Sarah Ellen Wilson

Empathy Levels in First- and Third-Year Students in Health and Non-Health Disciplines

Objective. To compare empathy scores between health professions students (pharmacy and nursing) and non-health professions (law) students and between first- and third-year students. Methods. The Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy-Student Version was completed by 282 students. Results. Nursing and pharmacy students had significantly more empathy than did law students. Third-year pharmacy students scored higher on empathy than did first-year pharmacy students, whereas the converse was true for nurses. There was no significant difference in empathy between first- and third-year law students. Across the study years, empathy increased among pharmacy students, decreased among nurses, and remained the same among law students. Women scored higher on empathy than did males. Conclusions. Empathy scores among university students vary depending on discipline and year of study.

Moral development of first-year pharmacy students in the United Kingdom.

Objective. To investigate the moral development of pharmacy students over their first academic year of study at a university in the United Kingdom. Methods. Pharmacy students completed Defining Issues Test (DIT) at the start of their first year (phase 1) and again at the end of their first year (phase 2) of the program. Results. Pharmacy students (N=116) had significantly higher moral reasoning at the beginning of their first year than by the end of it. Scores differed by students’ gender and age; however, these findings differed between phase 1 and phase 2. Conclusion. First-year pharmacy students in the United Kingdom scored lower on moral reasoning than did pharmacy students in the United States and Canada.

Pharmacy Students’ Perceptions of Natural Science and Mathematics Subjects

Objective. To determine the level of importance pharmacy students placed on science and mathematics subjects for pursuing a career in pharmacy. Method. Two hundred fifty-four students completed a survey instrument developed to investigate students’ perceptions of the relevance of science and mathematics subjects to a career in pharmacy. Pharmacy students in all 4 years of a master of pharmacy (MPharm) degree program were invited to complete the survey instrument. Results. Students viewed chemistry-based and biology-based subjects as relevant to a pharmacy career, whereas mathematics subjects such as physics, logarithms, statistics, and algebra were not viewed important to a career in pharmacy. Conclusion. Students’ experience in pharmacy and year of study influenced their perceptions of subjects relevant to a pharmacy career. Pharmacy educators need to consider how they can help students recognize the importance of scientific knowledge earlier in the pharmacy curriculum.

Involving community pharmacists in pharmacy practice research: experiences of peer interviewing.

Background Translation of interest in research into active engagement of community pharmacists as research partners/co-researchers remains a challenge. Involving pharmacists in specific research techniques such as peer interviewing, however, may enhance validity of the results. Objective To enhance community pharmacists’ involvement in pharmacy practice research through peer interview training. Method A subgroup of participants in a multi-phase pharmacy practice research project trained to do peer interviews. These pharmacist interviewers attended a workshop and were mentored. Comments from their feedback forms and ongoing engagement with the Research Associate were thematically analysed. Results Positive themes from five interviewers included the importance of the topic and their wish to learn skills beyond their everyday role. The small group format of the training day helped to build confidence. Interviewers felt their shared professional background helped them to capture relevant comments and probe effectively. There were challenges, however, for interviewers to balance research activities with their daily work. Interviewers experienced difficulty in securing uninterrupted time with interviewees which sometimes affected data quality by ‘rushing’. Conclusion Community pharmacists can be engaged as peer interviewers to the benefit of the volunteers and research team, but must be well resourced and supported.

A cross‐sectional observational study of healthcare professional views of factors affecting teenage adherence with antipsychotic medication

