Hugh F. Kabat

Professional socialization in pharmacy. A cross-sectional analysis of dominant value characteristics of agents and objects of socialization.

Abstract This paper presents the findings resulting from one portion of a broad study relating to the socialization of pharmacy students. Of specific interest in this component of the study was an analysis of the values demonstrated by the objects and agents of socialization in pharmacy on the Study of Values . The Study of Values was administered to preceptors and faculty persons in pharmacy and students representing four academic class levels. It was found that the socialization process in pharmacy does not alter the value structuring of student groups in terms of movement away from or toward those values held by preceptors and faculty. Independent differences between preceptors and students on the AESTHETIC, SOCIAL and RELIGIOUS value scales were detected. Furthermore, preceptors differed from faculty on their response to the SOCIAL value scale. However, these differences did not seem to contribute to a differential socialization pattern among students.

A Client-Developed Methadone Maintenance Program

A realistic methadone maintenance program is a continuum of four related areas: intake, rehabilitation with on-going evaluation, detoxification, and postdetoxification followup, each jointly administered by client volunteers and professional staff. In the early stages of client treatment, pharmacists have more frequent contact with program participants than do other staff professionals. At the Minneapolis Pilot City Health Center, 31 of 69 participants in the methadone maintenance program were interviewed by their pharmacist to determine client understanding of program objectives, interpretation of program effectiveness, and suggestions for program improvement. Client understanding of the objectives or program elements ranged from 30 to 97 %. Client evaluation of the effectiveness of program elements ranged from 0 to 65%. The client-developed program included intake procedures to establish for each client the program objectives, rules, evaluation, guidelines, client goals, dismissal guidelines, and a review of supportive services. Rehabilitation would be continuous with consistent on-going evaluation to measure goal attainment, a decline in disruptive behavior, and freedom from illicit drug use. Detoxification should be undertaken after the clients behavior has stabilized and he has developed a marketable skill. Monitoring of the client to assure a drug-free state would be an important element of the postdetoxification follow-up.

Monitoring Drug Therapy in Skilled Nursing Facility Patients

A discussion of one system designed for monitoring drug therapy in skilled nursing facility (SNF) patients is presented. This system will enable the pharmacist to fulfill the federal requirement for monitoring drug therapy and will provide the opportunity for gathering and analyzing drug usage data in fulfillment of the facilitys utilization review requirement. The system described was developed and tested at five SNFs. Follow-up studies at each of the five facilities were then performed for comparison purposes. The data presented describe and analyze the results from both studies for two of the ten drugs studied: Digoxin and hydrochlorothiazide. The high rates of nonconformance to the established criteria are discussed and specific insights as to why drug therapy in these patients often seems inappropriate are provided.

Institutional Public Health Education: An Evaluation of the Early Warning Signs of Cancer Program

AbstractThe purpose of this study is to assess the public and health professional level of knowledge regarding the early warning signs of cancer. Two survey instruments - a completion and a signs and symptoms - were employed. There were 945 persons surveyed including 157 health professionals. Six or more early warning signs were identified by only 23 percent of the respondents using the signs and symptoms instrument and only 8 percent with the completion instrument. Health professionals did little better than lay respondents on the completion instrument.