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1.
BMC Med Educ ; 24(1): 49, 2024 Jan 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38200546

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Increased emphasis on workplace-based learning within pharmacy curricula has led to a focus on the quality of preceptors and the provision of preceptor training, with a diverse range of training programs for preceptors being developed across the globe. To ensure that preceptors are trained appropriately and deemed to be competent in their role, it is essential that all training programs are suitably evaluated. This research aimed to evaluate an online preceptor training program at a regional Australian University. METHODS: Kirkpatrick's four level model for assessment of training was used to evaluate this program. A multi method approach included a preceptor post training survey and interviews and a student survey evaluating the preceptor. Preceptor survey data were analysed using descriptive statistics and content analysis, while inductive thematic analysis was used to analyse the interviews. Student evaluations of trained and untrained preceptors were compared to determine whether training had impacted on student-rated preceptor effectiveness. RESULTS: Twenty-eight preceptor post-training surveys were received, ten preceptor post-training interviews were conducted, and 35 student surveys were completed. The program was rated positively overall, with notable mention by preceptors of the interactive networking session. Following their first post-training student placement, preceptors found that their overall confidence levels had improved, particularly in relation to student management, evaluating students and providing feedback. Student evaluations of preceptors revealed improved ratings of trained versus untrained preceptors, especially as effective communicators. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that training had a positive impact on preceptor attitudes, behaviour and confidence levels. From the perspective of the student, training was also found to improve preceptor performance. These results highlight the beneficial effects of training for preceptors, to optimize the student placement experience and their preparation for future practice.


Subject(s)
Pharmacists , Students , Humans , Universities , Australia , Curriculum
2.
BMC Nurs ; 21(1): 211, 2022 Aug 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35918680

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Nurses constitute most of the rural and remote Australian health workforce, however staff shortages in these regions are common. Rural exposure, association, and undertaking rural clinical placements can influence health students' decision to work rurally after graduation, however attending university in rural and remote regions has been shown to be a great contributor. An improved understanding of these nursing students' experiences may inform changes to teaching and support strategies for these students, which in turn could improve their retention and completion rates, contributing to a more sustainable rural and remote Australian nursing workforce. This study aimed to explore and describe students' experiences of studying nursing in the context of a satellite university campus located in a remote town, with a focus on education delivery methods, staff, support, student services, and barriers and enablers to successful study. METHODOLOGY: Nine students participated in this qualitative descriptive study. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken, allowing participants to reflect on their experiences as nursing students in the context of a geographically remote satellite university campus. The resulting data were grouped into common themes and summarised. RESULTS: Students were generally positive regarding lectures delivered by videoconference or recorded lectures, as they allowed for greater flexibility which accommodated their busy personal lives. Face-to-face teaching was especially valuable, and students were particularly positive about their small cohort size, which enabled the creation of strong, supportive relationships between students, their cohort, and teaching and support staff. However, barriers related to student demographics and some difficulties with course engagement and campus staffing were experienced. CONCLUSIONS: The experiences of nursing students at remote university campuses are different from those experienced by traditional, metropolitan university students. Although these nursing students face additional barriers unique to the remote campus context, they benefit from a range of enabling factors, including their close relationships with other students, staff, family, and their local community.

3.
BMC Vet Res ; 17(1): 57, 2021 Jan 28.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33509166

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Infectious disease, particularly the fungal disease chytridiomycosis (caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis), is a primary cause of amphibian declines and extinctions worldwide. The transdermal route, although offering a simple option for drug administration in frogs, is complicated by the lack of knowledge regarding percutaneous absorption kinetics. This study builds on our previous studies in frogs, to formulate and predict the percutaneous absorption of a drug for the treatment of infectious disease in frogs. Chloramphenicol, a drug with reported efficacy in the treatment of infectious disease including Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, was formulated with 20% v/v propylene glycol and applied to the ventral pelvis of Rhinella marina for up to 6 h. Serum samples were taken during and up to 18 h following exposure, quantified for chloramphenicol content, and pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated using non-compartmental analysis. RESULTS: Serum levels of chloramphenicol reached the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC; 12.5 µg.mL- 1) for Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis within 90-120 min of exposure commencing, and remained above the MIC for the remaining exposure time. Cmax (17.09 ± 2.81 µg.mL- 1) was reached at 2 h, while elimination was long (t1/2 = 18.68 h). CONCLUSIONS: The model, based on in vitro data and adjusted for formulation components and in vivo data, was effective in predicting chloramphenicol flux to ensure the MIC for Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis was reached, with serum levels being well above the MICs for other common bacterial pathogens in frogs. Chloramphenicol's extended elimination means that a 6-h bath may be adequate to maintain serum levels for up to 24 h. We suggest trialling a reduction of the currently-recommended continuous (23 h/day for 21-35 days) chloramphenicol bathing for chytrid infection with this formulation.


