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Background: Patients with substance use disorders are often encountered in an acute care setting and withdrawal management is important. Available literature reveals inadequate acute management of substance withdrawal due to lack of experience and knowledge of medications. Methods: A quality improvement project was implemented to improve hospital pharmacists' knowledge, application, and practice of inpatient opioid and alcohol withdrawal management through provision of didactic and case-based education and implementation of practice based prospective drug utilization review (PDUR). Pharmacists' knowledge of the management of alcohol and opioid withdrawal was assessed by a 10-item survey pre-and post-intervention. Results: Twenty-one pharmacists completed the education and pre- and post-surveys. Scores for the 21 pharmacists improved significantly, with pre- and post-intervention scores of 7.33 ± 1.98 and 8.86 ± 0.91, respectively (P =.0035). Most pharmacists completed their required PDUR submission, and several pharmacist interventions were made and accepted post-education. Pharmacists indicated that the education increased their confidence and enabled them to learn new information that could be directly applied to their pharmacy practice. Conclusion: Providing education and requiring a PDUR improved pharmacists' knowledge, application, and practice of inpatient opioid and alcohol withdrawal management. Re-education or expanded education may be warranted to further increase pharmacists' competence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Pharmacists' clinical competency is necessary to ensure patient safety and medication optimization. There are many barriers to the implementation of competency assessments and scant literature on their implementation. We aimed to determine if a competency assessment program for hospital pharmacists is feasible, acceptable, and effective. Methods Clinical competency assessments of hospital pharmacists were conducted. During the assessments, pharmacists presented a patient case or completed patient care activities while a leadership team member evaluated them using a competency rubric and provided feedback. A postevaluation electronic survey adapted from validated tools regarding perceptions of program feasibility and acceptability was emailed to the pharmacists following each competency assessment and to evaluators at study conclusion. Feasibility was also measured through reviewing rubrics for completion within the 1.5- to 2-hour assessment timeframe. Effectiveness was captured by comparing results to expected competency levels based on experience. Results In total, 20 assessments were completed. Fifty percent of assessments required longer than the allotted timeframe. Most participants surveyed found the competency assessments implementable, possible, doable, and easy to use. The majority also approved of the implemented assessments and found them appealing, likable, and welcomed and commented that they aided in professional development. For 50% of the competencies assessed, most participants aligned with competency expectations based on years of experience. Conclusion The implementation of these competency assessments was found to be feasible and acceptable to hospital pharmacists. The rubric used was found to be moderately effective. Major implementation barriers were related to time constraints and criteria for success. Future work will be done to enhance the program's effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scholarly activities are essential for enhancing the pharmacy profession, as well as for personal career development. New practitioner pharmacists in academic or community medical center settings may hesitate to incorporate research into their practice if they feel that they do not have the appropriate resources and guidance. While residency provides structured support for research endeavors, new pharmacists may still find research activities daunting to initiate on their own. Many factors should be considered, including strategies for incorporating research into current roles, collaboration efforts, professional opportunities, and timeline considerations, to help pharmacists effectively implement research early in their careers. This article provides new practitioners with a roadmap to navigate challenges and achieve success when integrating scholarly activities into their practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of an antimicrobial stewardship bundle on the management of asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB). Methods In this quasi-experimental study, patients were selected by retrospective, consecutive sampling of patients with a positive urine