Perceptions of working conditions and safety concerns in community pharmacy

Evaluation of community pharmacy workplace wellness: Literature review, environmental scan, and task force recommendations

“…Pharmacists in the United States identified the lack of public access to medication incident rates in pharmacies as a risk to patient safety. 51 Experiencing burnout was associated with increased risk of having been involved in a medication incident within the previous three months. 65 …”

“…In a study by Clabaugh et al, a majority of pharmacists reported fearing discipline if they were to follow workplace policy and take permitted breaks. 51 When pharmacists were surveyed on what policy changes they would like to see implemented at the corporate level, 92.3% of pharmacists supported mandatory breaks, with many participants acknowledging that legislative changes would likely need to be implemented to achieve corporate changes. 52 Zubin et al conducted interviews with pharmacists which revealed that enforcement of mandatory break times, and shorter shift lengths supported resilience among pharmacists.…”

“…17 The issue of poor patient behaviour and its effects on the workplace has also been raised by pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in the United States, Australia, Serbia, and Singapore. 8 , 9 , 26 , 51 The National Academy of Medicine in the United States acknowledges that the COVID-19 pandemic has played a role in increasing harassment and distrust from patients. 66…”

A Review of Occupational Hazards in Health Sector: Risks and Awareness

“…Pharmacists play an important role in assuring the appropriateness of pharmaceuticals given or delivered to patients, but they may be unable to do so if working circumstances are not optimum. Community pharmacists who work in chain pharmacies report significant levels of stress as a result of the volume of work they are required to do and the staffing levels [36].…”

Bridging the Gap in Tobacco Cessation Services: Utilizing Community Pharmacists to Facilitate Transitions of Care in the USA

“…Staffing and Workload. Community pharmacists are facing unprecedented workloads and staffing shortages exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, 29,30 which complicates service provision. However, shortages in community pharmacies may largely be due to the COVID-19 pandemic and therefore temporary.…”