Objective. To define current use patterns of Facebook and Twitter among pharmacy preceptors and assess perceptions regarding use of social media within professional practice.Methods. An electronic survey instrument was sent to 315 pharmacists registered as advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) preceptors for Purdue University College of Pharmacy.Results. Approximately 60% of the 155 respondents used a Facebook account and 9% used a Twitter account. Respondents were willing to complete continuing education (CE) credit (46%) using social media, and were interested in following professional organizations (39%) on social media; however, the majority were not interested in obtaining drug or disease-state information, identifying employment opportunities, or participating in clinical discussion forums via social media. Conclusion. Despite the growing popularity of social media across multiple disciplines, the majority of pharmacy preceptors surveyed were not willing to use these venues in professional practice.

Studies show that there is a dose-dependent increase in the rate of adverse cardiovascular events when droperidol is used either alone or in combination with other medications that cause Q-T interval prolongation. At this time, there does not appear to be significant evidence to suggest that serotonin type 3-receptor (5-HT(3)) antagonists are safer than droperidol with regard to Q-T interval prolongation. More studies are needed to determine the safety and efficacy of droperidol when used in doses of 0.625-1.25 mg compared with the 5-HT(3) antagonists.

Objective. To determine the value of completing a pharmacy resident teaching certificate program on graduates' current positions of employment.

Prazosin appears to be a promising and fairly well tolerated agent for the management of PTSD-related nightmares and sleep disturbances. Further well designed trials are warranted to establish its place in therapy.

Objective. To determine the use patterns of social media among graduating pharmacy students, characterize students' views and opinions of professionalism on popular social media sites, and compare responses about social media behavior among students seeking different types of employment. Methods. All graduating pharmacy students (n5516) at Purdue University, The University of Findlay, Butler University, and Midwestern University were invited to complete a survey instrument during the fall semester of 2011. Results. Of 212 (41%) students who responded to the survey, 93% (194/209) had a social media profile. Seventy-four percent (120/162) of participants felt they should edit their social media profiles prior to applying for a job. Conclusions. Many graduating pharmacy students use social media; however, there appears to be a growing awareness of the importance of presenting a more professional image online as they near graduation and begin seeking employment as pharmacists.

and requested to forward a link to an electronic questionnaire (Appendix I) to their pharmacist members. Forty-two percent (33/78) of the state pharmacy associations, representing 66% of states (33/50), participated. A total of 38,110 emails were sent, and 1067 questionnaires were completed, resulting in a 3% response rate. Eleven questionnaires were excluded because they were from students. Fifty-four percent (572/1056) of respondents were male, the mean age was 48 years (range 23-86 y), and mean time in practice was 23 years (0-65 y). Of the respondents, 52% had a bachelor's degree, 40% had a PharmD degree, and 9% had other degrees (eg, PhD, Master's). The majority of respondents did not have residency training (78%), with most practicing in either retail (40%) or hospital (37%) pharmacy settings.

Objective. To describe the landscape of teaching and learning curriculum (TLC) programs sponsored by US schools and colleges of pharmacy and evaluate their adoption of best practice recommendations. Methods. A 28-item electronic survey instrument was developed based on best practice recommendations published by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP), American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), and American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) for the conduct of TLC programs. The survey instrument was electronically distributed to 137 accredited colleges and schools of pharmacy in the United States. Results. Eighty-eight institutions responded, resulting in a response rate of 64%. Sixty-one TLC programs were included in the final analysis. Seventy-five percent of TLC programs reported using best practice recommendations; however, 10% of respondents indicated they were not aware of the published recommendations. Inconsistencies among programs were noted in required teaching experiences, participant evaluation, and ongoing programmatic assessment. Conclusion. Most institutions offering TLC programs are aware of published best practice guidelines and have adopted a majority of the published best practices. However, considerable variability exists across the country. Development of a formal external validation process for TLC programs is necessary to ensure consistent quality.

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