culture report in 3 separate groups: preintervention, postdiagnostic intervention, and posteducation. Patients met the prespecified criteria for non–catheter-associated ASB. The diagnostic intervention involved a new urinalysis/urine culture ordering process in place of urinalysis with reflex to urine culture. Additionally, an educational intervention involved pharmacist-led sessions to educate providers with patient cases and guideline-based recommendations. The primary outcome of this study was the difference in the rate of inappropriate management of ASB, defined as the use of antimicrobial agents intended to treat ASB. Secondary outcomes included length of antimicrobial therapy, length of stay, and change in urine culture orders per 1,000 patient-days. Results A total of 120 patients were included. There was a significant reduction in the inappropriate management of ASB between the preintervention and postdiagnostic intervention groups (P = 0.0349). This was not seen when comparing the postdiagnostic intervention and posteducation groups (P = 0.93). Additionally, there was a significant difference in urinalysis/urine culture ordering between the preintervention and postdiagnostic intervention groups (370 vs 224 urinalysis orders per 1,000 days present, P < 0.0001; 131 vs 54 urine culture orders per 1,000 days present, P < 0.0001). Conclusion An antimicrobial stewardship bundle involving a diagnostic stewardship intervention and pharmacist-led education reduced treatment of ASB in patients without urinary catheters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pharmacists serve many important roles within the emergency department (ED) and frequently provide education on medications to clinicians and patients. Following a study that demonstrated a potential "analgesic ceiling" effect with ketorolac and suggested that doses lower than 30 mg IV may be effective, we implemented a reduced‐dose ketorolac pathway in our institution's ED. Aim: To assess the impact pharmacist education and on‐shift, active interventions had on ED clinicians' IV ketorolac prescribing habits. Method: This was a retrospective, quasi‐experimental study conducted to evaluate the effect of a brief pharmacist‐led educational email intervention on ketorolac prescribing habits within an ED at a large, academic medical center. All orders of IV ketorolac for adult patients in the ED 180 days prior to and following the educational email were included in the analysis. Results: Prior to the educational effort, 30 mg IV doses of ketorolac were most frequently ordered (n = 1772). However, following the educational effort, significantly fewer orders were for the 30 mg dose (n = 718) and the majority of orders were for 15 mg IV (n = 2081; p < 0.00001), consistent with the teaching from the intervention. Conclusion: In this study, a significant prescribing practice change was facilitated by pharmacist‐led email education supported by on‐shift active guidance for clinicians by pharmacists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Education Award of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan (PSJ) was conferred for "Contribution to pharmacy/pharmacist education through writing on organic chemistry." The award-winning activities were described in three parts section 1-3. Section 1 Importance of Research and Education in Organic Chemistry: In this section, it is explained that organic chemistry serves as the fundamental basis for a wide range of natural science disciplines studied in pharmaceutical departments. It emphasizes that having a solid foundation in organic chemistry is essential for pharmacists to understand pharmaceuticals. This knowledge contributes significantly in healthcare settings such as team-based medical care (interprofessional cooperation) with physicians and nurses, as well as in interactions with patients, providing a unique contribution that other professions cannot achieve. Section 2 Two Serial Articles Written on Organic Chemistry: This part mentions two serial articles that are beneficial for pharmacists and pharmaceutical researchers. These articles aimed to broaden specialized knowledge and provide practical information, contributing to pharmaceutical education and professional training for pharmacists. Section 3 Publication of New Organic Chemistry Textbooks: In this section, the introduction of textbooks and reference books in the field of organic chemistry for pharmaceutical education is highlighted. These educational materials were published to offer valuable information to pharmaceutical students and aspiring pharmacists, enhancing their expertise. These three writing activities significantly contributed to pharmaceutical education and the improvement of the professional work of pharmacists.

