Pharmacists must take an active role as citizen scientists.

Science is a process by which society advances knowledge of the physical and natural world through observation, experimentation, and testing of theories based on evidence. This process forms the foundation of the biomedical, clinical, and social sciences, which together provide an ever-changing knowledge base for health care professionals, like pharmacists, to use to provide evidence-based care to patients and communities. Yet, despite the essential and integrated application of science to improve health-related knowledge and care delivery, the utility and viability of science itself are under threat. Science as a broad discipline continues to be subject to politicization, misinformation, and persisting inequities among its beneficiaries. Science remains the subject of disparate perspectives regarding its societal benefits and expected roles. Pharmacists, given their education, training, and earned trust, can help to address these challenges by engagement as citizen scientists. Citizen scientists, through involvement with related initiatives, promote and advance all aspects of the public good, which are essential to the continued smooth functioning of our society. Pharmacists are well positioned to be engaged in various citizen scientist roles available in their communities that promote the public good economically, politically, and culturally. Involvement in citizen science activities is not without personal cost. This can be challenging, depending upon the level of involvement. It might take time away from other desired activities and generate perceived deficits of self-efficacy. Yet pharmacists who engage in the process of scientific discovery at any level as citizen scientists can experience personal and professional benefits, engage with other members of their communities, and provide an opportunity to serve as role models to others considering a career in pharmacy.

Variability in perceptions of organizational culture across U.S. colleges and schools of pharmacy.

BACKGROUND: Despite its importance on myriad outcomes, there is little information on the organizational culture of colleges and schools of pharmacy (CSOPs). OBJECTIVES: This study sought to: (1) identify faculty and administrator perceptions across 5 dimensions of organizational culture in CSOPs; (2) describe differences in these perceptions among faculty varying in type of appointment and type of institution where employed. METHODS: A questionnaire survey designed in Qualtrics was distributed via email link to a census sample of 3378 members within 2018 AACP list-servs. Dimensions of organizational culture were adapted from previously validated work describing such specifically within academic pharmacy. Reminders were employed to maximize survey responses. Frequency distributions and chi-square statistics were conducted to describe the data. RESULTS: Responses from 463 faculty and administrators indicated perceived strength in several aspects of organizational culture in U.S. CSOPs, including their emphasis on quality, developing collaborations partnerships with external partners, and promoting personal development. Other facets of culture deemed to be less descriptive amongst CSOPs include their being innovative, managing conflict, and discouraging political maneuvering. There were relatively few differences in perceptions of culture among faculty varying by rank, discipline, or supervisory status. There were a number of differences among respondents varying by type of institution, with those from public and balanced/research-oriented institutions indicating their organizations are more likely to project positively certain components of culture such as empowering people to achieve, fostering innovation, remaining calm in turbulent times, and making employees feel secure in their employment. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlighted aspects of organizational culture at CSOPs that might need to be addressed or communicated more effectively by program leaders. All CSOPs, and particularly those within private and teaching-oriented institutions might endeavor to assess and address aspects of their organizational culture, particularly related to their performance orientation, innovation and stability.

What are academic pharmacy organizations doing to reward performance and retain their star faculty?

BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests that stars in an organization, including academia, drive much of its productivity and reputation. There has been much said within academic pharmacy about recruitment, but little in regard to retaining its top faculty. OBJECTIVE: To identify perceptions among pharmacy faculty on how faculty are currently rewarded; what is done versus what should be done at their institution to recruit and retain star faculty; what is versus what should be done in developing faculty, and compare these perceptions across certain personal and work characteristics. METHODS: A questionnaire survey designed in Qualtrics was distributed via email to a census sample of 3378 members comprising 2018 AACP list-servs. Faculty activities and organization actions were derived from literatures and pilot testing. Frequency distributions and Kruskal-Wallis tests were conducted to describe the data. RESULTS: Responses from 463 faculty indicated scholarly publishing as paramount for receipt of organizational rewards. They indicated that their organizations very infrequently employed action to retain star faculty. They indicated that more should be done to retain stars, and this was largely agreed upon by those in supervisory positions, even though there were a few differences between supervisors and non-supervisors over what is already being done. While there were differences in perception primarily by respondent institution type, there were many more similarities than differences of opinion about actions taken and that should be taken to retain star faculty. CONCLUSIONS: Pharmacy faculty affirmed the salience of scholarly productivity in the allocation of organizational rewards and indicated that certain activities like high-quality clinical practice and good citizenship behaviors were less likely to result in recognition. The results offer considerations for faculty retention strategies and the need for administrators to communicate actions taken to retain star faculty.

