conducted in November 2017. Method A questionnaire with 20 questions was developed and distributed to pharmacy professionals in four different German regions. Main outcome measures To assess the knowledge the number of right answered questions were examined; for perception a six-point-Likert was used and for contribution, yes or no questions. Results The participation ratio was 64.5% (n = 127). Nearly half of the participants (47.2%, n = 60) stated that they had already reported adverse drug reactions. Regarding the knowledge questions, there was neither a statistically significant difference between the correct answers of pharmacists and pharmacy technical assistents (p = 0.7209), nor between the different regions (p > 0.5054). For better reporting, the participants recommended better training, shorter forms to fill in and/or a contact person to call. Conclusion For the successful integration of pharmacovigilance reporting in daily practice, we suggest the following: (1) A structured, mandatory training of the pharmacy team. (2) The preparation of a standard operating procedure for the pharmacy or its integration into the pharmacy software.

[Supporting an Academic Society with the Active Learning Tool Clica].

　Within school classrooms, Active Learning has been receiving unprecedented attention. Indeed, Active Learning's popularity does not stop in the classroom. As more and more people argue that the Japanese government needs to renew guidelines for education, Active Learning has surfaced as a method capable of providing the necessary knowledge and training for people in all areas of society, helping them reach their full potential. It has become accepted that Active Learning is more effective over the passive listening of lectures, where there is little to no interaction. Active Learning emphasizes that learners explain their thoughts, ask questions, and express their opinions, resulting in a better retention rate of the subject at hand. In this review, I introduce an Active Learning support tool developed at Digital Knowledge, "Clica". This tool is currently being used at many educational institutions. I will also introduce an online questionnaire that Digital Knowledge provided at the 10th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society for Pharmaceutical Palliative Care and Sciences.

Antibiotic Stewardship in Long-Term Care: A Call to Action.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are focused heavily on curbing the misuse of antibiotics in health care facilities. Regulations governing the management of antibiotics in the nursing facility will likely be changing in the near future, which will put the pharmacist at the forefront of a clinical team that is dedicated to proper antibiotic utilization. Savvy pharmacists are embracing this opportunity to engage long-term care facility staff to improve the care of their residents.

Implementing an Antimicrobial Stewardship Program.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is expected to expand requirements for antimicrobial stewardship in nursing facilities during 2016. Many facilities are looking to pharmacists to help them take the initial steps toward developing these coordinated programs to promote the appropriate use of antimicrobials.

Antibiotic Stewardship: New Frontier, Familiar Journey.

Recent changes in regulations by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services require long-term care facilities to meet specific requirements on antibiotic stewardship, promoting the appropriate use of antibiotics and antimicrobials. The goal is to improve patient outcomes and decrease the spread of infections caused by multi-drug-resistant organisms. Consultant pharmacists can help facility personnel implement policies and procedures for effective antibiotic stewardship, assist prescribers and facility staff in understanding how to use the facility's antibiogram, find appropriate resources, and provide facility personnel with feedback on their antimicrobial stewardship efforts.

Pharmacy-based statewide naloxone distribution: A novel "top-down, bottom-up" approach.

OBJECTIVE: To highlight New Mexico's multifaceted approach to widespread pharmacy naloxone distribution and to share the interventions as a tool for improving pharmacy-based naloxone practices in other states. SETTING: New Mexico had the second highest drug overdose death rate in 2014 of which 53% were related to prescription opioids. Opioid overdose death is preventable through the use of naloxone, a safe and effective medication that reverses the effects of prescription opioids and heroin. Pharmacists can play an important role in providing naloxone to individuals who use prescription opioids. PRACTICE DESCRIPTION: Not applicable. PRACTICE INNOVATIONS: Not applicable. INTERVENTIONS: A multifaceted approach was utilized in New Mexico from the top down with legislative passage of provisions for a statewide standing order and New Mexico Department of Health support for pharmacy-based naloxone delivery. A bottom up approach was also initiated with the development and implementation of a training program for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. EVALUATION: Naloxone Medicaid claims were used to illustrate statewide distribution and utilization of the pharmacist statewide standing order for naloxone. Percent of pharmacies dispensing naloxone in each county were calculated. Trained pharmacy staff completed a program evaluation form. Questions about quality of instruction and ability of trainer to meet stated objectives were rated on a Likert scale. RESULTS: There were 808 naloxone Medicaid claims from 100 outpatient pharmacies during the first half of 2016, a 9-fold increase over 2014. The "A Dose of Rxeality" training program evaluation indicated that participants felt the training was free from bias and met all stated objectives (4 out of 4 on Likert scale). CONCLUSIONS: A multi-pronged approach coupling state and community collaboration was successful in overcoming barriers and challenges associated with pharmacy naloxone distribution and ensured its success as an effective avenue for naloxone acquisition in urban and rural communities.

