New Zealand pharmacist prescribers: a descriptive study of roles and practice

This study assessed the clinical specialization and practising profile, roles and responsibilities, career support, and burnout status (including work-life compatibility) of current pharmacist prescribers (PPs) in New Zealand (NZ).

Of the 67 registered PPs by the NZ Pharmacy Council, 64 were eligible to participate. This study employed an online survey to explore the background, clinical specialization, practice setting, career support, work-life compatibility, and burnout status of PPs. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics.

Of the 64 eligible PPs, 39 currently practising prescribers participated (60.9%). More than two-thirds (69.2%) had 15 or more years of pharmacist experience, and nearly half (46.2%) worked across multiple clinical areas managing long-term conditions. A third worked a full-time equivalent of 0.8 or more. PPs were most likely to be dissatisfied with remuneration (54.3%) and career progression (40.0%). Of the 39 current PPs, 31 (79.5%) completed the work-life alignment and burnout survey. PPs had better alignment with their work environment than control norms across most domains, except for fairness and values. Over a third (38.7%) were classified as 'Overextended'; however, no participant met the criteria for 'Burnout.'

This study presents the first comprehensive practice profile of PPs in NZ. The findings indicate variability in clinical roles, specialization areas, and levels of experience. While no participants met the criteria for burnout, a notable proportion exhibited signs of overextension, particularly in relation to emotional exhaustion.