Hiring drug information personnel

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Practice
• Information Science
• Human Resources Management

Background:

• Drug information centers (DICs) require specialized personnel to manage complex drug information tasks.
• Previous staffing models may not have adequately addressed the distinct skill sets needed within DICs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a functional job analysis of a drug information center (DIC) to determine optimal personnel hiring strategies.
• To define the specific duties and required expertise for effective DIC operations.

Main Methods:

• A functional job analysis was performed to delineate the tasks and responsibilities within a DIC.
• The analysis identified a division of labor, distinguishing between information retrieval and clinical judgment functions.

Main Results:

• The analysis revealed a need for a drug literature specialist (DLS) skilled in accessing, storing, and retrieving drug information.
• A practitioner in drug information (PDI) is essential for analyzing retrieved information and making clinical judgments.
• The optimal DIC staffing model involves a collaboration between a qualified librarian (DLS) and a drug information pharmacist (PDI).

Conclusions:

• A functional job analysis is a valuable tool for selecting DIC personnel with appropriate skills, understanding, attitude, and innovative abilities.
• Combining a DLS with library science and computer searching expertise with a PDI offers the optimal personnel solution for DICs.
• This specialized staffing approach enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of drug information services.