Development and delivery of a pharmacist training program to increase naloxone access in Kentucky.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the development and delivery of a comprehensive training program for Kentucky pharmacists to enable dispensation of naloxone per protocol. PRACTICE DESCRIPTION: In May 2015, the Kentucky Board of Pharmacy (KBP) promulgated regulations outlining the requirements for pharmacists to initiate the dispensing of naloxone under a physician-approved protocol. The Advancing Pharmacy Practice in Kentucky Coalition, a partnership between Kentucky's Colleges of Pharmacy, KBP, and state and local pharmacists associations, developed and offered educational programming to fulfill this regulation. Pharmacists who completed the 90-minute program could apply to KBP for registration as a naloxone-certified pharmacist. The program consists of a 90-minute session covering naloxone access, opioid overdoses, the pharmacology and use of naloxone, protocol development, patient identification, and resources. Sessions were offered live and via webinar. Sessions have also been incorporated into the pharmacy curriculum at the 2 colleges of pharmacy in Kentucky. RESULTS: Between June 28, 2015, and June 1, 2016, a total of 1254 pharmacists and 348 student pharmacists completed training. Of those, 646 (52%) have applied to KBP and received naloxone-certified status. The program was well received, with 87% of learners ranking the usefulness of the information presented as excellent. Learners cited screening tips, protocol information, patient screening information, and education resources as information they will implement in their practice. CONCLUSION: The swift deployment of training to a wide variety of pharmacy professionals has resulted in a substantial number of naloxone-certified pharmacists across Kentucky. Through a coordinated training initiative involving all major pharmacy stakeholders, we reached many individuals rapidly, documenting the value of this approach for future training endeavors. This educational initiative may enhance pharmacy practice across Kentucky and the nation by expanding and educating on the role pharmacists can play in public health and overdose death prevention.

The Acute Care Assessment Tool: 'Pharmacy ACAT'.

BACKGROUND: The Acute Care Assessment Tool (ACAT) was developed as a workplace-based assessment (WPBA) for trainee performance whilst working in acute medicine. Here, we discuss the multi-professional potential of ACAT through a pilot with foundation and senior hospital pharmacists. CONTEXT: The pharmacy profession is engaging meaningfully with foundation training for pharmacists akin to doctor foundation training, and has launched a post-foundation recognition scheme as a route to advanced generalist or specialist practice. Foundation training has included the adoption of familiar WPBA, such as the mini-clinical evaluation exercise (mini-CEX) and case-based discussion (CbD). However, mini-CEX and CbD are 'snapshot' assessments, and we identified a need for the assessment of practice over a short period of time. A local director of medical education suggested ACAT. We identified a need for the assessment of practice over a short period of time INNOVATION: Permission was gained from the Joint Royal Colleges of Physicians to adapt the ACAT to form the 'Pharmacy ACAT'. Adaptations were based on the two current Royal Pharmaceutical Society competency frameworks used for foundation and post-foundation practice. The 'Pharmacy ACAT' was piloted across three acute hospitals (known as 'Trusts') in London for foundation trainees, and was found to be broadly acceptable in terms of time and was valued for feedback, particularly for foundation pharmacy trainees. Senior pharmacists at the single pilot site were more sceptical. IMPLICATIONS: We believe that the 'Pharmacy ACAT' should be considered for routine use in pharmacy foundation training in hospital and community practice as it 'plugs a gap' in the current scheme of WPBA, by allowing the assessment of a short period of practice as opposed to a snapshot. It also has potential for use at undergraduate level.

Education and Assessment of Pharmacists on the Use of the Drug Burden Index in Older Adults Using a Continuing Professional Development Education Method.