Faculty Members' Opinions of What Defines a "Star" in Academic Pharmacy.

Objective. This study sought to identify attributes or performance aspects, most notably those defining what constitutes a "star" faculty in academic pharmacy, and to describe differences in perceptions of the strength of these aspects across faculty varying by discipline, academic rank, experience, type of institution employed, and supervisory experience.Methods. An electronic survey was distributed via email link to a census sample of 3378 members within the2018 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) list-servs. Performance aspects were derived from key literature enumerating academic responsibilities and behaviors. Reminders were employed to maximize survey responses. Frequency distributions and Kruskal-Wallis tests were conducted to describe the data.Results. Responses from 463 persons identified the importance of quality rather than quantity of teaching; publishing in refereed journals, and demonstrating collegiality to be among the more salient aspects defining a star faculty member. There were differences in perceptions of what constitutes a star mostly by institution type employed and among pharmacy practice respondents vs those from other disciplines. Respondents from private institutions indicated that their deans and chairs were less likely to recognize and attempt to retain star faculty. However, responses were generally in the same direction and congruent, even between those with vs without supervisory responsibility.Conclusion. This study highlighted the importance of demonstrating collegiality along with high-quality teaching and productivity as qualities warranting star status in academic pharmacy. Given the importance of faculty stars, academic pharmacy organizations, particularly private institutions, should make an effort to recognize and retain them.

How CEO Deans in Academic Pharmacy Describe and Manage High-performing and Low-performing Faculty.

OBJECTIVES: Gather Chief Executive Officer (CEO) deans' perspectives on: distinguishing a "star" faculty versus one that is "productive"; faculty who are "deadweight" to the organization; the role of organizational fit in defining starsand deadweight faculty; current efforts to recruit and retain star faculty; and the actions taken in regard to deadweight faculty. METHODS: A focus group panel of CEO deans was convened at the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) 2019 Interim Meeting. A semi-structured interview based on an organizational behavior framework was used to guide discussion in the focus group. Content analysis with axial coding was used to uncover themes from the data. RESULTS: Panelists indicated productivity to be a given, but that star faculty are the ones who exhibit extraordinary citizenship and leverage their talents and networks to make the program and their peers more effective. They identified nascent activities with the need to strengthen those in regard to recognizing star faculty. The panelists explicitly distinguished between deadweight, or unproductive faculty versus those who are more deleterious, even while the former might actually present a more challenging human resources management situation. CONCLUSIONS: The research corroborated the growing recognition of the importance of faculty comportment with behaviors that extend beyond performance metrics, alone. The findings can serve as a platform for additional studies that guide decision making for organizational effectiveness in academic pharmacy.

Wage Premiums as a Means to Evaluate the Labor Market for Pharmacy Technicians in the United States: 1997-2018.

