Comparing the experiences of community and hospital pharmacy learners completing a pre-registrant research training program

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Research training programs in the community pharmacy sector have not been well established. This study showcases a year-long guided research training program undertaken in hospital and community workplaces by pre-registrant pharmacists, and compares the perceived impact on learners in both sectors.

EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AND SETTING

A two-year cohort study (2021-2022) of pre-registrant pharmacists enrolled in a research training program requiring them to undertake an individual project at their workplace over one year at either a community or hospital workplace. Outcome measures were pre-registrant perceptions of training impact and type of projects completed.

FINDINGS

The results of this study demonstrate that the year-long guided research training program delivered to 403 pre-registrant pharmacists was perceived to be impactful to both community and hospital pre-registrant pharmacists and gave them the confidence to pursue further research and see research skills as an important attribute for the profession. Barriers to research included lack of time for both sectors but workplace support and lack of project ideas were especially noted in the community sector. Research project designs were mainly cross-sectional surveys or retrospective audits.

SUMMARY

Programs seeking to adopt a similar model may wish to pay particular attention to supporting community pharmacy learners in providing a pre-selection of project ideas, offering training to workplace supervisors, ensuring enough academic support is given and having more check-in points/deliverables to ensure more feedback opportunities.

A new efficient and integrated pathway for patient evaluation prior to atrial fibrillation ablation

AIM

In this quality improvement project, a care pathway for patients considered for atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation was optimized with the goals to improve the patient journey and simultaneously integrate prospective data collection into the clinical process.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The Lean Six Sigma approach was used to map the pre-existing process, identify constraints and formulate countermeasures. The percentage of patients going through the full pre-ablation preparation that eventually underwent AF ablation, number of hospital visits and consultations, pathway compliance, and completeness of scientific data were measured before and after pathway optimisation. Constraints in the process were (1) lack of standardized processes, (2) inefficient use of resources, (3) lack of multidisciplinary integration, (4) lack of research integration, and (5) suboptimal communication. The impact of the corresponding countermeasures (defining a uniform process, incorporating 'go/no-go' moment, introducing a 'one-stop-shop', integrating prospective data collection, and improving communication) was studied for 33 patients before and 26 patients after pathway optimisation. After optimisation, the percentage of patients receiving a full pre-ablation preparation that eventually underwent AF ablation increased from 59% to 94% (p < 0.01). Fewer hospital visits (3.2 ± 1.2 versus 2.3 ± 0.8, p = 0.01) and electrophysiologist consultations (1.8 ± 0.7 versus 1.0 ± 0.3, p < 0.01) were required after pathway optimisation. Pathway compliance and complete collection of scientific data increased significantly (3% versus 73%, p < 0.01 and 15% versus 73%, p < 0.01, respectively).

CONCLUSION

The optimisation project resulted in a more efficient evaluation of patients considered for AF ablation. The new more efficient process includes prospective data collection and facilitates easy conduct of research studies focused on improvements of patient outcomes.

Communication when it is needed most-the past, present and future of volcano geoheritage

Our understanding of volcanoes and volcanic systems has been communicated through legends maintained by indigenous communities and books and journal articles for the scientific community and for the public. Today we have additional means to communicate knowledge and information, such as social media, films, videos and websites. To build on these mechanisms, we propose a comprehensive system of information collection and dissemination which will impact and benefit scientists, officials and politicians, students and the public at large. This system comprises (1) an information web for broad understanding of volcano systems and volcanology, and (2) a second web for individual volcanoes. This integrated geoheritage approach provides a template for information dissemination and exchange in the twenty-first century.

The weather-stains of care: interpreting the meaning of bad weather for front-line health care workers in rural long-term care

This paper addresses the gap in health services and policy research about the implications of everyday weather for health care work. Building on previous research on the weather-related challenges of caregiving in homes and communities, it examines the experiences of 'seasonal bad weather' for health care workers in long-term care institutions. It features a hermeneutic phenomenology analysis of six transcripts from interviews with nurses and personal support workers from a qualitative study of institutional long-term care work in rural Canada. Focussing on van Manen's existential themes of lived experience (body, relations, space, time), the analysis reveals important contradictions between the lived experiences of health care workers coping with bad weather and long-term care policies and practices that mitigate weather-related risk and vulnerability. The findings contribute to the growing concern for rural health issues particularly the neglected experiences of rural health providers and, in doing so, offer insight into the recent call for greater attention to the geographies of health care work.