Final year MPharm students approach to questioning when responding to symptoms

Authors

  • Paul Rutter Pharmacy Practice Division, School of Pharmacy and Bio medical Sciences, University of Portsmouth,Portsmouth, UK.

Keywords:

Undergraduate, questioning technique, diagnosis, response to symptoms

Abstract

The advisory role of the community pharmacist in helping patients manage self-limiting conditions is well established. Recent trends  promoting  patient  self-care  coupled  with  greater availability  of  non-prescription  medicines  has  focused  renewed attention  on  this  role.  Graduate  pharmacists  must  therefore  possess  good  consultation  skills  to  elicit  information  from patients. A retrospective descriptive analysis of questions asked by final year students studying at Portsmouth University was undertaken. Data was drawn from six simulated patient scenarios that were part of a series of observed structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) students sat in the final semester. Results show that questioning patients centred on the use of the mnemonic known as WWHAM, although supplementary questions were always asked to gain further information. Questions not directly related to the presenting complaint were least asked. Despite possible shortcomings in their approach to questioning the correct diagnosis was achieved in the majority of cases and appropriate recommendations made.

References

Anderson, C., & Alexander, A. (1993). Response to dysmenorrhoea: An assessment of pharmacists’ knowledge and its application in practice. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice,2, 80–183.

Bissell, P., Ward, P. R., & Noyce, P. R. (1997). Variation within community pharmacy 2: Responding to the presentation of symptoms. Journal of Social and Administrative Pharmacy, 14,105 –115.

Blenkinsopp, A., & Paxton, P. (2002). Symptoms in the pharmacy—a guide to the management of common illness, 4th ed. Oxford: Blackwell Science.

Bower, A., & Eaton, K. (1998). Auditing standards for responding to symptoms and quantifying the level of activity for this service in community pharmacies. Pharmaceutical Journal, 261, 828 –830.

Consumers’ Association (1994). Vital checks are still not being made. Which? Way to Health, December, 196.

Consumers’ Association. (1999). Counter advice. Which?, March,22–25.Harrington, P., & Shepherd, M. D. (2002). Analysis of the movement of prescription drugs to over-the-counter status. Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy,8, 499–508.

Krska, J., & Kennedy, E. J. (1996). An audit of responding to symptoms in community pharmacy. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice,4, 129 –135.

Morrow, N., Hargie, O., Donnelly, H., & Woodman, C. (1993). ‘Why do you ask?’ A study of questioning behaviour in community pharmacist-client consultations. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice,2, 90– 94.

Seston, L., Nicolson, M., Hassell, K., Cantrill, J., & Noyce, P.(2001). Variation in the incidence, presentation and manage-ment of nine minor ailments in community pharmacy. Pharmaceutical Journal,266, 429–432.

Smith, F. J. (1993). Referral of clients by community pharmacists in primary care consultations. International Journal of PharmacyPractice,2, 86–89.Soller, R. W. (1998). Evolution of self-care with over-the-counter medications. Clinical Therapeutics,20, C134– C140.

Downloads

How to Cite

Rutter, P. (2018). Final year MPharm students approach to questioning when responding to symptoms. Pharmacy Education, 5(1). Retrieved from https://pharmacyeducation.fip.org/pharmacyeducation/article/view/85

Issue

Section

Research Article