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Medications for Children: A Survey of Community Pharmacists

Alina R Rashid1, Mark Duffett2

  • 1Division of Pediatric Hematology Oncology, McMaster Children's Hospital.

The Journal of Pediatric Pharmacology and Therapeutics : JPPT : the Official Journal of PPAG
|July 26, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Community pharmacists show varied comfort levels when dispensing pediatric medications. Many desire more pediatric education, despite feeling knowledgeable, highlighting a need for targeted training to improve pediatric patient care.

Area of Science:

  • Pharmacy Practice
  • Pediatric Care
  • Medication Management

Background:

  • Pediatric care is a small part of community pharmacy practice.
  • Safe hospital discharge for children relies on community pharmacist collaboration.
  • Understanding pharmacists' confidence in pediatric care is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess community pharmacists' comfort and confidence in providing pediatric care.
  • To identify factors influencing pharmacists' comfort levels with pediatric prescriptions.

Main Methods:

  • An online survey of 622 community pharmacists in Ontario, Canada.
  • Pharmacists rated comfort/confidence (1-7 scale) for morphine, prednisone, and amoxicillin.
  • Demographic data were analyzed for associations with comfort levels.

Main Results:

  • Comfort levels varied, with 58-64% comfortable dispensing common pediatric prescriptions.
  • Pharmacists with children reported higher comfort.
  • Many pharmacists (91%) desired additional pediatric education.

Conclusions:

  • Significant variability exists in community pharmacists' confidence with pediatric care.
  • Many pharmacists are not fully comfortable with common pediatric prescriptions.
  • Targeted education is needed to enhance pediatric medication management by community pharmacists.
Abstract

Keywords:
continuing educationpediatricspharmaceutical servicespharmacistssurvey

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