Subject(s)
Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacokinetics , Bufo marinus/metabolism , Chloramphenicol/pharmacokinetics , Skin Absorption , Administration, Cutaneous , Animals , Anti-Bacterial Agents/administration & dosage , Anti-Bacterial Agents/blood , Batrachochytrium/drug effects , Bufo marinus/microbiology , Chloramphenicol/administration & dosage , Chloramphenicol/blood , Microbial Sensitivity Tests
4.
Gerodontology ; 38(4): 325-337, 2021 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33977554

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To explore the current status of gerodontology in the undergraduate dental curriculum. BACKGROUND: Internationally, there is recognition for the need to include gerodontology in dental education due to accelerating numbers of older dentate people. There is wide variation in the content and method of delivery of gerodontology in undergraduate curricula of dental schools. METHODS: A scoping review framework was chosen to identify existing gaps and key concepts in the research on current undergraduate gerodontology education. Arksey and O'Malley's framework was used with the qualitative data analysis software NVivo to identify comparable information on geriatric dental education. RESULTS: Five themes were highlighted in the studies including (1) gerodontology curriculum content, (2) attitudes, skills and knowledge of undergraduate dental students, (3) didactic teaching, (4) elective and compulsory teaching, and (5) extra-mural learning. The review found large variations in methodologies, presentation of data and findings. All studies emphasised a need for greater inclusion of gerodontology content in the undergraduate dental curriculum. CONCLUSION: The review found limited research reporting on the educational outcomes of gerodontology in dental curricula with a lack of comprehensive information to inform gerodontology content in dental schools. This review has highlighted the need for national and international guidelines to ensure mandatory inclusion of sufficient and specific gerodontology training to prepare graduates for a growing dentate frail and care-dependent population.


Subject(s)
Education, Dental , Schools, Dental , Aged , Curriculum , Humans
5.
Aust J Rural Health ; 29(3): 341-353, 2021 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34148266

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To explore pharmacist and stakeholder perspectives of pharmacists providing expanded services in rural community pharmacies. DESIGN: A descriptive qualitative study with an ethnographic lens of rural culture collected data via in-depth semi-structured interviews with stakeholder representatives and rural and remote pharmacists. SETTING: Regional, rural and remote practice settings as defined by the Modified Monash Model MM3-MM7. PARTICIPANTS: Twelve rural or remote pharmacists and eight stakeholder representatives from various government and professional organisations participated in the study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Macro-, meso- and micro-level perspectives of pharmacists providing expanded pharmacy services in rural community pharmacies. RESULT: At the macro-level, both pharmacists and stakeholders agreed that governance is needed to clarify the terms used to describe expanded practice as a first step to developing an expanded practice framework. The meso-level revealed that pharmacist participants expected expanded practice to improve rural pharmacist recruitment and retention through improved professional satisfaction. The importance of effective collaboration and coordination with other health care providers in a community was described by pharmacists and stakeholders to ensure success of expanded services. All participants agreed that sustainability of these services relied on appropriate remuneration. At the micro-level, expanded pharmacy services are expected to save consumers' time and money as patients are redirected into appropriate health care settings. CONCLUSION: Enablers and barriers across policy, health professional, consumer and community levels need to be addressed in order to design and develop sustainable expanded pharmacy services to improve health service provision in rural and remote communities.


