Abstract

ROLE OF CLINICAL PHARMACISTS, INTERACTION WITH DOCTORS AND THE BARRIERS FACING THEM IN KHARTOUM STATE PUBLIC HOSPITALS, KHARTOUM, SUDAN, 2013

Ghufran. A. Ibrahim*, Asma. A. Abdalla and Alyaa Almahdi

ABSTRACT

Clinical Pharmacy is the use of the pharmacist’s skills and knowledge of drugs and therapeutics to improve patient care (pharmaceutical care). Objectives To assess the role of clinical pharmacists (CPs), their interaction with doctors and other health care workers (HCWs) and potential barriers that face them in implementing clinical pharmacy in public and university hospitals in Khartoum State, Sudan. Methods A descriptive institutional-based study was carried on 27 public and one university hospitals covered by CPs during the study period. A sample of 61 CPs was interviewed using structured questionnaire. Results Females constituted 88.5% of the CPs. The majority of the CPs (73.80%) have (1- 5) years of experience, while only (3.3%) there years of experience were from (11 -15). CPs was found to be based in rounds (62.3%), in pharmacy (54.1%) and in drug information centre (50.8%). Counseling (67.2%) and monitoring patients’ drugs (50.8%) was task of the CPs, while teaching (82%) and drug formulation were not tasks as answered by the CPs. Regarding satisfaction; (68.9%) of CPs were satisfied nurse wise, (60.7%) doctor wise while only (38.3%) were satisfied hospital wise. The majority (57%) of CPs describes the work relation with medical doctors as team work. Main barrier preventing CPs from participating in clinical activities were; lack of facilities (68.8%), work crowdedness (63.9%), time constraint (50.8%), and shortage in staff (45.9%). About three quarters of the staff said that lack of knowledge is not a barrier. Conclusion Number of CPs should be increased. The training of Clinical pharmacy should be consolidated towards clinical activities. Secondary and collateral activities preventing CPs from doing clinical activities should be done other hospital pharmacists. More attention from Ministry of Health and hospital are needed towards proper job description for CPs.

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