Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Improving Inpatient Hyperglycaemia In Non-Critically Ill Adults In Resident Wards Through Audit And Feedback, Chelsea H. Chang, Alcibiades Fleires, Alfarooq Alshaikhli, Hector Arredondo, Diana Gavilanes, Francisco J. Cabral-Amador, Jonathon Cantu, Daniela Bazan, Kathryn Oliveira Oliveira, Rene Verduzco, Lina Pedraza Sanchez

School of Medicine Publications and Presentations

Inpatient hyperglycaemia is associated with an increase in morbidity and mortality, number of rehospitalisations and length of hospitalisation. Although the advantages of proper glycaemic control in hospitalised patients with diabetes are well established, a variety of barriers limit accomplishment of blood glucose targets. Our primary aim was to decrease the number of glucose values above 180 mg/dL in non-critical care hospitalised patients using an audit and feedback intervention with pharmacy and internal medicine residents. A resident-led multidisciplinary team implemented the quality improvement (QI) project including conception, literature review, educating residents, iterative development of audit and feedback tools and data analysis. …

Geospatial Distribution Of Pharmacist Diabetes Management Within A Patient Centered Medical Home Model In Omaha, Nebraska, Anthony Donovan

Capstone Experience

Patients with uncontrolled diabetes, defined as a hemoglobin A1c value greater than 9%, are at an increased risk of diabetes progression. Primary care is often the first point of contact where patients with uncontrolled diabetes are identified and treated. Pharmacists are utilized in diabetes medication management of patients with uncontrolled diabetes as one component of primary care multidisciplinary models of care. This descriptive project describes the geospatial distribution of patients with uncontrolled diabetes from a single institution in the Omaha, Nebraska area who were exposed to pharmacists within a Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) model of care compared to those …

Improving Pharmacist-Led Pediatric Patient Education On Oral Chemotherapy At Home, Anika Patel, Christopher M. Nguyen, Kristin Willins, Elsabella Y. Wang, Grace Magedman, Sun Yang

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Oral chemotherapy (OC) has been increasingly used in pediatric patients diagnosed with cancer, which is primarily managed in the outpatient setting. Different from adults, pediatric patients face unique challenges in administering these hazardous medications at home. Because of the complexity of pediatric pharmaceutical care and the hazardous nature of chemotherapy agents, comprehensive patient education is imperative to mitigate the potential safety risks associated with OC administration at home. Pharmacists play a vital role in patient education and medication consultations. However, the lack of practice guidelines and limited resources supporting OC counseling are noted. Additional barriers include insufficient knowledge and training …

Adding Pharmacist-Led Home Blood Pressure Telemonitoring To Usual Care For Blood Pressure Control: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Nischit Baral, Annabelle Santos Volgman, Amith Seri, Vijaya Chelikani, Sakiru Isa, Sri L P Javvadi, Timir K Paul, Joshua D Mitchell

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Health systems have been quickly adopting telemedicine throughout the United States, especially since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there are limited data on whether adding pharmacist-led home blood pressure (BP) telemonitoring to office-based usual care improves BP. We searched PubMed/MEDLINE and Embase for randomized controlled trials from January 2000 until April 2022, comparing studies on pharmacist-led home BP telemonitoring with usual care. Six randomized controlled trials, including 1,550 participants, satisfied the inclusion criteria. There were 774 participants in the pharmacist-led telemonitoring group and 776 in the usual care group. The addition of pharmacist-led telemonitoring to usual care was …

Sharksrx Newsletter Summer 2023, Nova Southeastern University

NSU Sharks Rx

No abstract provided.

Sharksrx Newsletter Spring 2023, Nova Southeastern University

NSU Sharks Rx

No abstract provided.

Impact Of The Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) On Frontline Pharmacists Roles And Services: Inspire Worldwide Survey., Kaitlyn E. Watson, Dillon H. Lee, Mohammad B. Nusair, Yazid N. Al Hamarneh

HPD Articles

BACKGROUND: Pharmacy has been recognized as a vital healthcare profession during the COVID-19 pandemic. The primary objective of the INSPIRE Worldwide survey was to determine the impact of COVID-19 on pharmacy practice and pharmacists' roles around the world.

