Pharmacists’ and pharmacy students’ knowledge assessment about detection and resolution of drug related problems in community pharmacy practice

Uvod: Ljekarnici su dužni u svakodnevnom radu s pacijentima provoditi ljekarničku skrb. Otkrivanje, rješavanje i prevencija problema vezanih za lijekove predstavljaju jednu od temeljnih aktivnosti učinkovitog provođenja ljekarničke skrbi. Međutim, da bi mogli upravljati problemima vezane za lijekove, ljekarnici moraju imati određenu razinu znanja u ovom području. Cilj: Ciljevi ovog istraživanja bili su otkriti trenutnu razinu znanja ljekarnika o problemima vezanim za lijekove, zatim može li ciljana edukacijska intervencija doprinijeti poboljšanju znanja te imaju li ljekarnici koji pohađaju obavezne edukacije na radnom mjestu veću razinu znanja u ovom području. Također, cilj je bio otkriti koliko teoretska nastava i Stručno osposobljavanje na završnoj godini studija farmacije Medicinskog fakulteta u Splitu utječu na znanje studenata o problemima vezanim za lijekove. Ispitanici i postupci: Provedeno je presječno istraživanje na ljekarnicima (N=302) u šest ljekarničkih lanaca diljem RH koristeći anketni upitnik za procjenu znanja o problemima vezanim za lijekove. Zatim je provedeno prvo intervencijsko istraživanje koje je organizirano u obliku edukacijske radionice za ljekarnike (N=115) s temama iz područja kliničke farmacije, s provjerom znanja prije i nakon radionice. Dodatno, drugo intervencijsko istraživanje je obuhvatilo studente (N=23) završne godina studija Farmacija Medicinskog fakulteta u Splitu kod kojih je provedena provjera znanja u tri vremenske točke (prije početka nastave, nakon teoretske nastave te nakon Stručnog osposobljavanja). Rezultati: Ljekarnici zaposleni u javnim ljekarnama imali su srednju vrijednost zbroja bodova anketnog upitnika 45,5, dok su ljekarnici koji pohađaju obavezne dodatne edukacije na radnom mjestu imali 50,2, što predstavlja statistički značajnu razliku. Srednja vrijednost zbroja bodova anketnog upitnika nije bila povezana s dobi i spolom ljekarnika. U prvom intervencijskom istraživanju, ljekarnici su pohađanjem edukacijske radionice značajno povećali razinu znanja o problemima vezanim za lijekove kada se usporede rezultati prije i nakon radionice (srednja vrijednost zbroja bodova 42,9 u odnosu na 49,1). Intervencijsko istraživanje na studentima završne godine studija Farmacija Medicinskog fakulteta u Splitu pokazalo je značajan porast znanja studenata o problemima vezanim za lijekove tijekom obrazovanja na završnoj godini studija (srednja vrijednost zbroja bodova na početku godine 31,6, a na kraju godine 53,0). Zaključci: Ljekarnici zaposleni u javnim ljekarnama diljem RH imaju nedostatak znanja o problemima vezanim za lijekove. S povećanjem godina radnog staža razina znanja se ne povećava. Ciljane edukacijske intervencije u obliku edukacijske radionice mogu doprinijeti povećanju znanja o problemima vezanim za lijekove. Završna godina studija Farmacija Medicinskog fakulteta u Splitu dovodi do značajnog povećanja razine znanja studenata o problemima vezanim za lijekove nakon pohađanja teoretske i praktične nastave predviđene nastavnim planom i programom završne godine.Introduction: Pharmacists should provide pharmaceutical care in their routine practice. Detection, resolution and prevention of drug related problems represent one of the cornerstones of pharmaceutical care. However, in order to effectively manage drug related problems, pharmacists should have adequate level of knowledge in this area. Objective: The aims of this study were to find out the current level of pharmacists’ knowledge about drug related problems, then to find out if educational intervention could increase the level of knowledge and to see whether pharmacists, who are obliged to have additional educations in their workplaces, have more knowledge in this area. Also, one of the aims was to find out how much theoretical lectures and Professional training in the last year of University of Split School of Medicine Pharmacy study can influence pharmacy students’ knowledge about drug related problems. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional study was carried out on pharmacists (N=302) from six pharmacy chains from all over the Croatia using the survey for measurement of knowledge about drug related problems. Furthermore, first intervention study was organized in form of clinical pharmacy workshop for pharmacists (N=115) with the knowledge being measured before and after the workshop. Additionally, the second intervention study included final year pharmacy students (N=23) from University of Split School of Medicine and their knowledge was measured in three different time points (at the beginning of the year, after theoretical lectures and after Professional training). Results: Community pharmacists had a mean survey score of 45.5 while pharmacists who are required to have additional educations in their workplaces had significantly different mean survey score of 50.2. Survey score was not correlated with the age and gender of pharmacists. In the first intervention study, pharmacists significantly increased the level of knowledge about drug related problems by attending an educational workshop, which was seen by comparing results before and after the workshop (mean score 42.9 versus 49.1). Intervention study on final year students of the study of Pharmacy at the University of Split School of Medicine showed a significant increase in students' knowledge about drug related problems during education in the final year of study (mean score at the beginning of the year 31.6 and at the end of the year 53.0). Conclusions: Community pharmacist from all over the Croatia have a knowledge gap about drug related problems. Higher number of years in pharmacy practice is not correlated with the increase in pharmacists’ knowledge. Targeted educational interventions in the form of an educational workshop can help to increase pharmacists’ knowledge about drug related problems. The final year of the study of Pharmacy at the University of Split School of Medicine leads to a significant increase in the level of knowledge of students about drug related problems after attending theoretical and practical classes provided by the curriculum of the final yea