Attitudes and policies about continuing education among Wisconsin hospital pharmacy directors

Pharmacy directors in Wisconsin hospitals were surveyed to determine their attitudes toward continuing professional education and to assess the status of policies and procedures regarding continuing education (CE) and funding for CE activities. A two-page questionnaire was sent to all pharmacy directors in the state. A total of 151 questionnaires were delivered and 103 (68.2%) usable responses were returned. Written policies and procedures regarding CE were available in 47.6% of pharmacy departments. Most directors (84.5%) had formal mechanisms for documenting staff participation in CE activities but few (19.6%) reported having criteria for determining who would attend CE programs. Only 64% of directors used a formal system of budgeting for CE activities, although 88% provide financial support for CE activities outside the institution. The types of CE activities considered to be most desirable were programs sponsored by pharmacy organizations, programs sponsored by schools of pharmacy, and journal reading. Many directors (72.8%) believed that CE is necessary if pharmacists are to remain competent, but few (5.9%) believed that their budgets were adequate to meet the costs of all CE activities in which their pharmacists might be interested, and few expected their budgets to increase. Based on this survey, Wisconsin pharmacy directors in both small and large hospitals believe that CE is important and that the pharmacy department should support it.