scholarly journals Pharmacy Services beyond the Basics: A Qualitative Study to Explore Perspectives of Pharmacists towards Basic and Enhanced Pharmacy Services in Pakistan

Author(s):  
Muhammad Atif ◽  
Wajiha Razzaq ◽  
Irem Mushtaq ◽  
Iram Malik ◽  
Madiha Razzaq ◽  
...  

Enhanced pharmacy services have been identified as a mechanism to address medicines and drug-related problems. The aim of the study was to explore the perspectives of practicing pharmacists on the scope of pharmacy service provision in Pakistan. This qualitative study was conducted at the Department of Pharmacy, the Islamia University of Bahawalpur (IUB). Face-to-face, in-depth interviews were conducted with practicing pharmacists at the university who were undertaking postgraduate studies. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis. A total of 13 pharmacists were interviewed. The analysis of data yielded four themes and 12 subthemes. The themes included the current scenario of pharmacy services, the benefits of pharmacy services, barriers to implementation of pharmacy services, and strategies to improve their delivery. Pharmacist participants reported that patient-oriented pharmacy services have not been properly implemented in Pakistan. Pharmacists appear to be undertaking only conventional roles at various levels within the healthcare system. The participants indicated multiple benefits of patient-oriented pharmacy services, including safe and effective use of medicines, minimization of drug-related problems, and financial benefits to the healthcare system. Based on the findings, policy-makers are required to take the necessary steps to overcome pharmacist-related and policy-related barriers associated with the implementation of patient-oriented pharmacy services in Pakistan.

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 87-892
Author(s):  
Zelal Kharaba ◽  
Rozina Kousar ◽  
Yassen Alfoteih ◽  
Saira Azhar ◽  
Shujaat Ali Khan ◽  
...  

Purpose: To evaluate the perception of nurses regarding pharmaceutical care services in the healthcare system of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) Province of Pakistan.Methods: This qualitative study was implemented by conducting semi-structured interviews. For data collection, interviews (face-to-face) were conducted after developing an interview guide. The interviewees were 18 nurses and were interviewed at their nursing stations in hospitals.  Interviews were continued until the data reached a saturation point. The respondents signed a written consent form before the start of the interview.Results: From the thematic content analysis, five major themes were extracted as stated here: (a) incognizance of pharmaceutical care; (b) collaboration of nurses and pharmacists; (c) improper distribution system; (d) lack of provision of patient counseling; and (e) pharmacist’s role in reducing prescribing errors.Conclusion: Based to the findings, Pakistani nurses have poor knowledge of pharmaceutical care, thus highlighting the need for organizing pharmaceutical care awareness programs for nurses. On the other hand, nurses have a positive perception of pharmacists’ roles in the healthcare system and want to work with them. Keywords: Perception, Pharmaceutical care, Qualitative study, Nurse, Patient care


2013 ◽  
Vol 74 (6) ◽  
pp. 605-618 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trina J. Magi ◽  
Patricia E. Mardeusz

For decades, academic librarians have provided individual research consultations for students. There is little information, however, about why students schedule consultations, the kinds of assistance students feel are provided by librarians during consultations, and what students find valuable about face-to-face consultations, even with the availability of online research help. This exploratory, qualitative study of individual research consultations at the University of Vermont gathered students’ views on these questions. The findings will help librarians better understand how individual consultations serve students and what role consultations should play in the mix of reference services offered.


Scientifica ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heshmatolah Heydari ◽  
Hooman Shahsavari ◽  
Abdolrahim Hazini ◽  
Alireza Nikbakht Nasrabadi

With increasing chronic diseases, the use of home care is rising in the world. Home care in Iran has many challenges and to improve that, we should identify the challenges and barriers of home care. The aim of this study was to identify and explore the barriers of home care in Iran. This is a qualitative study with content analysis approach that was conducted in Iran in 2015. Fourteen key informants comprising health policymakers, faculty members, nurses, and physicians as well as patients and families engaged in home care purposefully participated in this study. Data was obtained using face-to-face semistructured interviews. A focus group discussion was also used to complete the findings. Graneheim and Lundman’s approach was used for analysis of data and Lincoln and Guba’s criteria were used to confirm the trustworthiness of study’s findings. The data were divided into three main categories and eight subcategories. Main categories included treatment-based approach in the healthcare system, cultural dimensions, and the lack of adequate infrastructure. A position for home care in the healthcare system, considering cultural dimensions in Iranian society and providing an appropriate infrastructure, can be beneficial to improve the situation of home care services in Iran.


