Impact of a Simulated Legislative Visit on Student Pharmacists' Political Skill Inventory Scores

Objective. To assess the impact of a simulated legislative visit on the Political Skill Inventory (PSI) scores of Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) students and assess their perceptions of their role as an advocate.Methods. Anonymous pre- and post-intervention surveys were administered online to third year student pharmacists at one school of pharmacy in North Carolina. Measures included gender, age, previous pharmacy experience, engagement in pharmacy organizations, legislative awareness and engagement, political skill inventory, and perceptions of the simulated legislative visit. Data are presented as medians or proportions, where appropriate. Paired t tests and Cohen d were used to analyze the data.Results. Thirty student pharmacists provided complete and matchable results for the pre- and post-intervention surveys (analysis response rate=36%). The mean PSI score was 5.4 before the intervention and increased to 5.7 after the intervention. The networking ability and interpersonal influence subscales showed significant and medium-to-large increases in effect size whereas the social astuteness and apparent sincerity subscales showed low-to-medium increases in effect size. Student pharmacists' agreement with advocacy skills or responsibilities increased overall from pre-to post-intervention.Conclusion. The political skill inventory scores of student pharmacists significantly improved following participation in a simulated legislative visit and listening to a corresponding advocacy lecture. Determining the effectiveness of educational interventions to develop advocacy skills in student pharmacists is essential to ensure efficacy and potential for PharmD students and graduates to make real-world impacts.

Student pharmacists' perceptions regarding pharmacist-prescribed hormonal contraceptives and their professional responsibility

BACKGROUND

Currently, 13 U.S. jurisdictions allow for pharmacist-prescribed contraception; however, pharmacists' intention to use and ultimate uptake of this patient care opportunity have been variable.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this study were to (1) identify student pharmacists' attitudes toward pharmacist-prescribed hormonal contraception (HC), (2) identify student pharmacist perceived barriers regarding pharmacist-prescribed HC, and (3) explore what factors affect student pharmacists' viewpoints.

METHODS

An anonymous survey was administered using Qualtrics among third-year student pharmacists in a public health course. The survey was developed using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and previously published literature. TPB was developed to predict an individuals' intention to engage in a behavior at a specific time and place. All responses were anonymous. Survey responses were summarized using descriptive statistics, and Wilcoxon Mann-Whitney test was used to compare differences based on student pharmacist gender and religion.

RESULTS

A total of 67 student pharmacists participated in the survey (response rate 80.7%). Most agreed-strongly agreed (n = 59, 88.1%) that pharmacists are capable of appropriately assessing and selecting HC therapies and believe it should be within a pharmacist's scope of practice (n = 53, 79.1%). Similarly, most agreed-strongly agreed that it is a professional responsibility for pharmacists to provide this service (n = 56, 83.6%). Potential barriers identified included limited access to patient medical records (n = 55, 82.1%), interruption to workflow (n = 51, 76.1%), and concerns for a decrease in well-women examinations (n = 51, 76.1%). Most identified with the Christian faith (n = 45, 67.2%) but said this did not influence their opinions (n = 40, 59.7%). Gender, age, and religion were not found to be associated with student pharmacists' attitudes. However, an increasing number of barriers were negatively associated with their attitudes.

CONCLUSION

Student pharmacists believe it is within a pharmacist's scope of practice and a professional responsibly to prescribe HC. Student pharmacists were less supportive of pharmacist-prescribed HC if they reported a greater number of barriers.

Opposition to Pharmacist Contraception Services: Evidence for Rebuttal

Pharmacist contraception services are growing across the United States. Several states have authorized pharmacists to prescribe contraception, and the interest in other states continues to grow. Opposition to these practices exists and centers on discussions related to safety, training, cost, and fragmentation of care. We review these arguments and provide evidence refuting these concerns. Pharmacist-prescribed contraception increases access to care, and patients express interest in utilizing this service at the pharmacy. Pharmacists follow evidence-based recommendations. Counseling on preventative services and referral to other providers is part of contraception care by pharmacists. Training programs have been developed to equip both pharmacy students and pharmacists with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to successfully provide these services. This article can serve as a guide for pharmacists and advocates when discussing pharmacist-prescribed contraception with policymakers, patients, and other healthcare professionals.

