Pharmacist Readiness for Greater Involvement in OTC Product Selection: Implications for Education

The purpose of this study was to measure and explain pharmacist readiness to adopt a new standard of practice involving OTC products. The focus was on pharmacist self-efficacy — perceptions of the ability to perform potentially new behaviors related to assessing consumer product choices for appropriate use. The Transtheoretical Model of Change and self-efficacy theory guided the research. Questionnaires were mailed to 500 randomly selected community pharmacists in one Canadian province. Data were collected to determine: (i) pharmacist readiness to engage in a new standard of practice, and (ii) pharmacists ’ self-efficacy in their capabilities to do so. A response rate of 70.6 percent was realized. The majority was not ready to adopt the proposed new standard. Pharmacists less ready for change felt less qualified to assess consumer product selections. Those respondents feeling unprepared appeared to have more difficulty with the counseling process than with any drug- or condition-related issue that might arise during an encounter. Educational endeavors are needed to assist pharmacists with how to confidently and skillfully deal with some of the non-therapeutic issues of OTC counseling