Community pharmacist perceptions of increased technician responsibility.
Journal
Journal of the American Pharmacists Association : JAPhA
ISSN: 1544-3450
Titre abrégé: J Am Pharm Assoc (2003)
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 101176252
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
Historique:
received:
15
01
2021
revised:
10
03
2021
accepted:
19
03
2021
pubmed:
16
4
2021
medline:
10
8
2021
entrez:
15
4
2021
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Pharmacists have struggled to find time to spend on clinical tasks. As such, regulatory steps have been taken by some states to expand the scope of practice for community pharmacy technicians. The objective of this study was to determine what settings and characteristics predict pharmacists' comfort levels with technicians giving or receiving verbal prescriptions, performing nonclinical medication therapy management tasks, administering vaccinations, and verifying prescriptions. This study employed a national Internet-based survey of community pharmacists using a health care marketing research panel. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) was used as a theoretical basis for inquiry, particularly the CFIR domains of "outer setting," "inner setting," and "individual characteristics." As the outcome variable of this study, the respondents were asked to report their comfort levels with technicians performing the 4 advanced tasks. Four multivariable linear regression models identified statistically significant predictors of pharmacists' comfort with each task. Repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the pharmacists' comfort levels among tasks. For all 4 tasks, pharmacists who believed that technicians had the ability to complete each task were more comfortable with technicians completing those tasks. In addition, pharmacists with perceptions of stronger technician interest in advanced tasks were found to be more comfortable with technicians taking on more responsibility for all tasks except vaccine administration. Repeated measures ANOVA found that pharmacists' comfort levels differed on all 4 tasks. This study found that the CFIR domains of inner setting (pharmacy location) and individual characteristics (perceptions of technicians and pharmacist education) affect pharmacists' level of comfort with technicians taking on additional responsibilities, but outer setting variables such as regulations do not. This suggests that pharmacist characteristics may affect the expansion of technician task responsibilities, no matter what state regulations allow.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
Pharmacists have struggled to find time to spend on clinical tasks. As such, regulatory steps have been taken by some states to expand the scope of practice for community pharmacy technicians.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to determine what settings and characteristics predict pharmacists' comfort levels with technicians giving or receiving verbal prescriptions, performing nonclinical medication therapy management tasks, administering vaccinations, and verifying prescriptions.
METHODS
This study employed a national Internet-based survey of community pharmacists using a health care marketing research panel. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) was used as a theoretical basis for inquiry, particularly the CFIR domains of "outer setting," "inner setting," and "individual characteristics." As the outcome variable of this study, the respondents were asked to report their comfort levels with technicians performing the 4 advanced tasks. Four multivariable linear regression models identified statistically significant predictors of pharmacists' comfort with each task. Repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the pharmacists' comfort levels among tasks.
RESULTS
For all 4 tasks, pharmacists who believed that technicians had the ability to complete each task were more comfortable with technicians completing those tasks. In addition, pharmacists with perceptions of stronger technician interest in advanced tasks were found to be more comfortable with technicians taking on more responsibility for all tasks except vaccine administration. Repeated measures ANOVA found that pharmacists' comfort levels differed on all 4 tasks.
CONCLUSION
This study found that the CFIR domains of inner setting (pharmacy location) and individual characteristics (perceptions of technicians and pharmacist education) affect pharmacists' level of comfort with technicians taking on additional responsibilities, but outer setting variables such as regulations do not. This suggests that pharmacist characteristics may affect the expansion of technician task responsibilities, no matter what state regulations allow.
Identifiants
pubmed: 33853751
pii: S1544-3191(21)00109-6
doi: 10.1016/j.japh.2021.03.011
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
382-389.e4Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2021 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.