Community pharmacy cognitive services during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A descriptive study of practices, precautions taken, perceived enablers and barriers and burnout

Abstract

Objective The objectives of this study were to identify community pharmacist (CP)‐led cognitive services and CPs’ precautions taken related to COVID‐19, perceived enablers and barriers related to pharmaceutical services and burnout levels during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Method In this descriptive study, the survey was administered online to CPs in all regions of Turkey. The frequency of their provision of patient counselling, provision of medication information and practices towards precautions during the pandemic were evaluated based on CP self‐reports. The Turkish version of the Burnout Measure Short Form was used, and a 30‐item questionnaire based on the 12‐domain Theoretical Domains Framework was developed to determine CPs’ perceived enablers of and barriers to pharmaceutical service delivery during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Data were collected using convenience sampling methods. Besides internal consistency reliability, principal component analysis, and correlation analysis, Mann‐Whitney U ‐test was conducted in group comparisons. Results A total of 1098 complete responses were received, for a response rate of 4.11% among 26 747 CPs. The CPs’ median burnout score was 3.3 (2.5‐4.2). More than half of the CPs (54.5%) referred probable patients with COVID‐19 to the hospital. Commonly delivered cognitive CP‐led services included preventive health services (89.5%) and medication information services (86.3%). Perceived barriers to delivering pharmaceutical services were a lack of environmental resources and support and a lack of innovation in pharmaceutical services. Perceived enablers were CPs’ knowledge, skills, self‐confidence, actions, impacts, emotions and perceived behavioural control. Conclusion To increase the preparedness of pharmacists for future pandemics or disasters, this study highlighted CP‐led cognitive services, precautions taken related to COVID‐19, perceived enablers and barriers and burnout during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Pharmaceutical services guidelines that could be followed during a pandemic or other disaster should be designed by addressing these findings.

Community Pharmacists’ Beliefs about Suboptimal Practice during the Times of COVID-19

“…Stressors were not confined to work but fears around safety and health and family and also the stress and availability of wearing Personal Protective Equipment. International studies confirm this and reinforce the use of Personal Protective Equipment as a stressor for pharmacists, who were not regular users prior to the pandemic [ 6 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 12 , 34 ].…”

“…Increasing workloads, particularly over the pandemic period, appear in the pharmacy literature as a significant contributing stressor to suboptimal practice [ 6 , 8 , 9 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 16 ]. Johnston et al [ 6 ] noted that, internationally, pharmacists worked on the frontlines and that, similarly to New Zealand, as other countries closed sectors of the workforce down, pharmacies and hospitals remained opened and worked throughout the pandemic period.…”

“…Internationally, factors associated with the burden of COVID-19 on pharmacists include increases in the pharmacist scope, a lack of resources and staffing, excessive workloads, inefficient systems, ineffective communication, time pressures, outdated technology, financial burdens, the wearing of personal protective equipment (PPE) and its limited availability and the ever-changing infection protocol guidelines [ 6 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ].…”

Pelaksanaan Pelayanan Farmasi Klinik di Apotek Pada Masa Pandemi COVID-19: Suatu Literature Review

“…Selama pandemi, apotek dibersihkan lebih sering daripada sebelum pandemi. Pada penelitian lain diketahui bahwa ada aturan untuk melakukan desinfeksi secara periodik selama jam operasional apotek tersebut untuk mengurangi penularan penyakit dan memastikan perlindungan untuk tenaga kesehatan di apotek dan pasien yang datang (Baratta et al, 2021;Hamed, 2020;Hoti et al, 2020;Kua & Lee, 2020;Okuyan, Bektay, Kingir, Save, & Sancar, 2021). Apotek juga menyediakan hand sanitizer dan menggunakan pembatas plastik saat berinteraksi dengan pasien (Hoti et al, 2020;Zaidi & Hasan, 2021).…”

“…Tetapi 57,66% responden menyatakan bahwa konsultasi dapat dilakukan dengan baik walau ada pembatasan jarak (Sum & Ow, 2021). Hasil penelitian di Turki menunjukkan bahwa konseling pada masa pandemi COVID-19 sangat meningkat untuk obat-obat yang meningkatkan daya tahan tubuh (Okuyan et al, 2021). Pelaksanaan konseling masalah terkait obat seperti efek samping, toksisitas, kesalahan dalam penggunaan obat, interaksi obat, dan lainnya tetap dilakukan pada sebagian besar apotek tetapi ada yang mengalami peningkatan dan ada juga penurunan (Okuyan et al, 2021).…”