Delays in effective treatment of a first episode psychosis can result in more severe symptoms, a longer time to achieve symptom control and a poorer quality of life; yet around 40% do not take antipsychotic medication as prescribed. There is evidence that patients and staff have different perceptions of what affects adherence with medication. Research in adults suggests healthcare professionals and patients understand the importance of good insight in promoting adherence with medication for schizophrenia; however, healthcare staff may overestimate the impact of side effects and underestimate the importance of medication effectiveness. There is also some evidence to suggest that motivations to take prescribed medication may differ in first and multi-episode psychosis. This research therefore sought views of staff working with adolescents diagnosed with first episode psychosis about what factors affected adherence with antipsychotic medication. Staff responding to the survey felt that young people were more likely to take medication if they felt it would make them better, prevent relapse and if they had a positive rapport with staff. As in an adult population, side effects, particularly weight gain, sedation and muscular side effects, were expressed as a common reason for poor adherence. Doctors and nurses assigned differing importance to parameters such as family views of medication, fear of admission and a preference for cannabis over medication suggesting that views may differ between professional groups Views of young people will be obtained in the next phase of the research study to enable comparison with staff views and consideration of staff interventions to better promote medication adherence. Antipsychotic medication is an effective treatment for first episode psychosis; yet 40% of patients do not take medication as prescribed. Previous research in adults with schizophrenia comparing healthcare professional and patient views suggests that while healthcare professionals recognize the importance of insight in promoting medication adherence, they underestimate the importance of medication efficacy and overestimate the impact of side effects. It was hypothesized that staff in this study would also recognize the importance of insight and positive medication attitudes in teenagers with psychosis, but overestimate the impact of side effects on medication adherence. This cross-sectional observational study sought staff views about factors affecting antipsychotic medication adherence in those aged between 14 and 18 years. An online survey was distributed and 60 responses were subsequently returned. Staff felt that good medication insight as well as positive relationships with staff were important determinants of good medication adherence. The most important influences of poor adherence were poor insight, side effects of medication and a wish to exert personal control around medication decisions. The results therefore confirmed the initial hypothesis. Published literature also provides support for some, but not all, of the staff views expressed in survey responses.Accessible summary Delays in effective treatment of a first episode psychosis can result in more severe symptoms, a longer time to achieve symptom control and a poorer quality of life; yet around 40% do not take antipsychotic medication as prescribed. There is evidence that patients and staff have different perceptions of what affects adherence with medication. Research in adults suggests healthcare professionals and patients understand the importance of good insight in promoting adherence with medication for schizophrenia; however, healthcare staff may overestimate the impact of side effects and underestimate the importance of medication effectiveness. There is also some evidence to suggest that motivations to take prescribed medication may differ in first and multi-episode psychosis. This research therefore sought views of staff working with adolescents diagnosed with first episode psychosis about what factors affected adherence with antipsychotic medication. Staff responding to the survey felt that young people were more likely to take medication if they felt it would make them better, prevent relapse and if they had a positive rapport with staff. As in an adult population, side effects, particularly weight gain, sedation and muscular side effects, were expressed as a common reason for poor adherence. Doctors and nurses assigned differing importance to parameters such as family views of medication, fear of admission and a preference for cannabis over medication suggesting that views may differ between professional groups Views of young people will be obtained in the next phase of the research study to enable comparison with staff views and consideration of staff interventions to better promote medication adherence. Abstract Antipsychotic medication is an effective treatment for first episode psychosis; yet 40% of patients do not take medication as prescribed. Previous research in adults with schizophrenia comparing healthcare professional and patient views suggests that while healthcare professionals recognize the importance of insight in promoting medication adherence, they underestimate the importance of medication efficacy and overestimate the impact of side effects. It was hypothesized that staff in this study would also recognize the importance of insight and positive medication attitudes in teenagers with psychosis, but overestimate the impact of side effects on medication adherence. This cross-sectional observational study sought staff views about factors affecting antipsychotic medication adherence in those aged between 14 and 18 years. An online survey was distributed and 60 responses were subsequently returned. Staff felt that good medication insight as well as positive relationships with staff were important determinants of good medication adherence. The most important influences of poor adherence were poor insight, side effects of medication and a wish to exert personal control around medication decisions. The results therefore confirmed the initial hypothesis. Published literature also provides support for some, but not all, of the staff views expressed in survey responses.

Emergency supply of prescription-only medicines to patients by community pharmacists: a mixed methods evaluation incorporating patient, pharmacist and GP perspectives.

Objective To evaluate and inform emergency supply of prescription-only medicines by community pharmacists (CPs), including how the service could form an integral component of established healthcare provision to maximise adherence. Design Mixed methods. 4 phases: prospective audit of emergency supply requests for prescribed medicines (October–November 2012 and April 2013); interviews with CPs (February–April 2013); follow-up interviews with patients (April–May 2013); interactive feedback sessions with general practice teams (October–November 2013). Setting 22 community pharmacies and 6 general practices in Northwest England. Participants 27 CPs with experience of dealing with requests for emergency supplies; 25 patients who received an emergency supply of a prescribed medicine; 58 staff at 6 general practices. Results Clinical audit in 22 pharmacies over two 4-week periods reported that 526 medicines were requested by 450 patients. Requests peaked over a bank holiday and around weekends. A significant number of supplies were made during practice opening hours. Most requests were for older patients and for medicines used in long-term conditions. Difficulty in renewing repeat medication (forgetting to order, or prescription delays) was the major reason for requests. The majority of medicines were ‘loaned’ in advance of a National Health Service (NHS) prescription. Interviews with CPs and patients indicated that continuous supply had a positive impact on medicines adherence, removing the need to access urgent care. General practice staff were surprised and concerned by the extent of emergency supply episodes. Conclusions CPs regularly provide emergency supplies to patients who run out of their repeat medication, including during practice opening hours. This may aid adherence. There is currently no feedback loop, however, to general practice. Patient care and interprofessional communication may be better served by the introduction of a formally structured and funded NHS emergency supply service from community pharmacies, with ongoing optimisation of repeat prescribing.

