A Consensus Definition and Core Competencies for Being an Advocate for Pharmacy

Abstract

Objective. To develop a consensus definition for "advocacy for the profession of pharmacy" and core competencies for doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) graduates to be effective advocates for the profession. Methods. A 3-round modified Delphi process was conducted using a panel of 9 experts. Participants revised a definition for "advocacy for the profession" and ultimately rated their agreement using a 5-point Likert scale. Competency statements were developed and subsequently rated for importance for being an advocate and importance to address in PharmD curricula. Results. A consensus-derived definition was developed. Two competency statements achieved consensus for both measures of importance. Four competency statements achieved consensus for only 1 measure and another 4 did not reach consensus for either measure. Conclusion. A consensus-derived definition was developed describing advocacy for the profession of pharmacy and began laying the groundwork for the knowledge and skills necessary to be an effective advocate for the profession of pharmacy.

Utility of a Modified Online Delphi Method to Define Workforce Competencies: Lessons from the Intellectual Disability Mental Health Core Competencies Project

“…A 5-point Likert-type scale (strongly disagree [1], disagree [2], neutral [3], agree [4], strongly agree [5]) was used to assess the participant's level of agreement. This scale was selected because it had been successfully used in previous research attempting to define workforce competencies (Barry et al, 2012;Bzowyckyj & Janke, 2013) and provides an option for people who are undecided if the attribute is or is not a core element of clinical practice.…”

The use of oral presentations, role-play sessions, and reflective critiques to emphasize the advocate learning outcome in the pharmacy curriculum

“…1 This project aimed to enhance the advocate learning outcome throughout our curriculum, without the introduction of an entire new course but with an overall goal to produce graduates capable of fulfilling the advocacy roles in future practice. Previous studies have identified the challenges with designing new curricula due to lack of resources, time constraints, or institutional policies.…”

“…10 However, little direction is available regarding incorporating advocacy-related assignments and assessments into the existing pharmacy curricula. 1,5,6 Previous reports acknowledge the challenges associated with advocacy-related instruction and assessment. One particular challenge was that advocacy-related instructions are typically associated with policy rather than health-related topics, which may be due to the lack of awareness of the definition of advocacy or lack of specific goals and desired outcomes of instruction.…”

“…One particular challenge was that advocacy-related instructions are typically associated with policy rather than health-related topics, which may be due to the lack of awareness of the definition of advocacy or lack of specific goals and desired outcomes of instruction. 1 Attempts to provide advocacy-related instruction have been identified in the literature of other health professions. [11][12][13] While these reports provide good examples, such activities in the pharmacy curricula have not been reported.…”

“…1 It is a core competency that is acquired through continual instruction, experience, and personal growth. As identified by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP), it is "absolutely imperative that pharmacists take charge of their profession and demonstrate to the rest of the world their role in improving individuals' and society's health."…”