Criteria for staff pharmacist selection in Ohio

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Management
• Human Resources in Healthcare
• Organizational Behavior

Background:

• Staff pharmacist selection is crucial for pharmacy operations.
• Understanding current and ideal hiring criteria is essential for effective recruitment.
• Identifying potential biases in hiring practices is vital for equitable employment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify criteria pharmacy managers currently use and ideally should use for staff pharmacist selection.
• To assess the perceived impact of specific criteria on hiring decisions.
• To explore potential discriminatory practices in pharmacist hiring.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire survey was distributed to pharmacy directors in Ohio hospitals.
• Respondents rated the frequency of use and ideal importance of 63 selection criteria.
• Respondents also assessed the influence of 17 criteria on their own hiring decisions.

Main Results:

• Commonly considered criteria include licensure, availability, interest, and work ethic.
• Many managers reportedly overlook or underutilize Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) traits.
• Significant potential for discrimination was indicated regarding marital status, national origin, age, and handicaps.

Conclusions:

• Current staff pharmacist selection practices may not fully align with ideal criteria, potentially missing qualified candidates.
• Unconscious or conscious biases may influence hiring decisions, leading to inequitable outcomes.
• Further investigation and training are needed to promote fair and objective hiring in pharmacy settings.