Student Pharmacists' Attitudes Toward Suicide and the Perceived Role of Community Pharmacists in Suicidal Ideation Assessment

Objective. To determine first-year Doctor of Pharmacy students' attitudes toward suicide and perceptions of the role of the pharmacist in assessing patients for suicidal ideation, and whether their previous pharmacy work experience influences these attitudes and perceptions. Methods. An anonymous online survey was administered to first-year student pharmacists at one school of pharmacy in North Carolina. Measures included gender, previous community pharmacy work experience, personal contact with suicide, and score on the Attitudes Toward Suicide (ATTS) scale. Results. Seventy-three student pharmacists (75%) completed the survey. The vast majority (92%) agreed or strongly agreed that suicide was a real disease. Similarly, most students (79%) agreed or strongly agreed that pharmacists have a professional responsibility to assess for suicidal ideation. There was not a significant association between ATTS score and previous community pharmacy work experience nor the perceived pharmacist's role in assessing for suicidal ideation. Additionally, there was no association between ATTS score and personal contact with suicide. Conclusion. First-year student pharmacists, while undecided on their personal attitudes toward suicide, overwhelmingly agreed that suicide is a disease and that pharmacists have an important role in assessing patients for suicidal ideation. Pharmacy schools should implement training programs to prepare student pharmacists to identify suicidal ideation, design interventions to address student pharmacists' personal beliefs that may impact their ability to provide patient care, and provide students with adequate support skills to care for patients experiencing mental health crises.

Patient and prescriber perceptions of depression screening within a community pharmacy setting

OBJECTIVES

To determine patient and prescriber perceptions of depression screening within the community pharmacy setting and to assess the best strategies for patient engagement and care coordination.

DESIGN

Qualitative semistructured key informant interviews using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research as a theoretical framework.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

A community pharmacy in the metropolitan Piedmont region of North Carolina from February 2019 to May 2019. Prescriber and patient interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and independently coded by 2 investigators. A qualitative analysis was completed, with a selection of supporting quotations for each theme.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Qualitative analysis of prescriber and patient perceptions of depression screening provided in community pharmacies, strategies for patient engagement, and coordination of care for depression screenings.

RESULTS

Twelve patients and 4 prescribers participated in the study. The patient perceptions were categorized into 3 key themes: (1) private and confidential screenings; (2) disparate views regarding the potential interventions that pharmacists could offer; and (3) mental health stigma concerns. The prescriber perceptions were categorized into 3 key themes: (1) support for expanded access to depression screenings provided in community pharmacies; (2) necessity of referral algorithms for transitions of care; and (3) communication of full screening results for positive and negative screens. A mutual theme was identified among patients and prescribers: the view that mental health care provided at a community pharmacy was influenced by an established relationship with a community pharmacist.

CONCLUSION

This study describes patient and provider perceptions of depression screening within the community pharmacy setting. Prescribers were supportive of community pharmacists' ability to close the gaps in access to care for patients with mental health conditions, whereas patients had mixed feelings that may have been influenced by concerns of privacy, confidentiality, and stigma. This deeper understanding of prescriber and patient perceptions of how community pharmacies could expand access to depression screening may provide a roadmap for offering these interventions in community pharmacies.

Predictors of performance on the North Carolina Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination

INTRODUCTION

To evaluate an expanded set of variables and determine their association with Wingate University School of Pharmacy (WUSOP) graduates' scores on the North Carolina (NC) Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE).

METHODS

Demographic, pre-admission, pharmacy school, and licensing preparation variables were collected for WUSOP graduates who attempted the NC MPJE for the first time in 2017. Bivariate correlations between student-pharmacist characteristics and the MPJE score were performed.

RESULTS

Several variables were found to have a statistically significant association with the NC MPJE score, including prerequisite grade point average, pharmacy coursework, Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment performance, and completion of MPJE practice questions. There were no significant associations between NC MPJE scores and demographic characteristics, previous paid pharmacy employment, receipt of undergraduate degree, or Pharmacy College Admission Test scores.

CONCLUSION

This exploratory analysis identified characteristics of WUSOP graduates that were associated with performance on the NC MPJE. The results of this study will be communicated with future graduates to enhance their success on the jurisprudence examination.

Papers don't write themselves: Creating a system to support writing productivity

INTRODUCTION

To be a successful academic writer, we need a strong awareness of the circumstances that support our writing productivity.

COMMENTARY

First and foremost, writing requires time-on-task. To obtain focused, effective writing time, we may need to increase our accountability related to writing. In addition, each writer needs a writing system - a set of processes that helps them to reliably complete their writing work. To build an effective writing system, we advocate for observation, reflection, and experimentation related to our writing processes. In particular, examination of the what, where, when, and how of writing is critical. Strategies for optimizing productivity during writing sessions are also needed.