Objective. To educate pharmacists and assess their knowledge of and ability to calculate the Drug Burden Index (DBI) using a continuing professional development (CPD) intervention. Methods. The intervention included designing education surrounding the DBI and its application in practice and assessing knowledge in the form of a CPD education article with four multiple-choice questions (MCQs). Deidentified demographic data on participants were collected. Results. Multiple-choice questions were completed by 2522 pharmacist participants: 97.9% of participants successfully completed the CPD assessment (answered three or four MCQs correctly), and 76.5% of participants achieved a perfect score (answered four MCQs correctly). The question that required calculation of the DBI for a fictional patient was answered correctly least often (81.8%). Conclusion. Pharmacist participants had good knowledge of using DBI in practice; difficulty was observed in calculating the DBI for a hypothetical patient. This CPD intervention provided a practical medium for educating and assessing pharmacists' knowledge of the DBI.

Got CER? Educating Pharmacists for Practice in the Future: New Tools for New Challenges.

BACKGROUND: Understanding how treatments work in the real world and in real patients is an important and complex task. In recent years, comparative effectiveness research (CER) studies have become more available for health care providers to inform evidence-based decision making. There is variability in the strengths and limitations of this new evidence, and researchers and decision makers are faced with challenges when assessing the quality of these new methods and CER studies. OBJECTIVES: To (a) describe an online tool developed by the CER Collaborative, composed of the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy, the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, and the National Pharmaceutical Council, and (b) provide an early evaluation of the training program impact on learners' self-reported abilities to evaluate and incorporate CER studies into their decision making. METHODS: To encourage greater transparency, consistency, and uniformity in the development and assessment of CER studies, the CER Collaborative developed an online tool to assist researchers, new and experienced clinicians, and decision makers in producing and evaluating CER studies. A training program that supports the use of the online tool was developed to improve the ability and confidence of individuals to apply CER study findings in their daily work. Seventy-one health care professionals enrolled in 3 separate cohorts for the training program. Upon completion, learners assessed their abilities to interpret and apply findings from CER studies by completing on online evaluation questionnaire. RESULTS: The first 3 cohorts of learners to complete the training program consisted of 71 current and future health care practitioners and researchers. At completion, learners indicated high confidence in their CER evidence assessment abilities (mean = 4.2). Learners reported a 27.43%-59.86% improvement in capabilities to evaluate various CER studies and identify study design flaws (mean evaluation before CER Certificate Program [CCP] scores = 1.86-3.14 and post-CCP scores = 3.92-4.24). Additionally, 63% of learners indicated that they expected to increase their use of evidence from CER studies in at least 1-2 problem decisions per month. CONCLUSIONS: The CER Collaborative has responded to the need for increased practitioner training to improve understanding and application of new CER studies. The CER Collaborative tool and certificate training program are innovative solutions to help decision makers meet the challenges they face in honing their skills to best incorporate credible and relevant CER evidence into their decision making. DISCLOSURES: The CER Collaborative, the development of the questionnaires and web-based tool, and the development of the CER Certificate Program were supported by grants and in-kind contributions from the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP), the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR), and the National Pharmaceutical Council (NPC). The University of Maryland School of Pharmacy conducted its work under a contract with the AMCP Foundation and grant funding from the NPC. Perfetto is employed by the University of Maryland and the National Health Council and serves as assistant editor for the Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy, consults for Avelere, and serves as a member of advisory boards for the PQA and CMTP. Pickering received support from the NPC for activities related to this research. Eichelberger is employed by the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy. Eichelberger and Graff are with the CER Collaborative. Graff is employed by the National Pharmaceutical Council. Study concept and design were primarily contributed by Perfetto, Graff, and Eichelberger, along with Anyanwu and assisted by Pickering and Ward Zaghab. Pickering and Ward Zaghab took the lead in data collection, with assistance from the other authors, and data interpretation was performed by Perfetto, Graff, Pickering, and Ward Zaghab, with assistance from the other authors. The manuscript was written by Perfetto and Anyanwu, with assistance from the other authors, and revised by Graff, Perfetto, Anyanwu, and Pickering, assisted by Eichelberger and Ward Zaghab.

Initiation and preliminary evaluation of an oncology pharmacy training course for staff pharmacists.

