Participation of Nigerian Pharmacists on Multidisciplinary Medical Teams

Pamela M Moye
2018 Global Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences  
Pharmacy practice in Nigeria varies significantly by practice site and location. With the incorporation of the doctor of pharmacy program, there has been an increased emphasis on the practice of clinical pharmacy. We conducted an exploratory survey of pharmacists attending two national clinical pharmacy training workshops to assess their involvement as a part of multidisciplinary medical teams. Methods: Participants of the workshops included pharmacists in hospital, community, academic,
more » ... and "other" settings. On day 1 of the workshops, participants were given a 16-question survey regarding their current and past pharmacy practice experience as well as demographic questions. Results: Eighty (79% response rate) pharmacists completed the survey. An overwhelming majority of respondents strongly agreed (86%) or agreed (8%) that pharmacists should be part of a multidisciplinary medical team. Despite this belief, 40% of hospital pharmacists were not currently part of a multidisciplinary team. Most pharmacists interviewed contributed the most in providing drug information, dosing recommendations, drug interactions and contraindications to the medical team. There was less involvement reported for activities such as actively participating in daily rounds, monitoring patient safety, and reporting medication errors and adverse drug events. Conclusion: Although some pharmacists in Nigeria currently function as part of a multidisciplinary medical team, opportunities exist to increase participation in hospitals and to empower pharmacist's to have an active role on multidisciplinary teams. These goals may be achieved with the implementation of the doctor of pharmacy degree as a minimum educational requirement for entry-level pharmacists in Nigeria.
doi:10.19080/gjpps.2018.04.555645 fatcat:fpylvgnrezg6nd3ywy4gikapre