Our objectives were to describe pharmacist perceptions of training and preparation to prescribe hormonal contraception (HC), identify training gaps, and elicit preferred training methods. In this cross-sectional survey, pharmacists in the United States (US) completed an online 29-item survey. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze responses. Of 823 participating pharmacists, 58% felt they received adequate training to prescribe HC. Prescribing any medications within the last five years or completion of residency training were significantly associated with more participants feeling adequately trained. Of those who indicated HC was not covered in their pharmacy school curriculum, most (78%) felt they were either not adequately trained or unsure. Only 36% were aware of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention US Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use (CDC MEC). Residency-trained pharmacists were statistically more likely to have used the CDC MEC and feel comfortable prescribing for adolescents. Most participants desired more training about switching between products (80%) and patient specific product selection (72%). Preferred methods for additional training were basic (

An evolving area of pharmacist professional practice is performing as team members in general practice teams. To date, there is a paucity of literature to guide schools and colleges of pharmacy regarding the educational needs of pharmacists training for this area of practice. This study employed a three-round e-Delphi method with the aim of establishing a consensus position on educational needs of pharmacists intending to work in the general practice setting. Educators from all Australian universities with a pharmacy school were invited to participate as part of the expert panel. Delphi panellists completed two e-survey rounds. A panel videoconference was then completed with results of the discussion confirmed in a final third e-survey. This study defined a proportion of experts rating agree or strongly agree at ≥75% to determine consensus and disagree or strongly disagree at ≥75% to determine non-consensus. Ten of the 18 invited panellists agreed to participate in the study and completed both survey rounds; nine panellists completed the third-round survey. Twenty-six general practice pharmacist activities were identified as educational needs. Seventeen general practice pharmacist activities required no additional training. Five general practice pharmacist activities did not reach consensus. This study is one of the first investigations of educational needs of pharmacists wishing to practice in the general practice setting. The panel differentiated between activities that could be performed by less experienced pharmacists operating at a general level and those that would require further training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a degenerative disease with long-term treatment that requires knowledge and self-management to control blood sugar levels. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the provision of booklet and pharmacist education in improving knowledge and behavior of self-management of type 2 diabetes mellitus patient at Mayapada Hospital Tangerang. This study respondents were 90 people who were divided into 3 groups. Group 1 got booklet and education, group 2 got booklet only and control group did not get any treatment. Fasting Blood Glucose (FBG) levels before the intervention were in poorly controlled category and after intervention there was no significant change. There was an increase in the level of knowledge and self-management in group 1 and group 2. There was no significant change in FBG. Provision of booklet with education by pharmacist showed a higher increase in knowledge (p=0.02) and self management behavior (p

Introduction Following the release of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines in 2016, institutions are encouraged to have controlled substance agreements that require the use of drug screens for appropriate opioid prescribing. Correct evaluation of urine drug tests (UDTs) is essential for appropriate chronic prescribing of controlled substances. Anticipating the increase in use of these tests, our institution developed and implemented an educational program to improve knowledge of and comfort level with UDT interpretation. Methods The educational program was 30 minutes in duration and consisted of a PowerPoint presentation followed by informal discussion. All internal medicine and medicine/pediatrics residents were encouraged to attend. A survey assessing knowledge of and comfort level with interpreting UDTs before, immediately after, and 2 months following the educational program was used as an assessment tool. Results A total of 44 out of 76 residents at our institution attended the educational program. The majority (81.8%) had no prior education on UDT interpretation; however, most (97.7%) stated they interpreted UDTs monthly, and 22.7% had refused refills within the prior month based on UDT results. Change in residents' knowledge and change in residents' comfort were both found to be significantly increased following the educational program (p < .0001 for both variables). Discussion Significant increases in both comfort with and knowledge of UDT interpretation occurred following the educational program provided for medical residents, which supports its expansion to other institutions as an easy and effective means of promoting appropriate UDT evaluation.

Background Studies have highlighted the benefits of having community pharmacists to deliver cardiovascular screening to patients. However, only few of such trainings are provided in Malaysia. Objective To describe the implementation and evaluation of a cardiovascular train-the-trainer program for community pharmacists. Method Community pharmacists' attended a 5 h train-the-trainer program. A pre and post-training survey was administered to participants who attended the workshop to determine their requirements for education and effectiveness of the training provided. Results Forty community pharmacists participated and were trained with 35 of them completing both the pre and post training assessment. Participants self-reported confidence, knowledge and ability to conduct a workshop on cardiovascular health increased between 0.22 and 0.75 points post-training (p < 0.05). The program was rated as very good or excellent by 55% of participants. Eight participants implemented the program at 6 months follow-up within their own pharmacy organisations to further train another 114 participants on cardiovascular health. Conclusion Participation in a train-the-trainer program significantly increases community pharmacists' perceived ability and confidence in conducting a cardiovascular health workshop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Interprofessional education for collaborative practice is an important innovation globally and in US health professions education. The recent spotlight on interprofessional education in the United States was launched by a series of reports in the US Institute of Medicine''s Quality Chasm series. They raised concerns over medical errors and health care quality as significant sources of morbidity and mortality in the United States and proposed health professions'' education for patient-centered, team-based care as one means to address these concerns. Starting in 2007, binational, biennial conferences on interprofessional education have been held to synergize interprofessional education developments in the United States and Canada. In 2011, Collaborating Across Borders III, in Tucson, Arizona, drew 750 participants from 11 countries. The conference focused on interprofessional competency frameworks; strategies for preparing students for interprofessional practice; tailoring of learning environments for interprofessional education; and developing policy, infrastructure, culture, and faculty leadership for interprofessional education. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Aim: To evaluate the effect of pharmacogenomics (PGx) education for pharmacists. Materials & Methods: Three-part weekly webinar series occurred in 2021. Pharmacists were assessed on their PGx knowledge at baseline and after each webinar. The primary end point was a change in the percent of correct responses between the baseline and week 1 assessment. Secondary end points included change in knowledge at weeks 4-8 and change in self-efficacy. Results: In total, 19 of 58 participants were eligible for the primary analysis, which showed an average improvement of 37% (p < 0.0001). Knowledge remained consistent between week 1 and weeks 4-8. Average self-efficacy increased (p < 0.0001) and was maintained at weeks 4-8. Conclusion: The PGx webinar series resulted in a lasting improvement in PGx knowledge and self-efficacy.

