Educational needs of oncology pharmacists: A survey by the International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners

Abstract

Background The International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners (ISOPP) is committed to providing educational resources to members for their continuous learning and professional development. This survey was conducted to explore the educational needs of International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners members for the purpose of developing resources to support future learning relevant to the diverse global pharmacy practitioner membership of our society. Methods A cross-sectional survey of International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners membership was conducted between 10 December 2018 and 15 January 2019. The survey contained 17 questions and consisted of four sections: (1) respondents’ demographics, (2) common challenges/barriers faced by members in accessing oncology pharmacy education, (3) areas within oncology pharmacy where members need education and (4) preferred methods of education delivery. Descriptive statistics were utilized to summarize survey results. Results The survey was completed by 62 out of 363 International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners members (17% response rate). Respondents were from 19 different countries, representing all the habitable continents. Most respondents were practicing in North America (21%), Oceania (21%) and Asia (16%). The majority of respondents worked in inpatient cancer units (60%), ambulatory tertiary cancer centres (31%) and academia (26%). Reported barriers to accessing education relevant to oncology pharmacy practice included lack of financial support (44%), time spent travelling to attend educational activities (39%), limited learning opportunities in their country of practice (34%) and limited growth of the oncology pharmacy discipline in their country of practice (32%). The content areas of greatest demand included pharmacotherapy of various cancers followed by oncology pharmacy research, International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners oncology pharmacy practice standards, supportive care and medication safety. Among educational activities offered by International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners, respondents valued annual International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners symposia and Journal of Oncology Pharmacy Practice the most. Most respondents (87%) indicated webinars as an effective educational tool. Conclusion Among an international oncology pharmacist cohort, we identified practice areas prioritized by pharmacists for continuing and professional development. Time and cost were common barriers to education, both in developing and developed countries. These survey findings may help to guide future education initiatives of International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners and other providers of pharmacist oncology education.

Beliefs and perspectives on the future of oncology pharmacy—collated results of member surveys of the European Society of Oncology Pharmacy

“…The two most sought after areas for education were pharmacotherapy and research. [14] Our survey is thus by far the most extensive one, but some limitations to it still exist. First, participation was voluntary, and members who are more active in the Society or more interested in its future might therefore be over-represented, potentially biasing the results.…”

Evaluation of a web‐based educational programme for pharmacists during the COVID‐19 pandemic in Japan

“…There is a need for increasing the learning opportunities for oncology pharmacists 4 ; however, few reports describe the effectiveness of web‐based educational seminars for oncology pharmacists. We conducted one of the most extensive questionnaire survey‐based studies to evaluate the perception of a web‐based educational oncology programme for pharmacists in Japan and found significant improvement in the degree of comprehension for all modules on the five cancer types after the webinar (Figure 1 ).…”

“…A survey conducted by the International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners (ISOPP) reports that barriers to accessing education in oncology pharmacy practice include travelling time to attend educational activities and a limited number of organizations that provide such learning opportunities in their countries of practice. The ISOPP survey also states that most respondents consider webinars as an effective educational tool 4 . COVID‐19 has brought about changes in social circumstances and in the educational environment for pharmacists.…”

“…The ISOPP survey also states that most respondents consider webinars as an effective educational tool. 4 COVID‐19 has brought about changes in social circumstances and in the educational environment for pharmacists. The Japanese government promoted avoidance of the three ‘C’s’ (close spaces, crowded places, and close‐contact settings) during the pandemic.…”

Perspectives for Cancer Care and Research in Central and Eastern Europe

“…The need for harmonized and EU-recognized oncology pharmacist training and education was identified as an important issue. An important step forward was the creation of a comprehensive educational program for pharmacists named the European Specialization in Oncology Pharmacy by the European Society of Oncology Pharmacy [9]. This is especially important in countries where oncology pharmacy as a specialty is still developing, as is the case in many of the CEE countries, where oncology-specific board-certified pharmacists practicing in oncology are not yet common.…”