METHODS: A cross-sectional online questionnaire with pharmacists who provided direct patient care during the pandemic. Participants were recruited through social media, with assistance from national and international pharmacy organizations between March 2021-May 2022. The questionnaire was divided into (1) demographics, (2) pharmacists' roles, (3) communication strategies, and (4) practice challenges. The data were analyzed using SPSS 28, and descriptive statistics were used …

Closed-System Transfer Devices Reduce Exposure To Contaminants, Ken Maxik, Craig Kimble, Alberto Coustasse

Management Faculty Research

Closed-system transfer devices (CSTDs) are used during the preparation of hazardous drugs (HDs) as a mechanism to reduce the transfer of drugs or vapors into the environment. When evaluating these systems, pharmacists should consider which drugs in the pharmacy would benefit the safety of health care workers and patients using the systems. Medication types include neoplastic agents, such as bleomycin, cisplatin, and methotrexate, and other agents, such as cyclosporine, oxytocin, and progesterone.

Sharksrx Newsletter Fall 2022, Nova Southeastern University

NSU Sharks Rx

No abstract provided.

Pharmacists Role In Preventing Drug Abuse, Renae L. Wilson

College of Pharmacy Student Research

In 2019, there were approximately 332,000 pharmacists active in the US workforce, Data USA, 2019. A survey of 1,700 American adults, discovered, that 34% of Americans still rely on healthcare providers such as pharmacists, for information in relation their health, KRC Research, 2018. Pharmacists are one of the three most trusted health care professions and were found to be the second most trusted source for health information by Americans in 2005. Blendon et al., 2006 found, that information from pharmacist was trusted by 67%, of participants in their survey. One of the oaths pledged by pharmacist is, ‘ …

Sharksrx Newsletter Summer 2022, Nova Southeastern University

NSU Sharks Rx

No abstract provided.

Medication Therapy Management Implementation In Conjunction With A Rural Health Clinic In Minnesota: A Cqi Impact On Diabetes Metrics, Abigail Sirek Pharmd

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this continuous quality improvement project was to implement a pharmacist-led Medication Therapy Management (MTM) clinic in rural, central Minnesota and assess the impact on patients’ healthcare over a six-month period. Patients were identified through the clinic’s diabetes registry, which included patients 18 through 75 years old with a diagnosis of diabetes not meeting all five D5 goals, as recommended by the Minnesota Community Measurements, independently referred by the provider, or be identified by their insurance company as a patient that would benefit from an MTM visit. The D5 focuses on blood pressure and blood sugar control, appropriate …

Mississippi Pharmacists’ Perceptions Of Dietary Supplements, Emory Booth

Honors Theses

Dietary supplements are often a controversial topic among healthcare professionals. Many view supplements positively and appreciate the health benefits they can provide. Others are wary of the decreased regulation dietary supplements are subject to and believe that the benefits of supplements do not outweigh the risks. Dietary supplements are of particular interest to pharmacists, as they are often sold at their place of work, and pharmacists have to consolidate their patients’ supplement use with their medication use. The purpose of this thesis is to evaluate the viewpoints of Mississippi pharmacists in relation to dietary supplements. A survey was sent to …

Sharksrx Newsletter Spring 2022, Nova Southeastern University

NSU Sharks Rx

No abstract provided.

Predictors Of Job Satisfaction Among Pharmacists: A Regional Workforce Survey, Rotana M. Radwan, John P. Bentley, Julie A. Patterson, Dave L. Dixon

Faculty and Student Publications

Background: Job satisfaction affects organizational outcomes including performance and retention. The pharmacy job satisfaction literature points to several predictors of job satisfaction, but educational debt and various work settings have not been previously examined. Objectives: To identify predictors of Virginia pharmacists' job satisfaction. Methods: This cross-sectional study used data from the 2018 Virginia Pharmacist Workforce Survey. Of 15,424 registered pharmacists, 13,962 (90.5%) completed the survey. Pharmacists who reported being employed and working in Virginia in the previous year (2017) were included in the analysis (n = 6042). Data were summarized using descriptive statistics. Multiple logistic regression identified predictors of job …

Pharmacists' Role In Opioid Use Disorder And Overdose Prevention And Treatment And Their Attitudes And Perceptions Towards Distributing Naloxone Under A Standing Order, Stephen C. Ijioma

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Opioids are a class of drugs that bind to opioid receptors (mu, delta, and kappa), located in the central and peripheral nervous systems, to exert responses such as analgesia, respiratory depression, euphoria, and miosis. The opioid epidemic is characterized in large part by an increase in opioid overdose deaths. Community pharmacists are one of the most accessible healthcare professionals who frequently interact with patients and can implement OUD and opioid overdose prevention strategies. Treatment for opioid overdose and OUD include naloxone for overdose deaths as well as medication-assisted treatment for OUD.