IMPLICATIONS

Strengthening writing productivity requires mechanisms for accountability, awareness of our writing process, and strategies to enhance the effectiveness of each writing session.

Inviting manuscripts to Leadership Experience and Development Reports (LEADeR)

The Journal announces a new section called "Leadership Experience and Development Reports" within our Short Communications manuscript category. Manuscripts in this section seek to share scholarly activities and experiences within the area of leadership development that are rooted in a leadership framework, model, or theory. Submissions can include work related to student pharmacists, pharmacy residents, fellows, graduate students and faculty/staff development.

North Carolina community pharmacists' attitudes about suicide and willingness to conduct suicidal ideation assessment: A cross-sectional survey study

BACKGROUND

Suicide is a major and growing public health problem. Pharmacists are one of the most accessible members of the health care team. Due to their unique place in the health care system, pharmacists may be an ideal resource for monitoring patients at risk of suicide. The objectives of this study were to: (1) investigate community pharmacists' attitudes toward suicide; (2) identify pharmacist-reported barriers to suicidal ideation assessment; and (3) evaluate facilitators and barriers to pharmacists conducting suicidal ideation assessment.

METHODS

An anonymous questionnaire was distributed to North Carolina (NC) community pharmacists. Measures included contact with suicide, perceived role in suicidal ideation assessment, Attitudes Towards Suicide (ATTS), and barriers in suicidal ideation assessment. Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze the data.

RESULTS

There were usable and complete data for 225 participants (3.52% response rate). The median ATTS score was 70 (IQR = 7). Community pharmacists were significantly more likely to perform a suicidal ideation assessment at least sometimes when (s)he reported a lower number of barriers (OR = 0.70, 99.5% CI = 0.51-0.98) and when (s)he agreed or strongly agreed that they knew how to help someone who was suicidal (OR = 6.63, 99.5% CI = 1.74, 25.23). The most common barrier to suicidal ideation assessment was lack of education in mental health screening (n = 176).

CONCLUSIONS

Suicide prevention education programs for pharmacists may need to address reducing barriers, increasing knowledge about suicide, and improving self-efficacy. Targeting these areas may lead more pharmacists conducting these assessments.

Explaining Pharmacy Students' Dispensing Intentions in Substance Abuse-Related Gray Areas Using the Theory of Planned Behavior

Objective. To examine the extent to which theory of planned behavior (TPB) constructs and demographic characteristics explain pharmacy students' dispensing intentions in ethically or legally gray areas involving potential substance misuse or abuse. Methods. Two cohorts of third-year Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) students (n=159) were provided with five written cases describing common "gray area" dispensing scenarios in community practice involving medications and devices with potential for misuse or abuse (eg, long-term buprenorphine maintenance prescription without evidence of tapering, early refill of a narcotic for an out-of-town patient, non-prescription sale of pseudoephedrine). Students completed a 12-item survey instrument for each case. Items assessed whether the student would dispense the medication or device in the given scenario, how many times in 10 similar scenarios the student would dispense the medication or device, attitudes regarding dispensing, and subjective norm and perceived behavioral control beliefs. Results. Wide variation in the percentages of students who would dispense the medications or devices was noted across the five scenarios (14% in the buprenorphine scenario to 61% in the pseudoephedrine scenario). Attitude scores significantly predicted dispensing decisions in all scenarios (p<.001), whereas subjective norm and perceived behavioral control beliefs were significant predictors of dispensing only in select case scenarios. Gender and community pharmacy work experience did not consistently predict dispensing intentions. Conclusion. Student attitudes consistently predicted intent to dispense across five gray practice scenarios. These findings can be used to inform development of educational interventions that influence students' attitudes and self-awareness in community practice decision-making scenarios involving potential substance misuse or abuse.

Assessment of factors that impact performance in a year-long Top 200 Drug course

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Knowledge of commonly used medications ("Top 200") is a common component of pharmacy curricula. This study assessed the impact of pre-pharmacy grade point average (GPA), timing of students' community introductory pharmacy practice experience (C-IPPE), C-IPPE practice location, completion of practice quizzes (PQs), and campus attended on Top 200 performance.

EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AND SETTING

Top 200 Drugs is a two-part series offered during the first professional (P1) year of the program. Students concurrently complete their C-IPPE during either the fall or spring semester. A retrospective review was completed to assess factors associated with student performance during the 2016-2017 academic year.