Pharmacy technicians are integral members of the health care team, assisting pharmacists and other health professionals in assuring safe and effective medication use. To date, evaluation of the labor market for pharmacy technicians has been limited, and relatively little has been evaluated regarding trends in wages. The objective of this research is to use US Bureau of Labor Statistics (US BLS) data to evaluate changes in pharmacy technician wages in the United States from 1997 to 2018 relative to changes in the US consumer price index (CPI). Median hourly wages for pharmacy technicians were collected from US BLS data from 1997 to 2018. Median hourly wages were compared to expected hourly wages, with the difference, a wage premium, indicative of imbalances in the supply and demand of labor. Both positive and negative wage premiums were observed, with most positive wage premiums occurring prior to 2007 and most negative wage premiums observed after 2008. Differences in wage premiums were also observed between technicians working in various practice settings. Given the median length of employment of pharmacy technicians, it is likely that the majority of technicians working in US pharmacies have not experienced increases in their wages relative to what would be expected by changes in the CPI. This has occurred at a time when pharmacies and pharmacists are asking more of their pharmacy technicians. Researchers and pharmacy managers must continue to evaluate the pharmacy technician labor market to assure that technician wage and compensation levels attract an adequate supply of sufficiently skilled workers.

Applying Contemporary Management Principles to Implementing and Evaluating Value-Added Pharmacist Services.

Value-added pharmacy services encompass traditional and emerging services provided by pharmacists to individual and entire populations of persons increasingly under the auspices of a public health mandate. The success of value-added pharmacy services is enhanced when they are carried out and assessed using appropriate theory-based paradigms. Many of the more important management theories for pharmacy services consider the "servicescape" of these services recognizing the uniqueness of each patient and service encounter that vary based upon health needs and myriad other factors. In addition, implementation science principles help ensure the financial viability and sustainability of these services. This commentary reviews some of the foundational management theories and provides a number of examples of these theories that have been applied successfully resulting in a greater prevalence and scope of value-added services being offered.

Prevalence of and interest in unionization among staff pharmacists.

BACKGROUND: Although the propensity for staff pharmacists to join a labor union has never been high, conditions in the profession and workplace have changed over the last decade. Some of these changes may result in staff pharmacists joining a labor union, as well as increased interest in staff pharmacists who are currently not union members to join. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to (1) assess the degree of union membership among staff pharmacists in 6 states, (2) compare the practice settings, work activities and conditions, compensation, and demographic characteristics between union and nonunion staff pharmacists, (3) assess the level of interest in joining a union among nonunion staff pharmacists, and (4) compare the practice settings, work activities and working conditions, wages and benefits, and demographic characteristics between nonunion staff pharmacists interested in joining a union and nonunion staff pharmacists who were not interested in joining a union. METHODS: A biennial pharmacist compensation study was conducted in 6 states (Florida, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Tennessee, Wisconsin) in late 2003. Randomly selected pharmacists were mailed a self-administered questionnaire asking about their practice setting, work activities and conditions, wages and benefits, and demographic characteristics. Respondents were also asked to indicate current membership in a union and, if not a member, their desire to unionize their workplace. RESULTS: Compensation and unionization data were provided by 2,180 respondents (27% usable response rate), of which 1,226 (56%) were staff pharmacists. Eight percent of the staff pharmacists were union members, whereas 18% of nonunion members would vote to unionize their workplace. There were few statistically significant differences between union and nonunion staff pharmacists regarding work activities, working conditions, and hourly wages. However, the benefits provided to union staff pharmacists differed from those provided to nonunion staff pharmacists in several ways. Union staff pharmacists were younger than their nonunion counterparts (40.9 vs 44.5 years, P=.01), yet had worked for their current employers a longer time (11.1 vs 7.3 years, P=.03). Nonunion staff pharmacists interested in joining a union differed from those who would not by practice location and setting, working conditions, and benefits. CONCLUSIONS: Although the union membership rate among staff pharmacists is relatively low, there are geographic and practice areas where membership rates are higher. Differences in work activities, working conditions, wages, and benefits were noted between union and nonunion staff pharmacists as well as between those who would join a union and those who would not. These differences merit further investigation, especially with respect to evaluating the effectiveness of unions and identifying factors that may lead nonunionized staff pharmacists to join a union.

