Implementing the pharmacy technician role in existing pharmacy settings: Stakeholders views of barriers and facilitators.
Journal
Research in social & administrative pharmacy : RSAP
ISSN: 1934-8150
Titre abrégé: Res Social Adm Pharm
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 101231974
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
10 2022
10 2022
Historique:
received:
22
04
2022
revised:
27
04
2022
accepted:
27
04
2022
pubmed:
14
5
2022
medline:
24
8
2022
entrez:
13
5
2022
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
The field of pharmacy will benefit from pharmacy technicians, a higher educated mid-level support workforce. They support pharmacists in providing pharmaceutical patient care through delegated roles and responsibilities. Empirical research on pharmacy technicians within pharmacy practice community and hospital pharmacy practices tends to focus on the practical outcomes of this workforce addition. It mostly addresses the 'WHAT' of service delivered by pharmacy technicians. Literature on the 'HOW' of their role development in practice is scarce. Furthermore, it seems difficult for most pharmacy technicians to effectively fulfil this professional role. This qualitative study explored factors influencing role development of pharmacy technicians in community and hospital pharmacies. On site, individual and small-group interviews were conducted with pharmacy technicians (n = 10), and two colleagues: pharmacists (n = 7) and pharmacy assistants (n = 6). Interviews were based on a semi-structured interview guide. Participants were asked to describe specific incidents and organisational, relational and pharmaceutical care perspectives, illustrative of the process of developing and implementing the pharmacy technician role. Template analysis was used to develop a list of codes representing themes identified in the data. Five interrelated themes influenced development and implementation of the pharmacy technician role. Two of them were at a more contextual level: (a) experiencing a lack of vision on added value of the new role within the field of pharmacy and (b) learning climate. The other three were related to personal interactions between staff members: (c) role expectations and organisational fit, (d) personal traits of pharmacy technicians and (e) support of pharmacy technicians through task delegation and role enhancement. The data showed that development and implementation of pharmacy technician roles is a complicated process. A detailed plan for addressing and remediating the five identified themes is important to promote role development of pharmacy technicians.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
The field of pharmacy will benefit from pharmacy technicians, a higher educated mid-level support workforce. They support pharmacists in providing pharmaceutical patient care through delegated roles and responsibilities. Empirical research on pharmacy technicians within pharmacy practice community and hospital pharmacy practices tends to focus on the practical outcomes of this workforce addition. It mostly addresses the 'WHAT' of service delivered by pharmacy technicians. Literature on the 'HOW' of their role development in practice is scarce. Furthermore, it seems difficult for most pharmacy technicians to effectively fulfil this professional role.
OBJECTIVE
This qualitative study explored factors influencing role development of pharmacy technicians in community and hospital pharmacies.
METHODS
On site, individual and small-group interviews were conducted with pharmacy technicians (n = 10), and two colleagues: pharmacists (n = 7) and pharmacy assistants (n = 6). Interviews were based on a semi-structured interview guide. Participants were asked to describe specific incidents and organisational, relational and pharmaceutical care perspectives, illustrative of the process of developing and implementing the pharmacy technician role. Template analysis was used to develop a list of codes representing themes identified in the data.
RESULTS
Five interrelated themes influenced development and implementation of the pharmacy technician role. Two of them were at a more contextual level: (a) experiencing a lack of vision on added value of the new role within the field of pharmacy and (b) learning climate. The other three were related to personal interactions between staff members: (c) role expectations and organisational fit, (d) personal traits of pharmacy technicians and (e) support of pharmacy technicians through task delegation and role enhancement.
CONCLUSIONS
The data showed that development and implementation of pharmacy technician roles is a complicated process. A detailed plan for addressing and remediating the five identified themes is important to promote role development of pharmacy technicians.
Identifiants
pubmed: 35550348
pii: S1551-7411(22)00147-4
doi: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2022.04.005
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
3814-3820Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.