Pharmacy students’ and pharmacists’ perceptions about geriatric pharmacotherapy education

Authors

  • Mohd Shahezwan Abd Wahab Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Puncak Alam http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2801-0134
  • Noordin Othman Taibah University, Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah
  • Stefan R Kowalski University of South Australia (UNISA), Adelaide
  • Hanis Hanum Zulkifly Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Puncak Alam
  • Aida Azlina Ali Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Puncak Alam
  • Long Chiau Ming University of Tasmania, Hobart
  • Abu Bakar Abdul Majeed Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Puncak Alam

Keywords:

Education, Geriatric pharmacotherapy, Malaysia, Pharmacy students, Pharmacists

Abstract

Background: An adequate background knowledge base in geriatric pharmacotherapy (GPT) must be attained by pharmacists in order for them to provide optimal care to the elderly.

Objectives: To investigate the perceptions of pharmacy students about the need for competency in GPT, pharmacists’ level of self-perceived confidence in providing GPT, and their opinions about GPT training and education.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a questionnaire was distributed to pharmacy students from a public university and pharmacists from four public hospitals in Selangor, Malaysia between May and August 2013.

Results: The response rates were 85.8% (151/176) and 58.9% (128/217) for the pharmacy students and pharmacists respectively. Pharmacy students agreed with the need for GPT competency (mean agreement: 4.64 ± 0.61), but pharmacists’ self-perceived confidence in GPT was moderate (mean agreement: 3.26 ± 0.71). The respondents’ agreement about the adequacy of GPT education received during their undergraduate studies was also modest (pharmacy students, 3.22 ± 0.86; pharmacists, 2.84 ± 0.82; p<0.01). In addition, the respondents welcomed more education in GPT; considered knowledge in common GPT-related topics as important; preferred software to obtain GPT information; and perceived clinical attachment with geriatricians as useful to enhance their GPT knowledge.

Conclusion: Our findings provide a basis to make more GPT education available to both pharmacy students and pharmacists. 

Author Biographies

Mohd Shahezwan Abd Wahab, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Puncak Alam

Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy

Noordin Othman, Taibah University, Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah

Department of Clinical and Hospital Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy

Stefan R Kowalski, University of South Australia (UNISA), Adelaide

School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences

Hanis Hanum Zulkifly, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Puncak Alam

Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy

Aida Azlina Ali, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Puncak Alam

Department of Pharmacology and Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy

Long Chiau Ming, University of Tasmania, Hobart

Unit for Medication Outcomes Research and Education (UMORE), Pharmacy, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health

Abu Bakar Abdul Majeed, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Puncak Alam

Department of Pharmaceutical Life Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy

References

Bardach, S.H. & Rowles, G.D. (2012). Geriatric education in the health professions: Are we making progress? The Gerontologist, 0(0), 1-12.

Boyd, C.M., Darer, J., Boult, C., Fried, L.P., Boult, L. & Wu, A.W. (2005). Clinical practice guidelines and quality of care for older patients. Journal of the American Medical Association, 294(6),716–724.

Cassano, A.T. (2006). IV medication safety software implementation in a multihospital health system. Hospital Pharmacy, 41,151-156.

Commission for Certification in Geriatric Pharmacy (2016). About board certification (online). Available at: http://www.ccgp. org/aboutCCGP. Accessed 6th April, 2016.

Dallenbach, M.F., Bovier, P.A. & Desmeules, J. (2007). Detecting drug interactions using personal digital assistants in an out-patient clinic. QJM: An International Journal of Medicine, 100, 691-697.

Delafuente, J.C. (2009). The silver tsunami is coming: will pharmacy be swept away with the tide? The American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 73(1), Article 1.

Elliott, R.A. (2006). Problems with medication use in the elderly: an Australian perspective. Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research, 36(1), 58-66.

Elliott, R.A. & Booth, J.C. (2014). Problems with medicine use in older Australians: a review of recent literature. Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research, 44, 258-271.

Fischer, S., Stewart, T.E., Mehta, S., Wax, R. & Lapinsky, S.E. (2003). Handheld computing in medicine. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 10(2), 139-149.

Haddad, A.R., Coover, K.L. & Faulkner, M.A. (2011). Development and incorporation of an interprofessional experience into a geriatric pharmacy elective: the first- year experience. Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning, 3(2), 116–122.

Hilmer, S.N., McLachlan, A.J. & Le Couteur, D.G. (2007). Clinical pharmacology in the geriatric patient. Fundamental & Clinical Pharmacology, 21(3), 217-230.

Keijsers, C.J., van Hensbergen, L., Jacobs, L., Brouwers, J.R., de Wildt, D.J., ten Cate, O.T. & Jansen, P.A. (2012). Geriatric pharmacology and pharmacotherapy education for health professionals and students: a systematic review. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 74(5), 762– 773.

