Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK.
School of Healthcare, College of Life Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK.
Int J Clin Pharm. 2024 Feb;46(1):195-204. doi: 10.1007/s11096-023-01663-0. Epub 2023 Dec 19.
Pharmacists with additional clinical skills now work in UK emergency departments. Known as Emergency Department Pharmacist Practitioners, the role was developed in response to a shortage of physicians and nurses. They carry out activities typical of traditional hospital pharmacists, but also novel 'practitioner' activities such as examining patients, and acting as designated care provider. The role includes a responsibility to safeguard patients from harm. Professional competence, i.e. to safeguard patients, is underpinned by knowledge of the subject, but also knowledge application.
To investigate what Emergency Department Pharmacist Practitioners know and understand about safeguarding vulnerable children and adults.
Thirteen Emergency Department Pharmacist Practitioners were interviewed to explore their knowledge and understanding of safeguarding. Interview questions were developed from review of relevant literature, as were vignettes with variables identified and altered to produce different scenarios. Template analysis was used to code data to a priori themes for each of the stages of the initial safeguarding process, and new themes that emerged throughout the process.
Six themes were identified in addition to the four a priori themes. Overall, participants frequently described how safeguarding concerns are both recognised and responded to, but seemed more comfortable when responding to medicines related concerns. Factors thought to influence the safeguarding process included: resources and setting; and education, training and experiential learning; and culture.
While Emergency Department Pharmacist Practitioners interviewed were aware of the safeguarding process, there were some misconceptions as to the roles of different healthcare workers in this process.
具有额外临床技能的药剂师现在在英国急诊科工作。他们被称为急诊科药师从业者,该角色是为了应对医生和护士短缺而设立的。他们开展传统医院药剂师的典型活动,但也开展新型的“从业者”活动,如检查患者,并担任指定护理提供者。该角色包括保护患者免受伤害的责任。专业能力,即保护患者,是基于对该主题的知识,但也包括知识应用。
调查急诊科药师从业者对保护弱势儿童和成年人的了解和认识。
采访了 13 名急诊科药师从业者,以探讨他们对保护措施的知识和理解。访谈问题是从相关文献综述中发展而来的,同时还设计了带有变量的情景案例,以便识别和改变不同的情景。模板分析用于对初始保护过程的各个阶段以及整个过程中出现的新主题进行预先设定主题的编码数据。
除了四个预先设定的主题外,还确定了六个主题。总体而言,参与者经常描述如何识别和应对保护问题,但在处理与药物相关的问题时似乎更有信心。被认为影响保护过程的因素包括:资源和环境;教育、培训和经验学习;以及文化。
尽管接受采访的急诊科药师从业者了解保护过程,但他们对不同医疗保健工作者在这一过程中的角色存在一些误解。