Subject(s)
Community Pharmacy Services , Pharmacies , Pharmacists , Australia , Humans , Professional Role , Rural Health Services , Rural Population
6.
Aust J Rural Health ; 29(2): 226-235, 2021 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33982842

ABSTRACT

Distribution of the Australian health workforce is uneven, with the majority of health professionals favouring metropolitan areas over rural and remote regions. Although nurses account for the largest proportion of the Australian rural and remote health workforce, difficulties with staff recruitment and retention can impact the health care outcomes of these vulnerable populations. Satellite university campuses that offer undergraduate nursing programs might therefore contribute to a more sustainable rural and remote nursing workforce. This narrative literature review aimed at investigating the barriers and enablers that affect students enrolled at satellite nursing campuses, education delivery methods and academic and non-academic strategies employed to enhance the student learning experience. The literature was reviewed across 6 health and education databases. After screening, 12 articles met the inclusion criteria and were analysed, and the data were synthesised using a thematic approach. Three themes arose from the review: student characteristics and associated barriers and enablers to studying nursing at a satellite campus; teaching strategies and learning experiences; and academic and pastoral support. Students studying at satellite campuses were found to have different education experiences and faced challenges unique to their context; however, home support networks and small class sizes were seen as enabling factors. Education delivery methods and support strategies varied depending on remoteness and resources available. Consideration of the factors that affect satellite campus nursing students has the potential to increase student satisfaction and retention, which could result in a more sustainable rural and remote nursing workforce.


Subject(s)
Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate , Rural Health Services , Students, Nursing , Australia , Health Workforce , Humans , Universities
7.
Rural Remote Health ; 21(3): 6158, 2021 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34304577

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Expanding community pharmacists' scope of practice, in rural and remote locations has the potential to improve access to health care and health outcomes. Internationally, a lack of support from other health professionals (HPs) has presented a barrier to the uptake of expanded pharmacy models. Rural allied health workers, including pharmacists, however, already work across an extended scope using generalist and specialist skills to meet unique community needs with limited infrastructure for support. Limited data on expanded practice from Australia prompted this study to explore Australian rural and remote doctor, nurse and allied health perspectives of expanded pharmacy services in non-metropolitan settings. METHODS: An ethnographic lens of rural culture was applied to this descriptive qualitative study. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with HPs working in rural and remote locations in Australia. Inductive and deductive thematic analysis was guided by a multi-level lens of macro- (policy level), meso- (HP level) and micro- (consumer and community level) perspectives. The World Health Organization (WHO) framework for integrated people-centred health services provided strategies to align to the theoretical framework for the analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-three rural and remote HPs (doctors (8), nurses (4), allied HPs (11)) participated. Key themes identified included supportive government and funding provisions (macro); collaboration with other health providers (meso); ensuring pharmacists have the required knowledge, skills, quality assurance and safety measures in place (meso); pharmacists' capacity, including time and space (meso); and opportunity to empower and engage consumers through rural community pharmacies (micro). CONCLUSION: As pharmacists internationally continue to develop their expanded scope of practice, these results provide the first evidence for Australian rural pharmacists to consider when planning for and developing expanded practice models. Recognition of challenges and motivators for pharmacists' expanded practice are highlighted. Engagement of both government and rural health providers is seen as crucial for expanded models of pharmacy practice to evolve to deliver improved health outcomes for rural and remote communities.


Subject(s)
Community Pharmacy Services , Pharmacies , Pharmacy , Australia , Humans , Pharmacists , Professional Role
8.
Health Commun ; 35(4): 456-464, 2020 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30676104

ABSTRACT

University students are exposed to casual smoking, increasing their risk of developing nicotine addiction, which can extend into adulthood. A novel anti-tobacco intervention being investigated is the use of health warnings on individual cigarette sticks. We explored the perceptions of university students on the effectiveness of health warnings on cigarette packaging and individual cigarette sticks. An online survey was distributed to first-year university students enrolled at a regional university in North-Eastern Australia. Participants rated on 5-point Likert scales and commented using open-text comment boxes, the effectiveness of current cigarette packaging warnings, and 12 text warnings (divided into four themes; immediate and short-term consequences [ISC], long-term and mortality consequences [LMC], social and financial consequences [SFC], and supportive messages to quit [SMQ]) on individual cigarette sticks, in preventing non-smokers from smoking, and in encouraging current smokers to quit. Participants (n = 479; Mean age = 22 years) rated three themes (ISC, LMC, and SFC) as being overall more effective (all p < .001) than current packaging warnings (Odds Ratios = 5.93 [4.51-7.80], 3.60 [2.79-4.64], and 2.86 [2.21-3.69] respectively). Participants described a desensitisation to current packaging warnings, and the novel warnings displayed potentially overcoming this issue, with over 85% agreeing that individual cigarette sticks should include health warnings. Health warnings on cigarette sticks may serve as an effective means in reducing tobacco use, with the provision of this additional intervention for communicating the health and other negative consequences of smoking likely reinforcing the effects of current packaging warnings.


