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Developing and assessing a pharmacy technician educational training program to improve access to over-the-counter
Marcia J Hay-McCutcheon1, Elaine Mormer2, Peter J Hughes3
1Professor, Department of Communicative Disorders, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL.
Background:
Adults across rural regions of the United States lack access to hearing healthcare. Inadequate services for those with hearing loss further exacerbate the implications of hearing loss including social isolation, loneliness, and cognitive decline.
Objectives:
There were two primary objectives of this study. The first was to develop a pharmacy technician educational training program designed to support adults with hearing loss who live in rural communities, particularly with the use of Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids (OTC HAs). The second was to report the outcomes of focus group discussions and interviews with pharmacy staff and audiologists. These participants were asked about their impressions of the pharmacy technician educational training after reviewing its content.
Methods:
An educational training program was developed that included didactic, simulated and experiential components. The first section of the training included viewing online modules. These modules were revised from a similar course originally designed for pharmacists, Championing Hearing Using Accessible Medication Experts at the Community Pharmacy (CHAMP). Other learning components included online discussions and real-world experiences, including practice conducting hearing screenings and OTC HA orientations. Qualitative data from focus group discussions and interviews with pharmacy staff and audiologists were obtained to garner their impressions of the developed educational training.
Results:
One pharmacist, 12 pharmacy technicians and nine audiologists gave their impressions of the educational training. Comments were organized into eight themes focusing on both positive aspects of the training and suggestions for improvement. Despite some concerns, pharmacy staff and audiologists thought the training was valuable, well designed, and important for helping adults with hearing loss in rural communities.
Conclusions:
The educational training for pharmacy technicians outlined in this study has the potential to improve the use of OTC HAs and help mitigate the negative implications of hearing loss. Future work will assess the effectiveness of the training.
