Pharmacists' Attitude to the Introduction of Automated Techniques in the Delivery of Pharmaceutical Services in Selected Nigerian Teaching Hospitals

This study has investigated the attitude of hospital pharmacists toward the introduction of automated techniques in the delivery of pharmaceutical services in three Nigerian Teaching Hospitals. The results obtained from this survey showed that pharmacists have a good understanding of the various forms of automated techniques in pharmacy operations. The general perception showed that these techniques will impact positively on different aspects of the pharmacists' functions including routine dispensing, drug inventory management, and administrative tasks. Computerization of the appropriate database and ease of accessibility including an online communication network within the health system would ease the pharmacists' administrative functions. The respondents felt that their pharmaceutical care functions would be enhanced greatly as the routine manual tasks are taken care of with the automation. In particular, the pharmacists' time would be released for a close monitoring of patient drug therapy and provision of drug information services. The general consensus was that appropriate training workshops and continuing pharmacy education programs would provide practicing pharmacists with the required skill to manage automated pharmacy systems.

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An Online Module Series to Prepare Pharmacists to Facilitate Cognitive Pharmaceutical Services

International Journal of Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences ◽

10.26452/ijrps.v12i1.3913 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 66-71

Author(s):

Deepalakshmi M ◽

Vijay V ◽

Navaneethakrishnan S ◽

Manikandan P ◽

Arun K P ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Treatment Options ◽

Pharmacy Practice ◽

Community Pharmacists ◽

Pharmaceutical Services ◽

Pharmacy Education ◽

Lifestyle Modifications ◽

Education Programs ◽

Patient Counselling ◽

Online Module ◽

Continuing Pharmacy Education

An online module series offered to prepare pharmacists to facilitate cognitive pharmaceutical services. Four e-courses were uploaded in the e-based continuing pharmacy education (CPE) for community pharmacists. The four courses offered were the patient counselling aspects of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, peptic ulcer and asthma. Each course covered the necessary information about the disease, brief pathophysiology, treatment options, lifestyle modifications, expected side effects, ADR of treatment, Dos and Don’ts by the patients. The contents of these courses were presented online in the form of slides in reading format. The presentation included text, pictures and graphs. Out of 70 respondents, about 65.71% of (n=46) were male. Majority of the pharmacists (68.57%), (n=48) found to be D.Pharm. Holders Among 70 pharmacists about 55 pharmacists completed the patient counselling modules Majority of the respondents (n=38; 54%) believed that increasing the knowledge of the pharmacists would help to enhance the present status of pharmacy practice. More than three fourth (n=53; 76%) of the community pharmacists responded that continuing pharmacy education programs to be attended to develop their professional expertise. The feedback on the e-learn modules undergone by the participants was very encouraging and promising. All the participants agreed that the faculty of the module had got sound knowledge, and the modules were practical. This study's results suggest that a series of self-paced online modules with appropriate content can improve pharmacists confidence to provide cognitive pharmaceutical service.

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