Objective: The specific aims of this thesis include …

Pharmacists’ Responses To Medication Management Following Disasters, Rellamichelle W. Tyree

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Disasters, both natural and human made, can cause emerging health threats in the United States and the Caribbean. The disasters that pharmacists experienced and reported for this study included hurricanes, snowstorms, ice storms, flooding, and a pandemic. The purpose of this research was to investigate the challenges and outcomes associated with pharmacists’ medication management practices during and following disasters. This generic qualitative study focused on pharmacists’ experiences and their responses to disaster planning and medication management activities. The ecological model of disaster management was the conceptual framework used to investigate the pharmacists and their responses and actions used to address …

Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of Continuing Professional Development In The Pharmaceutical Workplace: A Cross-Sectional Study In Lebanon, Georges Hatem, Mathijs Goossens, Diana Ghanem, Roula Bou Assi

BAU Journal - Creative Sustainable Development

The objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of Continuous Professional Development in the pharmaceutical workplace and the direct impact on the pharmacists’ personal and professional progression and to assess their perceptions toward various CPD methods and their incorporation into this recent learning pathway. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in Lebanon within three months from July 2017 till September 2017 using a survey as a tool. Overall 142 participants were conveniently selected frequency matching national government estimates of pharmacists’ work location and gender . Results: Among the respondents, 38.7% reported that they have learnt through CD/DVD, …

Pharmacists Recommendation For Herbal Preparations With Secretolytic And Antitussive Action, Gentiana Mehmeti

UBT International Conference

Herbal medicines with expectorant and antitussive action have an important role in therapy and are prescribed by doctors and recommended by pharmacists. The study was based on a questionnaire on the use of expectorant and antitussive syrups. This study included 128 pharmacists and 116 pharmacy technicians from 157 pharmacies operating in the Prishtina region. 71.8% of pharmacists claim that naturally occurring syrups acting on the respiratory tract are prescribed by a doctor. Depending on the type of cough antitussive or expectorant prescribed by doctors, pharmacists claim that 82.8% expectorant syrups are prescribed, while 17.2% are antitussive. Syrups with antitussive or …

Sharksrx Newsletter Fall 2021, Nova Southeastern University

NSU Sharks Rx

No abstract provided.

Value Of Systematic Approach To Assess Health-System Pharmacy Services, Sonnia Zambrano, Radha Patel, L. Hayley Burgess, Kimberly Heath

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Health-system pharmacy leaders are tasked with determining key staffing decisions based on evolving patient care needs and present-day staffing capacity. A systematic approach to evaluate patient care needs, current model and potential gaps enables leaders to allocate resources in patient care need expansions or sudden fluctuations of patient volumes. Resource management, preparedness and ongoing maintenance form principles used by pharmacy leaders to create an optimal operational environment and elevate clinical pharmacy services. Use of this approach for multiple sites of care across a large network of health systems resulted in identification and improvement in pharmacist coverage and retention of clinical …

Sharksrx Newsletter Summer 2021, Nova Southeastern University

NSU Sharks Rx

No abstract provided.

Retrospective Review Of Pharmacist Delivered Employee Medication Therapy Management (Mtm) Visits, Atuobi N. Yiadom Pharmd

Theses and Dissertations

Medication therapy management (MTM) services are evolving, and through collaborative practice agreements with providers, pharmacists are in a unique position to use their knowledge and skills to improve therapeutic outcomes for patients. Studies have shown that employer provided MTM services can lead to reduced spending on employer healthcare plan costs and improve overall health outcomes for beneficiaries of the MTM program. CentraCare offers MTM programs for their employees and their beneficiaries, but the program is underutilized due to lack of awareness and limited ambulatory care pharmacists to provide MTM services. This project covers ambulatory care pharmacists' role in improving employee …

Case Report: The Complexities Of Managing Medications And The Importance Of Deprescribing Anticholinergics In Older Adults, Taylor Elliott, Lynne Eckmann, Daniela C. Moga

Pharmacy Practice and Science Faculty Publications

Potentially inappropriate anticholinergic medications (including over-the-counter products), polypharmacy, and the existence of communication barriers among members of the interprofessional team frequently contribute to clinical complexity in older adults. We present the case of a frail 86-year old female from the perspective of a community pharmacist managing outpatient medications and transitions of care. CD’s past medical history is significant for dementia, multiple falls, recurrent urinary tract infections, depression, cardiac arrhythmia, macular degeneration, chronic pain, depression, and cerebrovascular disease.