Subject(s)
Smoking Cessation , Tobacco Products , Adult , Australia , Humans , Perception , Product Labeling , Smoking Prevention , Students , Universities , Young Adult
9.
Dysphagia ; 35(4): 616-629, 2020 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31616996

ABSTRACT

Dementia is reported to be the overall fourth leading non-communicable cause of death, and accounted for almost two million deaths worldwide (3.5% of the total number) in 2016. Dysphagia and aspiration pneumonia secondary to dementia are the two most serious comorbidities. As the dementia progresses and the severity of an individual's dysphagia increases, the question of whether to commence an artificial nutrition or allow a person to continue to eat and drink orally is raised, both having associated risks. The purpose of this study was to establish current perspectives regarding the method(s) of feeding being used or preferred, once an individual with dementia has reached the end stages of the disease and is unable to swallow safely and efficiently, and ascertain the reasons for the choice made. An online search was completed, and articles published in English available up to April 2018 were considered for inclusion. Hand searching inclusive of the grey literature was also completed to obtain the maximum amount of relevant information. The total yield numbered 1888 studies, and following exclusions, full text studies deemed suitable for review amounted to 18. Themes were generated during the review process, relevant information was extracted, and six main themes emerged: feeding method; aspiration pneumonia; mortality; malnutrition; ethical considerations, and religion. The review indicated that the preferred method of feeding in end-stage dementia was artificial nutrition, in most cases via percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy. However, despite the perceived advantage of providing artificial nutrition, no convincing evidence was found to support the use of tube feeding in end-stage dementia. In fact, initiating tube feeding was considered to have adverse effects such as aspiration pneumonia, malnutrition and expedited death. Longitudinal research regarding current practice is therefore indicated to establish an optimal procedure for individuals with end-stage dementia and dysphagia.


Subject(s)
Deglutition Disorders/psychology , Deglutition Disorders/therapy , Dementia/psychology , Feeding Methods/psychology , Patient Preference , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Decision Making , Deglutition Disorders/mortality , Dementia/complications , Dementia/mortality , Enteral Nutrition/mortality , Enteral Nutrition/psychology , Feeding Methods/mortality , Female , Humans , Male , Malnutrition/etiology , Malnutrition/psychology , Malnutrition/therapy , Pneumonia, Aspiration/etiology , Pneumonia, Aspiration/mortality
10.
J Vet Pharmacol Ther ; 43(1): 91-95, 2020 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31769075

ABSTRACT

Frogs have permeable skin, so transdermal delivery provides a practical alternative to traditional dosing routes. However, little is known about how frog skin permeability differs interspecifically, and there are different reported clinical outcomes following topical application of the same chemical in different frog species. This study collated in vitro absorption kinetic data previously reported for two frog species: the green tree frog (Litoria caerulea) and the cane toad (Rhinella marina), and used linear mixed-effects modelling to produce a model of absorption. Histology of skin samples from each species was performed to observe morphological differences that may affect absorption. Absorption kinetics differed significantly between species, with the logP of the applied chemical a better predictor of permeability than molecular weight. Application site also influenced permeability, with dorsal permeability consistently higher in cane toads. Ventral permeability was more consistent between species. Skin thickness differed between species and skin regions, and this may explain the differences in absorption kinetics. Guidelines for selecting chemicals and dosing site when treating frogs are presented. The permeability differences identified may explain the poor reproducibility reported in the treatment of disease across frog species, and reinforces the importance of considering interspecies differences when designing therapeutic treatments for frogs.


Subject(s)
Anura , Benzoic Acid/pharmacokinetics , Caffeine/pharmacokinetics , Ibuprofen/pharmacokinetics , Skin , Animals , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/administration & dosage , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/chemistry , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/pharmacokinetics , Antifungal Agents/administration & dosage , Antifungal Agents/chemistry , Antifungal Agents/pharmacokinetics , Benzoic Acid/administration & dosage , Benzoic Acid/chemistry , Caffeine/administration & dosage , Caffeine/chemistry , Central Nervous System Stimulants/administration & dosage , Central Nervous System Stimulants/chemistry , Central Nervous System Stimulants/pharmacokinetics , Ibuprofen/administration & dosage , Ibuprofen/chemistry , Permeability , Skin Absorption , Species Specificity
11.
Med Mycol ; 57(2): 204-214, 2019 Feb 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29566178