As a teacher of biochemistry in a school of pharmacy, a basic subject in pharmacist education, I try to include applied topics such as the biochemical mechanisms of diseases and side effects of medicines in relation to basic knowledge of biochemistry for advanced subjects that students will learn in later years. In aging societies, many people visiting community pharmacies are elderly who tend to have health concerns other than diseases diagnosed by physicians. If asked, community pharmacists should be able to give advice on potential problems patients might have, in addition to giving explanations of medicines prescribed. Basic subjects covered in university pharmacy courses should be the most useful in such community settings.

The author reflects on the articles published within the issue about the role of pharmacists in improving the provision of transgender heath services. She talks about the basis of clinical guidelines for hormonal therapy, the position of pharmacists to make important contributions to the field, and the need for pharmacists to improve their cultural competence and familiarity with established hormone protocols for transgender and gender-nonconforming (TGNC) people.

Background: In collaboration with primary care oncologists, pharmacists can assist non-small cell lung cancer patients as they begin their new oral medications. Proper training for pharmacists in current treatments is critical for proper patient care when assisting with side effects, patient education, and facilitating patient engagement with their new therapy. Objectives: To evaluate an in-person pharmacist training session designed to familiarize pharmacists with newly available treatments in non-small cell lung cancer. Methods: Pharmacists from local oncology specialized pharmacies were randomly selected to either attend an in-person training or an online training at later time. This report focuses on the experiences of those who attended the in-person training only. The training consisted of a number of instructive and hands-on activities designed to familiarize them with new non-small cell lung cancer therapies. Approximately 3 months post-training, participants were sent a follow-up survey that assessed their confidence in patient interaction, comfort in disseminating information about therapy, pharmacist interventions made with patients, and frequency of patient interaction in the time since training. Results: Of the 30 pharmacists who completed the in-person training, 28 completed the follow-up survey. Most respondents rated themselves as “very” or “extremely” confident in their understanding of (75%), and ability to disseminate information about (78.6%) current treatment in non-small cell lung cancer therapy. Many (71.4%) had engaged in pharmacist interventions since training with the most commonly reported reasons for intervention being: supportive medication prescribed for side effect(s) (65%), held dose by healthcare professional as a result of pharmacist reported side effect(s) (35%), and triage to another healthcare team member (20%). Moreover, 39.3% reported that they felt they had interacted with patients more often than they had prior to training. Conclusions: This study found that pharmacists who completed a specialized training for a specific disease reported an increase in their confidence in interacting with patients regarding their treatment. This suggests that greater training of pharmacists may lead to greater therapeutic interventions and interactions with patients regarding their treatment regimens. This was a descriptive study and no comparisons made between the training group and untrained pharmacists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Following the release of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines in 2016, institutions are encouraged to have controlled substance agreements that require the use of drug screens for appropriate opioid prescribing. Correct evaluation of urine drug tests (UDTs) is essential for appropriate chronic prescribing of controlled substances. Anticipating the increase in use of these tests, our institution developed and implemented an educational program to improve knowledge of and comfort level with UDT interpretation., Methods: The educational program was 30 minutes in duration and consisted of a PowerPoint presentation followed by informal discussion. All internal medicine and medicine/pediatrics residents were encouraged to attend. A survey assessing knowledge of and comfort level with interpreting UDTs before, immediately after, and 2 months following the educational program was used as an assessment tool., Results: A total of 44 out of 76 residents at our institution attended the educational program. The majority (81.8%) had no prior education on UDT interpretation; however, most (97.7%) stated they interpreted UDTs monthly, and 22.7% had refused refills within the prior month based on UDT results. Change in residents' knowledge and change in residents' comfort were both found to be significantly increased following the educational program ( p < .0001 for both variables)., Discussion: Significant increases in both comfort with and knowledge of UDT interpretation occurred following the educational program provided for medical residents, which supports its expansion to other institutions as an easy and effective means of promoting appropriate UDT evaluation., Competing Interests: None to report.