The Use Of Dmaic To Improve Quality Vaccination Recommendations In Chain Community Pharmacies, Urvi Patel

Applied Research Projects

Community pharmacies provide the convenience and ease of administrating vaccinations outside traditional settings. Vaccinations are health initiatives that protect communities and improve health outcomes in all populations. Despite their accessibility and supporting clinical data, various influential factors contribute to the current suboptimal rates of vaccine administration. Given the common barriers to vaccine administration, this research narrows down to address a specific barrier and attempts to implement a method that focuses on improving vaccine rates in community pharmacies. This research is a case study that utilizes the DMAIC model of lean six sigma and aims to use this quality improvement process …

Evaluation Of Student Pharmacists’ Attitudes And Perceptions Of Hormonal Contraception Prescribing In Indiana, J. Henry Papineau, Jenny L. Newlon, Ryan S. Ades, Veronica Vernon, Tracey A. Wilkinson, Lynn M. Thoma, Ashley H. Meredith

Scholarship and Professional Work – COPHS

Community pharmacists’ scope of practice is expanding to include hormonal contraceptive prescribing. Prior to introducing statewide legislation, it is important to assess the perceptions of future pharmacists. A cross-sectional survey was distributed to 651 third- and fourth-year professional students enrolled at three colleges of pharmacy in Indiana. Data were collected between September and October 2019 to assess students’ attitudes about prescribing hormonal contraceptives, readiness to prescribe, perceived barriers, and desire for additional training. In total, 20.9% (n = 136) students responded. Most (89%, n = 121) believe that pharmacist-prescribed hormonal contraceptives would be beneficial to women in Indiana, and 91% …

Innovations In Diabetes Care For A Better "New Normal" Beyond Covid-19., Shivani Agarwal, Michelle L Griffith, Elizabeth J Murphy, Carol Greenlee, Jeffrey Boord, Robert A Gabbay

Hospital Medicine

The coronavirus disease pandemic has created opportunities for innovation in diabetes care that were not possible before. From the lens of this "new normal" state, we have an opportunity to rapidly implement, test, and iterate models of diabetes care to achieve the quadruple aim of improving medical outcomes, patient experience, provider satisfaction, and reducing costs. In this perspective, we discuss several innovative diabetes models of care which promote collaborative care models and improve access to high-quality specialty diabetes care. We discuss ongoing threats to diabetes care innovation, and offer practical solutions to foster evolution and sustain current strides made during …

Achieving Better Care In Pennsylvania By Allowing Pharmacists To Practice Pharmacy, Travis Murray

Dickinson Law Review (2017-Present)

Traditionally, state legislatures implemented Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (“PDMPs”) to assist prescribers, pharmacists, and law enforcement in identifying patients likely to misuse, abuse, or divert controlled substances. PDMP databases contain a catalog of a patient’s recent controlled substances that pharmacies have filled, including the date, location, the quantity of medication filled, and the prescribing health care provider. Prescribers in Pennsylvania have a duty to query the PDMP before prescribing controlled substances in most clinical settings. Pharmacists have a similar duty in Pennsylvania to dispense safe and effective medication therapy to patients and to screen patients for potential signs of misuse, …

Assessment Of Community Pharmacists’ Involvement In Public Health Promotion Services In Beirut, Lebanon, Mira Medawar, Maha Aboul Ela, Souraya Domiati

BAU Journal - Health and Wellbeing

Background: The role of pharmacists is growing globally; the shift from the traditional role of preparing and dispensing medications, to a role in medication therapy management and public health services is started to be acceptable worldwide.

Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the participation level of community pharmacists’ in certain public health services promotion as well as the barriers that hindered such provision.

Method: A questionnaire based study has been carried targeting Lebanese community pharmacists working in Beirut, Lebanon. Socio-demographic information, types of public health consultations offered in the pharmacy, and the barriers confronted by the community …

Differences Between Pharmacists’ Perception Of Counseling And Practice In The Era Of Prescription Drug Misuse, J. D. Thornton, Precious Anyanwu, Vaishnavi Tata, Tamara Al Rawwad, Marc L. Fleming

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Objective: This study was conducted to assess pharmacists' practices when counseling patients on their prescription medications, and their preferences for training.

Methods: Five focus group discussions of community pharmacists (n=45, with seven to eleven participants in each group) were conducted in a major metropolitan city in the southern United States. Participants were recruited via email using a list of community pharmacists provided by the Texas State Board of Pharmacy. All focus group discussions were structured using a moderator guide consisting of both discrete and open-ended questions. Qualitative analysis software was used to analyze the data with a thematic analysis approach. …