FINDINGS

Higher fall course grades were associated with higher pre-pharmacy GPA, active C-IPPE enrollment, and completion of >80% of PQs. Higher spring course grades were associated with higher pre-pharmacy GPAs, completion of >80% of PQs, satellite campus attendance, C-IPPE completion at a grocery store/mass merchant, and higher fall semester performance.

SUMMARY

A retrospective review of factors associated with student performance allowed the course coordinator to create further learning opportunities based on the findings. Since practice quizzes were associated with higher performance, these self-directed learning opportunities were expanded in the subsequent course offering. Student completion of the C-IPPE in the fall improved performance in the fall, and C-IPPE location may have impacted performance as well. Further investigations are warranted to better understand the impact of C-IPPE semester and C-IPPE location on Top 200 performance so these can be maximized to support student performance.

Utilizing celebrity endorsements to teach over-the-counter medication and dietary supplement regulations

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Celebrity endorsements have a profound impact on consumers' purchases and lifestyles. Pharmacists and student pharmacists must be aware of celebrity endorsements of over-the-counter (OTC) medications and dietary supplements to properly advise patients regarding safety and effectiveness, or lack thereof, of endorsed products.

EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AND SETTING

An application-based activity was utilized in a self-care course to apply OTC medication and dietary supplement regulations to celebrity endorsements of these products. Students were asked to identify a celebrity endorsement of a product, providing: (1) the product endorsed, (2) celebrity endorser, (3) location of the endorsement, (4) summary of the endorsement and the endorsement itself, (5) assess if the endorsement violated any regulations, and (6) assess if the endorsement was in disagreement with evidence-based resources.

FINDINGS

Student pharmacists concluded that 30% of celebrity endorsements violated laws and regulations while 35% concluded the claims made were not supported by evidence-based literature. Interestingly, student pharmacists who selected the same endorsements did not always arrive at the same conclusions.

SUMMARY

Studied endorsements were frequently found to be in violation of laws and regulations governing OTC medications and dietary supplements and frequently were not supported by evidence-based literature. The activity described provides an innovative active-learning strategy to teach laws and regulations affecting OTC medications and dietary supplements.

Assessing the impact of a didactic lecture for student pharmacists on legislative advocacy

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Advocacy has been defined as "the essential competence". Literature describes and assesses the impact of elective, extracurricular, and co-curricular advocacy experiences, but there is a deficiency of literature that describes and assesses core curricular advocacy experiences.

EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AND SETTING

An electronic pre- and post-survey was administered to second-year student pharmacists who attended a didactic lecture on advocacy within a pharmacy law course. All responses were anonymous and matched via self-generated code. Wilcoxon signed rank tests analyzed matched data.

FINDINGS

Pharmacy students were generally unaware of their legislative representation and did not know what to expect when meeting with legislators. A small percentage (24%) had previously contacted their legislator regarding pharmacy topics. All three knowledge items and seven of eight attitudes showed statistically significant improvement after the lecture. Following the lecture, 85% of students agreed/strongly agreed they were more prepared to be an advocate for pharmacy, with 76% reporting increased commitment.

DISCUSSION

This study shows that a brief didactic educational intervention may improve student pharmacists' knowledge of and commitment to political advocacy, addressing previously noted limitations of models to prepare student pharmacists for advocacy efforts. The skill of advocating was not addressed by this intervention.

SUMMARY

A brief didactic lecture at one institution showed a short-term positive influence on pharmacy students' knowledge and attitudes towards legislative advocacy. Introduction of advocacy within the core didactic curricula may provide a method to increase the prevalence of advocates within the profession of pharmacy, but this requires further assessment and identification of best practices.

Highlighting a gap in student pharmacist training: Intraprofessional education with pharmacy technicians

INTRODUCTION

The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) Accreditation Standards suggest integration and inclusion of interprofessional education in doctor of pharmacy programs. Although not directly mentioned by these Standards, intraprofessional education between student pharmacists and student pharmacy technicians may provide valuable preparation for comradery in practice.

COMMENTARY

Given the prevalence of collaboration between pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in pharmacy practice, lack of intraprofessional education could be a vital gap in current programs. There have been previous calls within academic pharmacy and from key stakeholder groups for greater involvement of the profession in the training and education of pharmacy technicians, yet literature is sparse on successful models. This commentary includes a discussion of why intraprofessional training is vital, a brief commentary on example intraprofessional activities, as well as strategies for collaboration.