2022 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Tanupriya Saxena ◽  
Ruchi Srivastava ◽  
Chetan Chandra

COVID-19 pandemic has caused worldwide havoc. The present healthcare system is ruined, distancing both patients and doctors. To avoid transmission of infection, travel restrictions were made, making the patient’s visit to the doctor difficult. However, routine checkups for patients not infected with COVID-19 should be given without the threat of getting exposed to other patients in the hospital. In this respect, telemedicine becomes a reliable source that provides health services as well as reduces the infection spread. The first known evidence of real-time (live) video consultation occurred in 1959 at the University of Nebraska where doctors used telemedicine to transmit neurological examinations to students. During the first 3 months of 2020, there was a 50% increase in telehealth visits. Most patients from January to March 2020 approached for a condition other than COVID-19. Many telemedicine applications have been launched for teleconsultation such as Practo, Mfine, TATA Health, and Doctor 24 × 7 provide teleconsultation. Telemedicine has shown a huge impact on the present healthcare system during this pandemic and has placed itself in the spotlight during recent times. Through this paper, the role of telemedicine in the current scenario of pandemics and its development through recent times is discussed.


Author(s):  
Muhammad Aziz ◽  
Minghuan Jiang ◽  
Imran Masood ◽  
Jie Chang ◽  
Shan Zhu ◽  
...  

Background: Community pharmacies are an integrated part of healthcare systems worldwide. In low and middle income countries like Pakistan, the paradigm of pharmacy practice is shifting from dispensing medicines to clinical activities. There are disparities in these practices according to location. Pharmacies in urban localities are better than those in rural areas. This qualitative study was conducted to explore patients’ expectations and current practices in rural pharmacies. Methods: A cohort of adult pharmacy visitors (aged > 18 years) that reside in rural community was selected. Consenting participants were recruited by purposive sampling technique until thematic saturation level was achieved. A total of 34 patients were interviewed. Face-to-face interviews were conducted using a semi structured interview guide. All the data were transcribed and used to originate the themes. Results: On analysis, a total of 20 themes were obtained. Sixteen themes pronounced the current provided services. Four themes provided some suggestions for the development of better pharmacies. On call services to provide medicines, limited free extended pharmacy services, interest in patients’ wellbeing, appropriate referral, vaccination, free medical camp, medical services at home, first aid, and counseling were appreciated by patients. Patients stated that medicines are inappropriately stored in unhygienic conditions, prices of medicines are comparatively high, and medicines are substandard. Unavailability of medicines, inept dispensing, limited staffing with poor knowledge, limited working hours, and quackery promotion are challenges in rural pharmacy practice. Patients say that non marginal pricing, informative services, new legislation, and proper vigilance by officials can improve the pharmacy services in rural communities. Conclusions: Patients alleged that rural pharmacies perform deprived practices. To improve service, new legislation and the proper implementation of existing law is needed.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Azam Naderi ◽  
Abbas Abbaszadeh ◽  
Rostam Jalali ◽  
Marzieh Pazokian ◽  
Camelia Rohani

Abstract Background Nurse prescribing is a successful innovation in the role of nurses in the world. It is crucial to assess the challenges of nurse prescribing roles in the Intensive Care Units (ICU), due to the needs of the patients in these units. This qualitative study aimed was to explore the experts’ experiences regarding lack of the legality of nurse prescribing in ICU in the healthcare system of Iran. Methods Data were collected through semi structured face-to-face interviews with 33 experts chosen according to purposive and snowballing sampling with maximum variation. The interviews were analysed using Graneheim and Lundman's conventional content analysis method. After overviewing the interviews, semantic units, codes, subcategories, categories and themes were extracted. The qualitative data were analysed using MAXQDA software version 10. Results The main theme of the study was “The current challenges due to the illegality of nurse prescribing” with five categories and 12 subcategories. The five categories included the "current reality of illegal prescribing", "patient safety threat", "current conflicts", "physician as an autocratic group," and "prescribing demands." Conclusion Despite the nurse prescribing role has been legalized and implemented in many countries, there is still no law in the ICU and other places in Iran, and this lack of legality has led to the conflicts and challenges for the patients, nurses and healthcare system. The legality of nurse prescribing in the ICU can prevent medication errors and endangering patient safety.


Author(s):  
Elisabeth Näverå ◽  
Maria Spante

Team Research Support and Publishing at University West’s Library consists of four librarians who guide researchers and doctoral students in issues regarding publishing strategies, bibliometrics, Information Literacy and how to make research publications available e.g. in the local repository DiVA. The service is frequently used in several ways by various researchers in accordance with their special needs. The  case is originally based on three meetings between a librarian and a researcher entailing individual texts of reflections. This presentation accentuates the benefits of the discussions through the perspectives of collaborative learning and work-integrated learning. These benefits will thus be highlighted through the experiences from continuous face-to-face appointments with focus on information seeking activities and the effective use of databases.  The meetings between the librarian and the researcher are affected by the fact that both work categories bring their specific professional competences into the discussions. In the dialogues they thus  become each other’s teachers as well as students. The mixed situation of being the bearer of both roles  simultaneously is dealt with by the interacting participants and the co-created meetings are carried through,  and filled with contents, by the professionals themselves. Furthermore, this case emphasizes as well as  problematizes this situation starting off from the individual professionals points of view. Finally, this study  recommends the university management to encourage as well as create conditions for further  interprofessional encounters at work in order to support Work-integrated learning in and for the  organization.


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