Maio, V., Jutkowitz, E., Herrera, K., Abouzaid, S., Negri, G. & Del Canale, S. (2011). Appropriate medication prescribing in elderly patients: how knowledgeable are primary care physicians? A survey study in Parma, Italy. Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics, 36(4), 468-480.

Makowsky, M.J., Koshman, S.L., Midodzi & W.K., Tsuyuki, R.T. 2009. Capturing outcomes of clinical activities performed by a rounding pharmacist practicing in a team environment: the COLLABORATE study. Medical Care, 47(6), 642–650.

Marriott, J.L., Nation, R.L., Roller, L., Costelloe, M., Galbraith, K., Stewart, P. & Charman, W.N. (2008). Pharmacy education in the context of Australian Practice. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 76(6), Article 131.

Mintzes, B., Lexchin, J., Sutherland, J.M., Beaulieu, M.D., Wilkes, M.S., Durrieu, G. & Reynolds, E. (2013). Pharmaceutical sales representatives and patient safety: a comparative prospective study of information quality in Canada, France and the United States. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 28(10), 1368-1375.

Mirtallo, J.M., Hawksworth, K. & Payne, B. (2009). A nutrition support service web application to manage patients receiving parenteral nutrition. Nutrition in Clinical Practice, 24(4), 447-458.

Mort, J.R., Delafuente, J.C. & Odegard, P.S. (2006). Geriatric content in pharmacotherapy and therapeutics textbooks. The American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 70(6), Article 130.

Mutasingwa, D.R., Ge, H. & Upshur, R.E. (2011). How applicable are clinical practice guidelines to elderly patients comorbidities? Canadian Family Physician, 57(7), e253–262.

Odegard, P.S., Breslow, R.M., Koronkowski, M.J., Williams, B.R. & Hudgins, G.A. (2007). Geriatric pharmacy education: a strategic plan for the future. The American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 71(3), Article 47.

Page, R.L., Linnebur, S.A., Bryant, L.L. & Ruscin, J.M. (2010). Inappropriate prescribing in the hospitalized elderly patient: defining the problem, evaluation tools, and possible solutions. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 5, 75-87.

Ramaswamy, R., Maio, V., Diamond, J.J., Talati, A.R., Hartmann, C.W., Arenson, C. & Roehl, B. (2011). Potentially inappropriate prescribing in elderly: assessing doctor knowledge, confidence and barriers. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, 17(6), 1153–1159.

Reeve, E., Wiese, M.D., Hendrix, I., Roberts, M.S. & Shakib, S. (2013). People’s attitudes, beliefs, and experiences regarding polypharmacy and willingness to deprescribe. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 61(9), 1508–1514.

Reilly, T., Barile, D. & Reuben, S. (2012). Role of the pharmacist on a general medicine acute care for the elderly unit. The American Journal of Geriatric Pharmacotherapy, 10(2), 95–100.

Spinewine, A., Fialová, D. & Byrne, S. (2012). The role of the pharmacist in optimizing pharmacotherapy in older people. Drugs & Aging, 29(6), 495-510.

United Nations. (2012). Population facts sheets, No. 2012/4 (online). Available at: http://www.un.org/en/ development/desa/ population/publications/factsheets/ index.shtml. Accessed 6th April, 2016.

Wahab, M.S.A. (2015). The relevance of educating doctors, pharmacists and older patients about potentially inappropriate medications. International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy, 37(6), 971-974.

Wahab, M.S.A., Ali, A.A. & Zulkifly, H.H. (2013). Liberalisation of pharmacist training: the need to reflect on pharmaceutical education in Malaysia. Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research, 43(2), 162.

Wahab, M.S.A., Nyfort-Hansen, K. & Kowalski, S.R. (2012). Inappropriate prescribing in hospitalised Australian elderly as determined by the STOPP criteria. International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy, 34(6), 855– 862.

Woelfel, J.A., Boyce, E. & Patel, R.A. (2011). Geriatric care as an introductory pharmacy practice experience. The American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 75(6), Article 115.

Zou, D. & Tannenbaum, C. (2014). Educational needs, practice patterns and quality indicators to improve geriatric pharmacy care. Canadian Pharmacists Journal, 147(2), 110–117.

Downloads

Published

22-03-2017

How to Cite

Abd Wahab, M. S., Othman, N., Kowalski, S. R., Zulkifly, H. H., Ali, A. A., Ming, L. C., & Abdul Majeed, A. B. (2017). Pharmacy students’ and pharmacists’ perceptions about geriatric pharmacotherapy education. Pharmacy Education, 17. Retrieved from https://pharmacyeducation.fip.org/pharmacyeducation/article/view/468

Issue

Section

Research Article