Evaluation of pharmacist interventions as part of a multidisciplinary pain management team

Abstract

Pharmacists have an important role within the healthcare system. They can offer some services to the patients including consultation, patient education and therapeutic management. Community pharmacists can assess the type and severity of pain, monitor treatment and guide medication regulation to improve the treatment of the pain. The involvement of pharmacists in nonprescription medication counseling about pain will increase the public’s ability to understand the risks and benefits of over-the-counter drugs. Aim and objects was to study and analyze professional abilities and role of pharmacy employees during the pain management. The survey was conducted among 285 employees of licensed pharmacies in Armenia with the help of questionnaires, the number of which was determined according to “The Survey System Version 11.0”. Survey data were entered and analyzed using SPSS software package. The study was quantitative investigation and the questionnaire was developed based on the World Health Organization standard questionnaire. As a result of our research, it became clear that pharmacists have pure, indistinct knowledge about adverse reactions of over-the-counter analgesics and pharmacy employees in the Republic of Armenia have incomplete knowledge and ideas about pain management. According to the study pharmacists’ information sources was not reliable and the use of these sources in professional pharmaceutical practice were not inappropriate. Involvement of pharmacists in primary care pain management is very important and pain management training of pharmacy staffs should be encouraged. Pharmacist should be a part of a multidisciplinary pain management team and for this reason comprehensive information on pain management as well as development of practical skills should be included in continuing education programs for pharmacists.