ROUTE TO CLINICAL PHARMACY: THE EXCHANGE PROGRAMME EXPERIENCE (submitted in 2019)
European Statement
Clinical Pharmacy Services
Author(s)
Chiara Inserra, Antonio Solinas, Chiara Panciroli, Branden Nemecek, David Zimmerman, J.Douglas Bricker, Piera Polidori
Why was it done?
Successful implementation of clinical pharmacy services are associated with improved prescribing practices. SIFO includes clinical pharmacy in their mission to line up with Section 4 of the European Statement on Hospital Pharmacy and is striving for implementation through advanced trainings for IHPs. The aim of this EP was to provide real world clinical pharmacy training to IHPs.
What was done?
Through international collaboration between Duquesne University School of Pharmacy in Pittsburgh (PA-USA) and the Italian Society of Hospital Pharmacy (SIFO) a clinical pharmacy exchange programme (EP) was established to provide clinical education to Italian pharmacists interested in advancing the profession. From 2010 to 2018, SIFO provided several grants to allow Italian hospital pharmacists (IHPs) to participate. In 2018, three IHPs from across Italy were selected for a 1 month experience to gain experience and insight into practices that they may use in their facilities.
How was it done?
The clinical training was created by Duquesne University to provide IHPs educational and first-hand clinical skills based on American clinical pharmacy practice and education. The training was individualised for IHPs’ interests including didactics and practical training. Sessions to discuss IHPs’ progress were conducted with the Dean and faculty of the programme.
What has been achieved?
IHPs had the chance to observe American pharmacy education and compare it to the Italian one. American university training was practical, well-coordinated with clinical activities, and based on a trustful teacher-student relationship. During practical training IHPs shadowed American Clinical Pharmacists (ACP) specialized in different areas: Infectious Disease, Cardiology, Oncology, Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine, Community Pharmacy, Ambulatory Care. They were able to observe how ACPs validate prescriptions and are actively engaged in direct patient care, participating in bedside multidisciplinary rounds and making recommendations on therapies (drug interactions, dose adjustments, antibiotic selection). IHPs saw how technology investments, prioritisation of care, and availability of skilled personnel underlie American hospital pharmacy practice.
What next?
IHPs gained baseline clinical pharmacy skills to enhance care at their facilities; however, the widespread implementation of clinical pharmacy in Italy requires education reform, enhanced resources and integration of pharmacists within a multidisciplinary team. Implementation of small projects through collaboration with universities should be considered in the Italian hospital setting.
INCLUSION OF PHARMACY STUDENTS IN AN INTERPROFESSIONAL TRAINING WARD PLACEMENT FOR HEALTHCARE STUDENTS IN SWEDEN (submitted in 2019)
Pdf
European Statement
Education and Research
Author(s)
Matts Balgård, Maria Swartling, Srebrenka Dobrić, Lena Klarén, Lina Karlsson
Why was it done?
ITWP for healthcare students is established at various teaching hospitals. However, to our knowledge, no such programme in Scandinavia has included pharmacy students. Clinical pharmacy is a growing profession in Sweden and other healthcare students will in the future work alongside clinical pharmacists. Therefore we set out to add pharmacy students to the ITWP team, believing that it would be a valuable experience for them to collaborate and share knowledge with students from other healthcare professions. Equally important, it is a way to promote the pharmacist’s competence and contribution to the multiprofessional healthcare team, prior to graduation.
What was done?
Final year undergraduate pharmacy students, specialising clinical pharmacy, were given the opportunity to spend two weeks of their six months pharmacy practice to participate in an interprofessional training ward placement (ITWP) together with medical, nursing and physiotherapy students. During this two-week clinical placement, the students were collaboratively responsible for managing the care of geriatric inpatients while under supervision of licensed practitioners.
How was it done?
A working group was formed consisting of teachers from the faculty of pharmacy, a student representative and a working clinical pharmacist. The group developed the initiative, including among other things, prerequisites, an evaluation plan, a workflow tool for clinical rounds, and suggested tasks for pharmacy students during the placement.
What has been achieved?
The programme has been running for three semesters and 6–8 pharmacy students have participated in the ITWP each semester. The initiative has been evaluated using surveys. Participating pharmacy students expressed gaining new knowledge and better insight into nursing care and the roles of the other professions. Nursing students appreciated the support in medication management and medical students found the pharmacy students to be valuable discussion partners that could challenge their drug-related decisions. Tutors expressed that the pharmacy students brought a beneficial dynamic to the ITWP team.
What next?
The opportunity for students from different professions to work together with a common objective in a real-life setting gives them valuable insight into each other’s professional roles early in their careers. This good practice initiative could be used in other interprofessional training ward placements wishing to involve pharmacy students.