Students' Attitudes Towards Facebook and Online Professionalism: Subject Discipline, Age and Gender Differences

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the attitudes towards the use of Facebook and online professionalism among students studying three health and social care courses at a UK university. The increasing popularity of social networking sites (SNS) has changed the way people manage information about their personal and professional lives. Previous studies have considered how medical students use Facebook, but there is a paucity of research looking at other professional disciplines; either individually or exploring whether there are inter-professional differences. An anonymous online survey was completed by 595 students at one UK university; pharmacy (n = 91, 15%), social work (n = 166, 28%) and nursing students (n = 338, 57%) across all years of the courses. Significant differences were found with regard to attitudes towards Facebook and online professionalism between the subject disciplines, year of study, age and gender of the students. Findings suggest more education and guidance is needed to provide students with the appropriate knowledge of how to maintain professionalism in an online context.

Knowledge and attitudes to prescription charges in New Zealand and England

Background Prescription charge regimes vary between countries but there is little research on how much people know about these or support values underlying them. Objective To explore, in New Zealand (NZ) and England, the publics knowledge of, and attitudes to, charges and whether knowledge and attitudes varied by demographic characteristics or by values about entitlement to public goods. Method A questionnaire was developed and administered to people over 18 recruited in public places in NZ and England. Results 451 people in NZ and 300 people in England participated. Less than half in each country knew the current prescription charge. In each country 62% of people were unaware of arrangements to protect people from excessive annual charges. Support for free or lower cost medicines for children, people over 65, people on low incomes, people on benefits, and people with chronic health problems was higher in England than in NZ. Support varied by participants’ demographic characteristics and, in the case of people on low incomes and people on benefits, by values about universal entitlements. Discussion Gaps in knowledge, particularly about mechanisms to protect people from high costs, are concerning and may lead to people paying excessive charges. There was consensus about the elderly, children and the chronically ill being “deserving” of lower prescription charges, but people who did not believe in universal access to public goods appeared to see people on low incomes or benefits as less “deserving”. In general, public views resembled those underlying the prescription charge regime in their country. HighlightsIn both countries, most people did not know the usual prescription charge, or measures to protect people from excessive charges.Compared to those in NZ, people in England were more likely to support free or cheaper prescriptions for some groups.Support for lower charges for these groups varied by demographic characteristics and, for some groups, by values.

Students as Educators

Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate peer assisted learning (PAL) in a pharmacy course context. PAL is interesting for educationalists as the technique offers reciprocity in learning between the student tutor and the student tutee. Both student tutor and student tutee have the ability to learn through the process. 14 students volunteered to be student tutors on a first year pharmacy practice module. The results are discussed from the perspective of both the student tutee and tutor. Although a small pilot study, the results from this project echo the themes of perceived benefits identified in the literature on PAL, most obviously with the three themes of confidence, collaboration, and learning. Challenges to the process are also discussed.

An interdisciplinary analysis of professionalism: student perceptions, core concepts, and the implications for pharmacy practice and education

Carl Jung theorised that human behaviour is orderly, logical and consistent, resulting from only a few basic differences in mental functioning and attitude. This provided the theoretical basis for Keirsey and Bates to develop the Temperament Sorter,1 which assigns separate indices for the four basic personality preferences on dichotomous scales of extraversion (E)–introversion (I), sensing (S)–intuition (N), thinking (T)–feeling (F), and judging (J)–perceiving (P), which reflect how people consciously prefer to attend to the world, to perceive that to which they attend and how judgements are made about these perceptions. This study aimed to determine the relationship between personality type and job satisfaction with a view to assessing the potential utilisation of this approach as a career-guidance tool.