ABSTRACT

Captive and wild amphibians are under threat of extinction from the deadly fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). The antifungal drug terbinafine (TBF) is used by pet owners to treat Bd-infected frogs; however, it is not widely used in academic or zoological institutions due to limited veterinary clinical trials. To assess TBF's efficacy, we undertook treatment trials and pharmacokinetic studies to investigate drug absorption and persistence in frog skin; and then we correlated these data to the minimal lethal concentrations (MLC) against Bd. Despite an initial reduction in zoospore load, the recommended treatment (five daily 5 min 0.01% TBF baths) was unable to cure experimentally infected alpine tree frogs and naturally infected common eastern froglets. In vitro and in vivo pharmacokinetics showed that absorbed TBF accumulates in frog skin with increased exposure, indicating its suitability for treating cutaneous pathogens via direct application. The MLC of TBF for zoosporangia was 100 µg/ml for 2 h, while the minimal inhibitory concentration was 2 µg/ml, suggesting that the drug concentration absorbed during 5 min treatments is not sufficient to cure high Bd burdens. With longer treatments of five daily 30 min baths, Bd clearance improved from 12.5% to 50%. A higher dose of 0.02% TBF resulted in 78% of animals cured; however, clearance was not achieved in all individuals due to low TBF skin persistence, as the half-life was less than 2 h. Therefore, the current TBF regime is not recommended as a universal treatment against Bd until protocols are optimized, such as with increased exposure frequency.


Subject(s)
Antifungal Agents/administration & dosage , Antifungal Agents/pharmacokinetics , Anura/microbiology , Chytridiomycota/drug effects , Mycoses/veterinary , Terbinafine/administration & dosage , Terbinafine/pharmacokinetics , Animals , Antifungal Agents/pharmacology , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Microbial Sensitivity Tests , Microbial Viability/drug effects , Mycoses/drug therapy , Skin/drug effects , Skin/metabolism , Skin/microbiology , Spores, Fungal/drug effects , Terbinafine/pharmacology , Treatment Outcome
12.
Aust J Rural Health ; 27(2): 132-138, 2019 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31006952

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This two-phase study aimed to explore the influence of a university rural curriculum and clinical placements on pharmacists' choice to practise in a rural or remote area. DESIGN: A sequential mixed-methods approach involved the design of both a questionnaire and semistructured in-depth interviews to collect quantitative and qualitative data. SETTING: Regional, rural and remote practice areas according to the Pharmacy Access/Remoteness Index of Australia classifications. PARTICIPANTS: Ninety-two pharmacists from varied areas of practice, working in rural and remote locations across Australia, participated in the study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: University curriculum and clinical placements during the degree and their influence on the current rural workforce. RESULTS: In the survey sample, two-thirds of the current rural pharmacy workforce's choice of practice location was significantly influenced by positive rural placement experiences. Rural practice was, however, not included in the curriculum for 50% of the rural workforce in the sample, although graduates from regional universities experienced up to 80% more exposure to rural curricula. In this sample, rural origin was also not found to be a significant determinant of rural practice, while rural lifestyle, family commitments, remuneration, career opportunities and other contractual agreements have had a greater influence than university education. CONCLUSION: Although the positive influence of rural placements has been identified, there is still a way to go in terms of the development of a meaningful rural curriculum. This highlights that universities have a role to play in addressing this issue to produce graduates who are better prepared for the opportunities and challenges of rural pharmacy practice.


Subject(s)
Career Choice , Education, Pharmacy/organization & administration , Pharmaceutical Services/organization & administration , Pharmacists/psychology , Professional Practice Location , Rural Health Services/organization & administration , Workforce/organization & administration , Adult , Australia , Curriculum , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Pharmacists/statistics & numerical data , Rural Population/statistics & numerical data , Young Adult
13.
J Environ Manage ; 219: 189-207, 2018 Aug 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29747102

ABSTRACT

Pharmaceuticals, which are frequently detected in natural and wastewater bodies as well as drinking water have attracted considerable attention, because they do not readily biodegrade and may persist and remain toxic. As a result, pharmaceutical residues pose on-going and potential health and environmental risks. To tackle these emerging contaminants, advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) such as photo-Fenton, sonolysis, electrochemical oxidation, radiation and ozonation etc. have been applied to remove pharmaceuticals. These processes utilize the high reactivity of hydroxyl radicals to progressively oxidize organic compounds to innocuous products. This review provides an overview of the findings from recent studies, which have applied AOPs to degrade pharmaceutical compounds. Included is a discussion that links various factors of TiO2-mediated photocatalytic treatment to its effectiveness in degrading pharmaceutical residues. This review furthermore highlights the success of AOPs in the removal of pharmaceuticals from different water matrices and recommendations for future studies are outlined.