INTRODUCTION: There is currently a disparity between oncology pharmacy job openings and PGY2 trained pharmacists completing residency training each year. As a result, pharmacists without specialized training in oncology are filling much needed oncology positions and may need on-the-job oncology training. To improve oncology knowledge among non-PGY2 trained pharmacists working in oncology positions, Novant Health coordinated an Oncology Pharmacy Training Course (OPTC). OBJECTIVES: The primary objective was to assess efficacy of the OPTC through evaluation of post-intervention oncology knowledge. Secondary objectives included efficacy of each lecture, assessment of knowledge improvement in those with and without residency or chemotherapy training, and assessment of satisfaction with the OPTC. METHODS: This was a prospective, cohort study. All pharmacists expressing interest in the OPTC were included unless PGY2 oncology residency trained or Board-Certified in Oncology Pharmacy (BCOP). Participants were invited to attend twice monthly lectures and were evaluated using questionnaires at baseline, 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. RESULTS: At the 3-month evaluation, 29 pharmacists completed the per-protocol evaluation. Knowledge scores increased from a mean of 29.6% to 52.2% (p < 0.01). Ten participants were chemotherapy trained. Baseline knowledge scores were slightly higher in the chemotherapy-trained than training naïve participants (mean 42.5% vs. 27.4%). Both groups experienced significantly improved knowledge scores at 3 months (mean 59% and 48.1% respectively, p < 0.01). DISCUSSION: Implementation of a formalized OPTC can improve oncology knowledge among staff pharmacists in a community hospital system. This improvement in knowledge is consistent regardless of baseline chemotherapy training.

Understanding private retail drug outlet dispenser knowledge and practices in tuberculosis care in Tanzania.

SETTING: Private sector accredited drug dispensing outlets in Morogoro and pharmacies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. OBJECTIVE: To assess 1) the level of knowledge about tuberculosis (TB) among dispensers in Tanzania's retail pharmaceutical sector; 2) practices related to identification of patients with suspected TB; 3) the availability of educational materials and training; and 4) the availability of first- and second-line anti-tuberculosis treatment in retail drug outlets. DESIGN: A cross-sectional descriptive study involving the administration of a structured questionnaire among drug dispensers in 122 pharmacies and 173 accredited drug dispensing outlets. RESULTS: Private retail drug outlets are convenient; most are open at least 12 h per day, 7 days/week. Although 95% of dispensers identified persistent cough as a symptom of TB, only 1% had received TB-related training in the previous 3 years; 8% of outlets stocked first-line anti-tuberculosis medicines, which are legally prohibited from being sold at retail outlets. The majority of respondents reported seeing clients with TB-like symptoms, and of these 95% reported frequently referring clients to nearby health facilities. CONCLUSION: Private retail pharmaceutical outlets can potentially contribute to TB case detection and treatment; however, a coordinated effort is needed to train dispensers and implement appropriate referral procedures.

Using an intervention mapping framework to develop an online mental health continuing education program for pharmacy staff.

INTRODUCTION: Current mental health policy in Australia recognizes that ongoing mental health workforce development is crucial to mental health care reform. Community pharmacy staff are well placed to assist people with mental illness living in the community; however, staff require the knowledge and skills to do this competently and effectively. This article presents the systematic planning and development process and content of an education and training program for community pharmacy staff, using a program planning approach called intervention mapping. METHODS: The intervention mapping framework was used to guide development of an online continuing education program. Interviews with mental health consumers and carers (n = 285) and key stakeholders (n = 15), and a survey of pharmacy staff (n = 504) informed the needs assessment. Program objectives were identified specifying required attitudes, knowledge, skills, and confidence. These objectives were aligned with an education technique and delivery strategy. This was followed by development of an education program and comprehensive evaluation plan. The program was piloted face to face with 24 participants and then translated into an online program comprising eight 30-minute modules for pharmacists, 4 of which were also used for support staff. The evaluation plan provided for online participants (n ≅ 500) to be randomized into intervention (immediate access) or control groups (delayed training access). It included pre- and posttraining questionnaires and a reflective learning questionnaire for pharmacy staff and telephone interviews post pharmacy visit for consumers and carers. RESULTS: An online education program was developed to address mental health knowledge, attitudes, confidence, and skills required by pharmacy staff to work effectively with mental health consumers and carers. DISCUSSION: Intervention mapping provides a systematic and rigorous approach that can be used to develop a quality continuing education program for the health workforce.