IMPLICATIONS

A series of questions with the intention of evoking further conversations and awareness within academic pharmacy completes the commentary.

Using Indian Health Service (IHS) counseling techniques in an independent community pharmacy to improve adherence rates among patients with diabetes, hypertension, or hyperlipidemia

OBJECTIVES

To 1) identify barriers to medication adherence and 2) examine the relationship between the Indian Health Service (IHS) 3 prime questions and medication adherence in patients with diabetes, hypertension, or hyperlipidemia before and 6 months after intervention.

METHODS

This quasi-experimental study evaluated the effectiveness of an adherence program at an independent community pharmacy. Patients who met inclusion criteria were telephoned monthly to answer questions related to their medications. Patients served as their own controls to show comparison between pre- and postintervention adherence rates calculated according to proportion of days covered over the previous 6 months. Mean medication adherences before and after intervention were assessed via paired t test. Linear regression was used to analyze predictors of average medication adherence. The Charlson Comorbidity Index was used to measure the impact of comorbid conditions on medication adherence.

RESULTS

Fifty-six of 354 patients met inclusion criteria, consented, and completed the study. The percentage of patients achieving an adherence rate of 80% or more increased from 9% initially to 59% at study completion. Each medication class showed improvement in adherence rates: diabetes from 66.24% to 80.06% (P = 0.0153), hypertension from 72.33% to 81.34% (P = 0.0192), and hyperlipidemia from 64.45% to 74.66% (P = 0.0103). Overall, average medication adherence increased by 11% (P < 0.0001). The top patient-reported barrier to adherence was convenience/forgetfulness (46.43%).

CONCLUSION

Pharmacist-led counseling sessions with the use of the 3 prime questions showed short-term improvement in adherence rates among patients participating in a medication adherence program. Future studies should assess if improved adherence is sustained long-term following active intervention.

Managerial skills of new practitioner pharmacists within community practice

OBJECTIVES

To identify managerial skills required in community pharmacy practice, explore new practitioners' previous exposure to these skills, and assess new practitioners' perceived preparedness to take on managerial responsibilities.

METHODS

A survey was developed with the use of Qualtrics and distributed by state pharmacy associations using a convenience sample of pharmacists from Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Pharmacists not practicing in a community pharmacy setting at the time of the study were excluded. New practitioners were defined as pharmacists practicing for no more than 10 years.

RESULTS

A total of 168 pharmacists completed the survey. More than one-half (56%) of respondents self-reported being in a managerial position, and 90% of respondents thought that managerial skills were always or very often necessary. At graduation, 15% of respondents rated their managerial skill proficiency to be high to very high, with this increasing to 57% at current point in their career. When comparing managers versus non-managers, 78% of skills assessed showed higher utilization in managers. Interestingly, only 44% of skills showed a higher proficiency in managers. Finally, 88% of respondents thought that their managerial skills could be improved.

CONCLUSION

New practitioners in community practice reported a high utilization of managerial skills, as well as improved proficiency throughout their careers. These skills are important in both community pharmacy training and practice. Managers reported higher utilization of managerial skills, but that utilization did not always correlate with proficiency. This highlights the need to further identify and improve managerial skills during pharmacy education and as part of ongoing continuing professional development.

A two-year review of suicide ideation assessments among medical, nursing, and pharmacy students

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S. and has increased in prevalence during the past 15 years. Patients who attempt suicide are more likely to have contact with their primary care provider than a mental health provider in the month before attempting suicide, highlighting the need for competency in suicide ideation (SI) assessment. The Communications Skills for Health Professionals is an interprofessional course involving first-year medical, nursing, and pharmacy students. Specific instruction regarding assessment of SI was delivered through an online module and later practiced by students with standardized patients (SP). A final Objective Structured Clinical Examination featured an SP with depression, but without SI, though an assessment of SI was indicated. Three hundred fifty six interviews were reviewed and 55.1% (196/356) of students assessed for SI. Across professions, 65.5% (93/142) of medical students, 52.5% (32/61) of nursing students, and 46.4% (71/153) of pharmacy students performed an assessment. Medical students' SI assessment was highest across the groups (p = 0.001), while pharmacy students' SI assessment was lowest (p = 0.004). Results suggest that additional educational strategies should be developed and implemented to increase SI assessment performance in all professions, but especially in pharmacy students.