Subject(s)
Pharmaceutical Preparations , Water Pollutants, Chemical , Water Purification , Oxidation-Reduction , Wastewater , Water
14.
Aust J Rural Health ; 26(6): 384-393, 2018 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30431209

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this review was to scope the impact of university rural curriculum and rural clinical placements on students' intentions to practise rurally and rural pharmacists' choice of rural practice. DESIGN: The scoping review used Arskey and O'Malley's methodological framework, searching the following databases: MEDLINE, CINAHL, Informit and Scopus. This scoping review followed PRISMA for article reporting. SETTING: Studies were selected from those conducted in Australia, USA, Canada and Africa. PARTICIPANTS: Pharmacy undergraduate students, interns, registered and academic pharmacists were included. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The pharmacy curriculum at universities and placements undertaken, specifically in rural and remote settings, were evaluated to determine their influence on intention to practise as a rural pharmacist. RESULTS: The search strategy generated 294 records, 31 of which were included in the scoping review. Key findings were mapped to two domains, which broadly included the impact of rural placements and curriculum on intention to practise rurally. Some universities have attempted to introduce a rural curriculum, but reported resources as a barrier and the lack of resulting evidence of students' intention to practise rurally. Although results indicate rural placements have had a positive influence on students' intention to work rurally, this intention has been measured immediately after exposure to rural practice and might not reflect future intentions. CONCLUSION: This review highlights significant gaps in the impact particularly of a rural curriculum and rural clinical placements in relation to the current rural pharmacist workforce. A greater understanding of this topic may guide recommendations for future strategies to address rural pharmacy workforce maldistribution.


Subject(s)
Career Choice , Education, Pharmacy/organization & administration , Professional Practice Location , Rural Health Services/standards , Rural Health/education , Students, Pharmacy/psychology , Workforce/standards , Adult , Africa , Australia , Canada , Curriculum , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , United States
16.
Int J Clin Pharm ; 46(1): 26-39, 2024 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37688737

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Look-alike medications, where ampoules or vials of intravenous medications look similar, may increase the risk of medication errors in the perioperative setting. AIM: This scoping review aimed to identify and explore the issues related to look-alike medication incidents in the perioperative setting and the reported risk reduction interventions. METHOD: Eight databases were searched including: CINAHL Complete, Embase, OVID Emcare, Pubmed, Scopus, Informit, Cochrane and Prospero and reported using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Key search terms included anaesthesia, adverse drug event, drug error or medication error, look alike sound alike, operating theatres and pharmacy. Title and abstracts were screened independently and findings were extracted using validated tools in collaboration and consensus with co-authors. RESULTS: A total of 2567 records were identified to 4th July 2022; however only 18 publications met the inclusion criteria. Publication types consisted of case reports, letters to the editor, multimodal quality improvement activities or survey/audits, a controlled simulation study and one randomised clinical trial. Risk reduction intervention themes identified included regulation, procurement, standardisation of storage, labelling, environmental factors, teamwork factors and the safe administration. CONCLUSION: This review highlighted challenges with look-alike medications in the perioperative setting and identified interventions for risk reduction. Key interventions did not involve technology-based solutions and further research is required to assess their effectiveness in preventing patient harm.


