Pharmacists' self-perceptions in relation to the 'Advanced Pharmacy Practice Framework'

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Practice
• Professional Development
• Healthcare Professional Standards

Background:

• The Australian Pharmacy Practice Framework was established in 2012 to define and credential advanced pharmacy practitioners.
• Practice portfolios are the preferred method for assessing advanced practitioners, with credentialing anticipated for all pharmacists by late 2015.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how Australian pharmacists perceive their advanced practice levels.
• To examine the alignment between pharmacists' self-perceived practice levels and the Australian Advanced Pharmacy Practice Framework.

Main Methods:

• An explorative, cross-sectional study utilizing mixed methods.
• A questionnaire developed from framework reviews and semi-structured interviews (n=10) was piloted.
• The questionnaire was distributed to registered Australian pharmacists via organizational websites.

Main Results:

• Seventy-two pharmacists responded, with most identifying at the 'consolidation' practice level (38.9%).
• Nearly half (43.1%) were unfamiliar with the Framework but defined advanced practice similarly, adding 'specialization' as a criterion.
• Barriers to self-perceived advanced practice included insufficient experience, qualifications, and recognition.

Conclusions:

• Pharmacists' self-perception of advanced practice aligns with the Framework's definition.
• Pharmacists identifying as advanced generally met the Framework's competency standards.
• Guidance is needed for pharmacists at entry, transition, and consolidation levels to progress their practice.