COMPENDIUM OF POST-GRADUATE ITALIAN HOSPITAL PHARMACY SCHOOLS: AN INFORMATIONAL GUIDE OF ReNaSFO ASSOCIATION – NATIONAL NETWORK OF ITALIAN HOSPITAL PHARMACY SCHOOL STUDENTS (submitted in 2019)
Pdf
European Statement
Education and Research
Author(s)
ANTONIO PIRRONE, FEDERICA MILANI, LUCA CANCANELLI, VALENTINA MARINI , DANIELE MENGATO , ROBERTO LANGELLA , NICOLA REALDON
Why was it done?
On October 5, 2017 the National Network of Italian Hospital Pharmacy School Students (ReNaSFO) was born with the aim to face the various critical aspects of post-graduate Hospital Pharmacy School (SHP), such as the need to make the different paths homogenous among regional SHPs, improve dialogue between colleagues and encourage a more informed approach focused to the training pathway for specialisation. In particular, little official information is available and hard to find about the different realities present in Italy.
What was done?
“Compendium” project is designed to fill this lack and to gather information on post-graduate SHPs operating in Italy. In addition to outlining a summary description of the SHPs, the Compendium is configured as an official tool to respond and provide targeted information to near-graduates and graduates in Pharmacy (who often contact ReNaSFO) interested to approach the SHPs path.
How was it done?
Two project coordinators prepared a list of items submitted to representative ReNaSFO student in every 21 operating SHPs. The items refer to: available places and admission requirements, type of entry test, organisation of didactic lessons, exams and residency training, health facilities affiliated with SHP, potential availability of scholarships, useful links of the SHP or university. The help of universities was fundamental, in particular the helpfulness of SHP directors to collaborate with students.
What has been achieved?
As many as 18 SHPs out of 21 (85.71%) have joined the project: Bari, Bologna, Catania, Catanzaro, Camerino, Genoa, Florence, Milan, Modena and Reggio Emilia, Messina, Naples, Padua, Parma, Pisa, Rome, Siena, Turin and Sassari; of these, 14 schools have already sent their finished “Compendium” form.
What next?
Thanks to the widespread presence of associated ReNaSFO students, the initiative has immediately found interest and participation, reconfirming once again the active and unconditional collaboration between SHP students throughout Italy. Despite a heterogeneous situation between different SHPs, we keep working together hopeful to achieve national uniformity of SHPs and to improve educational objectives and training pathways.
A 72 hours training program for pharmacy residents to perform secure, optimized and standardized medication review orders: a proof of concept
European Statement
Education and Research
Author(s)
Sophie Renet, Florian Le seigneur, Ratiba Haddad, Andre Rieutord, Marie Camille Chaumais
Why was it done?
The high turn over rate of medical and pharmacy residents (every 6 months) could jeopardize the patient’s care management as they generally lack of appropriate skills upon arrival. Our former process medication review was relying on individual and heterogeneous competencies of pharmacy residents likely to lead to sub-optimal medication review and treatment optimisation. We had to design a training program for residents according to the constraints of time and characteristics of related treatment of the considered clinical ward recruited patients.
What was done?
A training program for pharmacy residents was developed and implemented. The aim was to develop the skills of the residents to allow them to perform, after 72 hours, a secure, optimized and standardized (SOS) medication review orders, according to the specificities and the “real-life practice” of the clinical department.
How was it done?
Through a collaborative approach (residents and seniors pharmacists, physicians, PhD student in education sciences), ADDIE (Analyse, Design, Development, Implantation, Evaluation) method was used. First, the most frequent pathologies and drugs prescribed in the cardiology department were identified to define specificities and thus custom the educational needs and skills that residents have to acquire to ensure a SOS medication review orders. The program included a 3 steps process over 3 days: (1) recognize the organisation and learning tools; (2) practice 3 clinical medication review orders simulation; (4) assess and feed-back with a senior clinical pharmacist. Some learning tools were developed: a training tool kit to guide the learners ; an aid kit, including a SOS medication review orders algorithm to follow throughout the whole process. Two years after implementation, 4 pharmacy residents have used this training program.
What has been achieved?
Our 72-hours-training program is routinely used for new pharmacy residents. It has been implemented successfully with a high acceptance. They also felt more comfortable to suggest therapeutic advices to the physicians.
What next?
The proof of concept of SOS was successfully done. We are currently extending it for 5th year pharmacy students and develop similar training program for other clinical wards (Surgery, oncology, immunology). In 2017, we expect to share it with our pharmacist colleagues working in the two closest hospitals.