Subject(s)
Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions , Medication Errors , Humans , Medication Errors/prevention & control , Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions/epidemiology , Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions/prevention & control , Risk Reduction Behavior , Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
17.
Int J Pharm Pract ; 32(1): 61-68, 2024 Feb 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37963473

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Many transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people access care through community pharmacy in Australia. However, there is limited information available about the role of Australian pharmacists in providing care for TGD people. OBJECTIVE: To explore the attitudes, practices, and training needs of pharmacists in the provision of care for TGD people in Australia. METHOD: Pharmacists Australia-wide were invited to participate in an online survey through Facebook, e-newsletters of pharmacy organizations and a professional pharmacy journal. Quantitative data were analysed for descriptive and inferential statistics. A Fisher exact test was used to investigate associations between two variables. Results with P value <0.05 were considered statistically significant. Content analysis was used to analyse data from free-text responses. RESULT: Of the 169 respondents, the majority were female (75.1%), aged below 40 years (74%) and with less than 10 years of working experience as a pharmacist (58%). Although 95% of the sample agreed that they had an important role in the provision of care for TGD people, only 29.6% were confident about their knowledge of pharmacotherapeutic treatments for gender affirmation. Only 2.4% had received education about TGD care at university, and only 5.3% received any TGD healthcare training over the past 5 years. CONCLUSION: Although pharmacists had a positive attitude and recognized their role in TGD care, they expressed a lack of confidence in their knowledge to be a barrier to providing quality care. Most recommended the need for more education about TGD healthcare in pharmacy curricula and continuous professional education activities.


Subject(s)
Community Pharmacy Services , Transgender Persons , Humans , Male , Female , Aged , Pharmacists , Attitude of Health Personnel , Australia
18.
Explor Res Clin Soc Pharm ; 13: 100394, 2024 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38144882

ABSTRACT

Background: Disparities in healthcare for transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people are well-recognized, with pharmacists reporting a lack of knowledge impacting confidence in their interactions with TGD people. Therefore, a training program in TGD healthcare was designed to address this knowledge gap. Objective: To evaluate the impact of the TGD healthcare training program on the awareness, knowledge, and behaviour of pharmacists and pharmacy students in Australia. Method: An online training program was evaluated by pre-and post-test surveys, which assessed the knowledge and awareness of participants, and three-month post-training interviews, which examined the effect of training on pharmacists' practice when providing care to TGD people. Data were analyzed using paired t-tests, content and thematic analysis. Result: Fifty-six pharmacists and twenty-one pharmacy students completed the training and pre-and post-test surveys. Ten pharmacists were interviewed post-training. There was a significant improvement in the awareness (pharmacists, p ≤0.001; students, p = 0.006), knowledge (pharmacists and students, p ≤0.001) and total (pharmacists and students, p ≤0.001) post-test scores for both groups. Interviewed participants found the training program comprehensive and relevant to their practice. Conclusion: This study has demonstrated that educational interventions improve TGD healthcare awareness and knowledge for pharmacists and students with the potential to improve healthcare provision to TGD people and promote inclusivity in society.

19.
J Pharm Pharm Sci ; 16(3): 441-55, 2013.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24021292

ABSTRACT

Although the world's population is ageing and as a result of this an increasing number of patients are experiencing difficulty in swallowing, there remains a lack of commercially available oral liquids for both these older and paediatric patients. This presents a problem to health care professionals, especially the pharmacist in practice, who is often required to provide a solution for these patients by preparing oral liquids extemporaneously from commercially available products. Preparation of these oral liquids is challenging, both due to the lack of pharmacopoeial and stability-indicating formulae and the fact that their stability is not only determined by the active pharmaceutical ingredient, but also the ability of excipients from the commercial product to interact with each other and the active pharmaceutical ingredient. This increases the complexity of the stability considerations to be taken into account within these oral liquids, highlighting the number of parameters to be considered in the extemporaneous preparation of oral liquids. This paper presents new evidence on the stability of 42 oral liquids prepared from commercially available products, reported on in the literature since the previous review published in 2006. However, unlike the previous review where the stability concerns in 7.2% of the extemporaneously prepared oral liquids were mainly due to interaction between the active pharmaceutical ingredients and the excipients in the commercial product, most of these stability considerations have been recognised and this has resulted in the authors proposing solutions to these problems prior to the extemporaneous preparation of the oral liquid. As such this paper also focuses on the increased level of research that has been undertaken to solve previous issues related to stability, especially in terms of the use of commercial products, which is common practice in the extemporaneous preparation of oral liquids.


Subject(s)
Drug Stability , Excipients/administration & dosage , Pharmaceutical Solutions/administration & dosage , Pharmaceutical Solutions/chemistry , Administration, Oral , Humans , Pharmacists
20.
Aust Prescr ; 41(6): 191-193, 2018 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30670887
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