Perceptions and use of iPad technology by pharmacy practice faculty members.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the potential of tablet technology to address the specific workload challenges of pharmacy practice faculty members and to evaluate tablet usage after a department-wide iPad initiative. METHODS: After conducting a needs assessment to determine pharmacy faculty attitudes towards tablet technology and to identify potential usage scenarios, all faculty members in a department of pharmacy practice received an iPad. After iPad distribution, training sessions and virtual tutorials were provided. An anonymous survey was administered to evaluate the pilot. RESULTS: The needs assessment survey revealed positive attitudes towards iPad technology, identified use scenarios, and led to a department-wide iPad pilot program. Most faculty members used iPads for connectivity with students (86%), paper/project annotation (68%), assessment (57%), and demonstration of tools used in practice (36%). For teaching, 61% of faculty members used iPads in seminars/laboratories, 57% used iPads in the experiential setting, and 43% used iPads in the classroom. Use of iPads for patient-care activities varied and depended on site support for mobile technology. The 23 faculty members with external practice sites used iPads to a greater extent and had more positive attitudes towards this technology compared with campus-based faculty members. CONCLUSION: Integration of tablet technology into the pharmacy education setting resulted in faculty-reported increased productivity and decreased paper waste. It also allowed faculty members to experiment with new teaching strategies in the classroom and experiential setting. Administrators at institutions exploring the use of tablet technology should allocate resources based on faculty needs and usage patterns.

Characteristics, prevalence, attitudes, and perceptions of academic dishonesty among pharmacy students.

OBJECTIVES: To ascertain background factors that influence pharmacy students' willingness to cheat, describe attitudes regarding methods of cheating, assess prevalence of cheating and determine atmospheres that may aid in preventing academic dishonesty. METHODS: Third-professional year PharmD students at 4 institutions participated in a survey administered by a class representative. RESULTS: Of the 296 students who completed survey instruments, 16.3% admitted to cheating during pharmacy school. Approximately 74% admitted that either they or their classmates had worked on an individual assignment with a friend. Students who cheated during high school or in a prepharmacy program were more likely to cheat during pharmacy school (p < 0.0001). Those who possessed a bachelor of science (BS) degree prior to pharmacy school were less likely to cheat (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Academic dishonesty is prevalent among pharmacy students. While few respondents directly admitted to cheating, many admitted to activities traditionally defined as dishonest.

Evidence-based practice by pharmacists: utilization and barriers.

BACKGROUND: Evidence-based medicine (EBM) is the use of the current best evidence from research to make practice and policy decisions. Little is known regarding the attitudes of pharmacists toward EBM. OBJECTIVE: To determine the attitudes of pharmacists toward EBM, the extent that pharmacists use evidence to make decisions, and identify barriers to the use of evidence. METHODS: A self-administered questionnaire was mailed to 2000 randomly selected Illinois licensed pharmacists. The questionnaire assessed the pharmacists' attitudes toward EBM, the extent to which recommendations are based on primary and tertiary literature, and perceived barriers to the use of EBM. RESULTS: Completed responses were received from 323 pharmacists (17.2% response rate). Overall, respondents had positive attitudes toward EBM (58% positive, 32% somewhat positive). Respondents thought research findings were useful (42%) or very useful (42%) to daily practice. Nearly one-half (49.8%) of respondents had conducted a primary literature search within the past year. Hospital pharmacists and pharmacists in other practice settings were more likely than community pharmacists to conduct a literature search in the past year (75%, 61%, and 30%, respectively; p < 0.001). Although 86% of respondents reported having Internet access at home, only 42% of all respondents identified that they had PubMed access at home. Common barriers to the use of EBM include lack of time (45%), physician attitudes toward pharmacist recommendations (19%), and access to resources (11%). CONCLUSIONS: Pharmacist respondents have positive attitudes toward EBM and the application of research findings to practice.