Teaching drug utilization review skills via a simulated clinical decision making exercise

BACKGROUND

Drug utilization review (DUR) is a central role of the pharmacist, especially within the community pharmacy setting. Previous literature has shown risk of "alert fatigue", supporting the necessity of pharmacists to utilize a step-wise approach in evaluation of drug therapy during the verification process. Many students are intimidated by this process, and may lack verification practice or experience until their first day as a licensed pharmacist.

EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AND SETTING

An innovative skills-based laboratory exercise was developed for third-year pharmacy students to develop DUR skills. Through simulation of patient prescriptions, profiles, and drug information resources, students were tasked with completing a DUR for each patient case. Students were expected evaluate the clinical significance of various drug-related problems, determine if they would or would not dispense the prescription, and were required to provide rationale for their decision.

FINDINGS

This learning activity was well-received by the student population; however, students struggled with the volume of cases along with identifying a solution to the clinical scenario. On average, students required nine minutes per case, which is likely longer than community pharmacists can devote to a single DUR in practice.

DISCUSSION

In response, to student challenges with the activity, the number of cases was condensed to highlight key concepts and cases that facilitated strong discussion. To improve students' approach to the DUR process, faculty developed a vodcast to watch prior to the activity explaining a systematic approach to the DUR process as well as considerations a pharmacist should have.

SUMMARY

Development and integration of an active-learning, simulated dispensing activity allowed students to gain valuable experience completing the DUR process, a foundational community pharmacy practice skill; however, repeated experience should be provided to ensure competency.

Management education within pharmacy curricula: A need for innovation

OBJECTIVE

To encourage the academy to pursue innovative management education strategies within pharmacy curricula and highlight these experiences in a scholarly dialogue.

SUMMARY

Management has often been a dreaded, dry, and often neglected aspect of pharmacy curricula. With the release of Center for Advancement of Pharmacy Education (CAPE) Educational Outcomes 2013 as well as Entry-Level Competencies Needed for Community Pharmacy Practice by National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Foundation, National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA), and Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) in 2012, managerial skills have seen a new emphasis in pharmacy education. Further, management has greater emphasis within ACPE "Standards 2016" through adoption of CAPE Educational Outcomes 2013 into the standards. Previous literature has shown success of innovative learning strategies in management education such as active learning, use of popular television shows, and emotional intelligence. The academy must build a more extensive scholarly body of work highlighting successful educational strategies to engage pharmacy students in an often-dreaded subject through applying the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.

Policy Matters: Development of a Legislative Advocacy Week to Engage Student Pharmacists in Policy Discussions

Policy and advocacy discussions and activities are generally topics that student pharmacists are less excited to engage in during their PharmD curriculum. These can also be challenging to integrate within a curriculum in a meaningful, impactful, and engaging manner. At a college of pharmacy, two student organization chapters (American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists and National Community Pharmacists Association) partnered together to host a Legislative Advocacy Week centered on the primary elections for the 2016 presidential race. This Note discusses the conceptualization, planning, events, impact, and analysis of this week. Conflict of Interest At the time of this activity, Dr. Mospan was a faculty member at East Tennessee State University Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy.   Type: Note

Developing Students as Advocates through a Pilot Advocacy Curricular Thread within a PharmD Curriculum

There is a need for education about and development of advocacy skills within student pharmacists. Pharmacy literature describes experiences incorporating advocacy education within curricula; however, these are often singular, limited experiences. To increase student pharmacists’ awareness, knowledge, and skills, effective advocacy curricular threads are necessary within curricula. This paper provides rationale for the need for a greater emphasis on development of these skills within student pharmacists, evidence of curricular experiences surrounding advocacy from the literature, initial observations from a piloted curricular thread at one school, and implications for the academy. Conflict of Interest Dr. Calhoun is a Board member of the Tennessee Pharmacists Association.   Type: Idea Paper

Development and Implementation of Charitable Pharmacy Services within a Federally-Qualified Health Center (FQHC)

Underserved patient populations often have limited access to health care services, especially medications, leading to lower quality care due to their transitional status and lack of access. To ensure access to medications for underserved patients in the Johnson City, Tennessee area, the Colleges of Nursing and Pharmacy at ETSU developed a charitable pharmacy to serve those of greatest need in hopes of improving quality of care. By establishing a community pharmacy within a FQHC, clinical community pharmacists were able to establish enhanced community pharmacy services as a part of the health-care team. This manuscript describes the development, implementation, and benefits of the community pharmacy integration within a FQHC   Type: Clinical Experience