In 2002, the Centre for the Advancement of Interprofessional Education (CAIPE) defined interprofessional education (IPE) as: Interprofessional Education occurs when two or more professions learn with, from, and about each other to improve collaboration and the quality of care. Since 2005, also in Japan, IPE has been introduced within educational institutions to train professionals in healthcare and welfare. Within pharmaceutical education, to acquire the "10 qualities required for pharmacists" indicated by revised model core curricula for pharmaceutical education in 2015, IPE is thought quite important. Meanwhile, highly advanced medical treatment is rapidly developing, and as a consequence home healthcare and long-term care must also be enlarged. As a countermeasure, an integrated community care system must be established, and pharmacists will be responsible for urgent tasks within the system. Four universities-Prefectural University, Saitama Medical University, Josai University, and the Nippon Institute of Technology-decided to implement a collaborative project with the philosophy of "realizing high-quality lifestyles for local residents". This project was adopted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology as a Program for Promoting Inter-University Collaborative Education for fiscal year 2012. In this symposium, I report on the relationship between this initiative and pharmacy education, as well as discuss expectations of IPE for pharmacist education in the future.

In the United States, pharmacists are responsible for the provision of safe, effective, efficient, and accountable medication related-care for hospital and health-system patients. Leveraging automated technologies, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacist extenders are the means through which efficient, effective, and safe medication use processes are created and maintained. These strategies limit the amount of pharmacist resources needed for nonjudgmental tasks such as medication distribution, allowing more capacity for advanced direct patient care roles. Pharmacists are directly integrated into interprofessional medical teams. Pharmacists optimize patient outcomes through a variety of channels, including: providing recommendations for evidence-based medication selection on patient care rounds; offering drug information to other health care providers and patients; monitoring therapeutic responses; and reconciling medications as patients transition across the continuum of care. Achieving the highest level of pharmacy practice necessitates that United States pharmacists are soundly educated and trained. Pharmacist education, training, and professional practice models closely mirror those of physicians. Many health-systems also pursue credentialing and privileging of pharmacists to ensure competency and facilitate growth and development. Advanced training, along with credentialing, privileging, and collaborative practice agreements have positioned pharmacists to serve as stewards of the medication use system, champions of patient safety, and essential contributors to optimal patient outcomes.

Introduction: Individuals with a severe and persistent mental illness often manage complex medication regimens and would benefit from support and education from their pharmacist. Past research has shown that community pharmacists have negative attitudes toward mental illnesses, and these attitudes affect willingness to provide services to patients with mental illnesses. Consumer-led interventions have shown benefit to improve student attitudes toward mental illness. However, there are no known studies showing the benefit of consumer-led educational programs to improve pharmacist attitudes toward mental illness and willingness to provide services to those with mental illnesses. The aim of this study is to determine the effects of a consumer-led continuing education program on pharmacists' attitudes toward and willingness to provide services to consumers with mental illnesses., Methods: Fifty pharmacists participated in the program with 2 parts: discussion on the history of mental health care and consumers sharing their experiences. Pharmacists completed 1 survey before and after the program. Surveys asked about pharmacists' attitudes toward mental illness and willingness to provide services to individuals with schizophrenia compared to asthma. Data were analyzed using descriptive and paired t tests., Results: Paired t tests showed a significant decrease in social distance and increase in positive attitudes and willingness to provide services to patients with mental illnesses immediately after the program., Discussion: The immediate increase in positive attitudes and willingness to provide services to consumers with mental illnesses indicates that consumer-led interventions may be an effective way to improve the provision of pharmacy services to patients with mental illnesses., Competing Interests: Disclosures: Funding: Northeastern University Provost Undergraduate Research Award. Neither author has conflicts of interest to disclose.

