Oncology pharmacist survey: Understanding task value and professional satisfaction.

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Practice
• Health Workforce Research

Background:

• Recent studies focus on workload and productivity in oncology pharmacy.
• The Hematology/Oncology Pharmacist Association (HOPA) sought to evaluate task importance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the valuation of various tasks performed by oncology pharmacists.
• To identify factors influencing job satisfaction and retention in this field.

Main Methods:

• A web-based survey was distributed to oncology pharmacists.
• The survey included 22 questions on task valuation across direct patient care, non-direct patient care, and education/professional development.
• 676 validated responses were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Direct patient care was the most valued task category, followed by education and non-patient care tasks.
• Key valued tasks included interdisciplinary communication, precepting, and treatment plan standardization.
• Tasks like medication access facilitation and compliance were linked to lower job satisfaction.

Conclusions:

• Workforce challenges such as burnout impact oncology pharmacist job satisfaction and retention.
• Identifying valued tasks can inform strategies to enhance job satisfaction and retain pharmacists.
• Aligning tasks with pharmacist values is essential for a sustainable oncology pharmacy workforce.