تقييم احتياجات الصيادلة للتدريب والتعليم المستمر في الضفة الغربية
Date
2016-04-20
Authors
عبير علي محمد غنايم
abeer ali mohammed Ghanayem
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AL-Quds University
جامعة القدس
جامعة القدس
Abstract
Background: Pharmacy is the health profession that is committed to ensure the safe and
effective use of medication (Abu Arah, 2012). Pharmacy organizations and academic
training programs have promoted pharmaceutical care in pharmacy profession to ensure
that a patient achieves positive outcomes from drug therapy (Azhar et al, 2009).
Continuing education is essential to update knowledge for graduated pharmacists.
Unfortunately, continuing education, training programs are not available in Palestine
(Sweileh, 2013). Health Human Resources should imply on policy makers to meet
population health needs, and so, people would receive the optimal health care that
pharmacists can provide (Manmohan, 2013). Training needs assessment and competency
assessment are cornerstone steps to improve pharmacy practice in Palestine. Continuous
education program is fundamental to activate pharmacist's role in the community and
improve health outcomes.
Aim: to assess the training needs, knowledge and skills among Palestinian pharmacists
who work and live in West Bank.
Methods: A quantitative cross sectional study design was used. Data collection was
through self-administered questionnaire. The study covered all nine governorates in West
Bank. Study sample was proportional stratified random sample among Palestinian
pharmacists working in governmental health facilities (hospitals and PHC's) or community
pharmacies.
Findings: The overall response rate was 80%. Female participants were 59.4%, The
majority of respondents held bachelor degrees (83.3%) while 9.3% held master degrees.
Pharmacists working in governmental hospitals and healthcare facilities formed 28.1% of
the participants. Internet sources were the most chosen source of pharmaceutical
information by 83.6% of participants while 74.8% chose drug information as required area
for training.
Pharmacists rated high level of skills; (mean = 3.98 ± 0.44). A multiple regression was run
to predict skills from participants' characteristics. Both practice field and workplace
location (governorate) statistically significantly predicted skills, (F(2,374)= 51.140,
P<0.001, R2
=0.215). The two variables were added statistically significantly to the
prediction, (P <0.001). On average, pharmacists working in community pharmacies
reported better skills than those working in governmental health facilities (P < 0.001).
Pharmacists working in Ramallah reported the best skills while pharmacists working in
Jerusalem reported the weakest skills at (P =0.005). No significant differences were
observed in relation to participants' age, gender, educational degree, years of experience,pharmacy education language or country of pharmacy education (P > 0.05).
In general, knowledge scores of participants were good (mean = 73.7% ± 20.0). The
majority (87%) of the participants achieved more than 50% of correct scores.
Multiple regression was run to predict knowledge scores from participants' characteristics.
Gender, educational qualifications, practice field and workplace location statistically
significantly predicted knowledge, (F (4,370) = 31.947, P < 0.001, R2
= 0.257). All four
variables added statistically significantly to the prediction, (P < 0.001). On average,
females respondents rated better knowledge scores than males at (P < 0.05). Pharmacistscarrying master degree rated better knowledge scores than pharmacists carrying B.Sc. in
pharmacy or Pharm D degrees at (P < 0.001). Pharmacists working in governmental health
facilities rated better knowledge scores than those working in private pharmacies at (P <
0.001). Pharmacists working in Jericho rated the best knowledge scores, while pharmacists
working in Nablus rated the least knowledge scores at (P < 0.001). Respondents' age,
pharmacy education language, years of experience and country of education were not
associated with neither knowledge scores nor skills scores (P > 0.05).
Conclusions: The results of the study indicated that Palestinian pharmacists' competencies
should be improved. Detection of areas of training, establishment of continuous education
program and setting standards for entry to practice are some suggestions for development
of pharmacy practice in West Bank.
Description
Keywords
السياسات والاداره الصحية , Policies & Health Management