Background: The objective of this study was to clarify the state of national pharmacy practice program in the 6-year course of pharmaceutical education from the students' point of view. We will suggest the points for improvement and issues of the current pharmacy practice programs to enhance the educational effects of the pharmacy practice program., Methods: The survey conducted from September 2011 to March 2012 (hereinafter referred to as "2011") and from September 2012 to March 2013 (hereinafter referred to as "2012") comprised 1,607 pharmacy students, who had completed the pharmacy practice program. They were asked to fill out a self-descriptive questionnaire for the purpose of investigating the content of the pharmacy practice that the students themselves experienced, guidance provided by the supervising pharmacists, and support by the university faculty staff., Results: In order to clarify the factor structure of the overall results, four factors were extracted through an exploratory analysis: "satisfactory learning", "support system of the training site (hospital)", "support system of university", and "dialogue with patients". When we compared the score for each four factors between 2011 and 2012 and we found that 2012 was evaluated as significantly higher for all factors. Furthermore, opportunities for discussion and reflection with the students led to observation that 2012 exhibited significantly better results than 2011., Conclusions: The students evaluations for the quality of hospital pharmacy practice have improved in 2012 compared to evaluations in 2011. Regarding the four factors of "satisfactory learning", "support system of the training site", "support system of university", and "dialogue with patients", significant differences in the results from 2011 and 2012 were observed, indicating their marked improvement.

Antimicrobial stewardship is an important component in health care outcomes of all patients. Many institutions are seeking the best methods to incorporate antimicrobial stewardship strategies into their hospitals including pharmacy services. Multiple factors should be considered when beginning or expanding an antimicrobial stewardship program. The purpose of this article is to discuss the development of basic antibiotic competencies and training for staff pharmacists in a community hospital. The article includes an assessment of pharmacists' knowledge pre education and post education, perception of benefits from an antibiotic education program, and learning needs and preferences.

Background: The prevalence of online modules for continuing education in the health professions has been increasing in recent years. However, the effectiveness of online modules for pharmacist learning has not been thoroughly studied., Objectives: The primary aim of this study was to determine if providing education to pharmacists through a self-paced enhanced online module was non-inferior to a face-to-face learning module with respect to knowledge application on the topic of postoperative insulin dosing. Secondary aims were to determine pharmacists' knowledge gain and retention, as well as their satisfaction with the modules., Methods: The participants in this prospective, randomized, parallel-group non-inferiority trial were pharmacists in a large multicentre health region. Outcomes were measured by comparing scores obtained on pre- and post-module knowledge-assessment questionnaires. A between-group difference in change on knowledge application scores of less than 25 percentage points was the predetermined non-inferiority margin., Results: A total of 74 pharmacists consented to participate, 38 randomly assigned to use the enhanced online module and 36 to attend the face-to-face learning session. For questions examining knowledge application, the mean improvement achieved by the online learning group was 26 percentage points greater than that achieved by the face-to-face learning group (95% confidence interval [CI] 25 to 27; p < 0.001). For questions testing knowledge gain, the improvement achieved by the online learning group was 7 percentage points less than that achieved by the face-to-face learning group (95% CI 2 to 12; p = 0.008). Therefore, the enhanced online module was deemed to be non-inferior to the face-to-face learning session in terms of knowledge application and knowledge gain. Insufficient data were available to analyze the secondary outcome of knowledge retention over time. Participant satisfaction was similar for the 2 groups (p = 0.62)., Conclusion: The self-paced enhanced online module was non-inferior to facilitated face-to-face learning in terms of improving application and knowledge of insulin dosing. Pharmacists had similar levels of satisfaction with the 2 modes of learning.