Pharmacists’ perceived barriers towards delivering their emergency roles during the COVID-19 pandemic and perceived policymakers’ responsibilities
Rational In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus infectious disease as a pandemic referred to as COVID-19. As an essential service, community pharmacists have been enacting a key role in patient counseling and supply of essential medicines and protective equipment...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2020-12-01
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| Series: | Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s40545-020-00254-y |
| _version_ | 1827593248201244672 |
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| author | Iman A. Basheti Razan Nassar Muna Barakat Rajaa Alqudah Rana Abu Farha Tareq Muqatash Samar Thiab Bandana Saini |
| author_facet | Iman A. Basheti Razan Nassar Muna Barakat Rajaa Alqudah Rana Abu Farha Tareq Muqatash Samar Thiab Bandana Saini |
| author_sort | Iman A. Basheti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Rational In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus infectious disease as a pandemic referred to as COVID-19. As an essential service, community pharmacists have been enacting a key role in patient counseling and supply of essential medicines and protective equipment. Objectives To investigate pharmacists’ perspectives of the role of educational institutes and professional pharmacy organizations in supporting them to take on roles during COVID-19 pandemic and to identify barriers to be able to support themselves and their patients. Methods This descriptive mixed-method study was conducted via a cross-sectional online survey distributed to pharmacists/pharmacy students in Jordan during the COVID-19 outbreak (15–30 March 2020) using an online questionnaire, followed by an online focus group. Questionnaire items related to participants’ perspectives in being prepared for and supported in their roles during the COVID-19 pandemic, and items were tested for face validity. Data were descriptively analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences and triangulated with focus group findings. Results Considering that fear and anxiety are a consequence of mass social distancing/quarantine, study participants (n = 726, age = 26.9 (SD = 8.0) years, 71.9% females), reported needing training on mental healthcare to be able to support themselves and people during pandemics (90.2%). Most respondents agreed/strongly agreed (59.7%) with the statement around pharmacy educators/educational institutes having a key role in preparing pharmacists for practice during epidemics/pandemics and agreed that their faculties should add a course regarding pandemic preparedness in their curriculum (89.9%). Results were similar regarding roles for the pharmaceutical associations. Focus group findings (n = 7) mirrored the survey findings to a large extent. Conclusions Most participants believed that pharmacy educators and pharmaceutical associations have a role in preparing them to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic through online educational workshops/webinars. Online education on mental healthcare is specifically needed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T02:07:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-722a1b66848540529161fd2184985b29 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2052-3211 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T02:07:40Z |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice |
| spelling | doaj.art-722a1b66848540529161fd2184985b292023-12-07T15:28:02ZengTaylor & Francis GroupJournal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice2052-32112020-12-0113110.1186/s40545-020-00254-y12315186Pharmacists’ perceived barriers towards delivering their emergency roles during the COVID-19 pandemic and perceived policymakers’ responsibilitiesIman A. Basheti0Razan Nassar1Muna Barakat2Rajaa Alqudah3Rana Abu Farha4Tareq Muqatash5Samar Thiab6Bandana Saini7Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics,Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics,Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics,Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics,Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics,Department of Clinical Pharmacy,Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy,College of Pharmacy,Rational In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus infectious disease as a pandemic referred to as COVID-19. As an essential service, community pharmacists have been enacting a key role in patient counseling and supply of essential medicines and protective equipment. Objectives To investigate pharmacists’ perspectives of the role of educational institutes and professional pharmacy organizations in supporting them to take on roles during COVID-19 pandemic and to identify barriers to be able to support themselves and their patients. Methods This descriptive mixed-method study was conducted via a cross-sectional online survey distributed to pharmacists/pharmacy students in Jordan during the COVID-19 outbreak (15–30 March 2020) using an online questionnaire, followed by an online focus group. Questionnaire items related to participants’ perspectives in being prepared for and supported in their roles during the COVID-19 pandemic, and items were tested for face validity. Data were descriptively analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences and triangulated with focus group findings. Results Considering that fear and anxiety are a consequence of mass social distancing/quarantine, study participants (n = 726, age = 26.9 (SD = 8.0) years, 71.9% females), reported needing training on mental healthcare to be able to support themselves and people during pandemics (90.2%). Most respondents agreed/strongly agreed (59.7%) with the statement around pharmacy educators/educational institutes having a key role in preparing pharmacists for practice during epidemics/pandemics and agreed that their faculties should add a course regarding pandemic preparedness in their curriculum (89.9%). Results were similar regarding roles for the pharmaceutical associations. Focus group findings (n = 7) mirrored the survey findings to a large extent. Conclusions Most participants believed that pharmacy educators and pharmaceutical associations have a role in preparing them to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic through online educational workshops/webinars. Online education on mental healthcare is specifically needed.http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s40545-020-00254-ycoronaviruspandemicspharmacy educatorseducational institutesfaculty of pharmacypharmaceutical associationjordan |
| spellingShingle | Iman A. Basheti Razan Nassar Muna Barakat Rajaa Alqudah Rana Abu Farha Tareq Muqatash Samar Thiab Bandana Saini Pharmacists’ perceived barriers towards delivering their emergency roles during the COVID-19 pandemic and perceived policymakers’ responsibilities Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice coronavirus pandemics pharmacy educators educational institutes faculty of pharmacy pharmaceutical association jordan |
| title | Pharmacists’ perceived barriers towards delivering their emergency roles during the COVID-19 pandemic and perceived policymakers’ responsibilities |
| title_full | Pharmacists’ perceived barriers towards delivering their emergency roles during the COVID-19 pandemic and perceived policymakers’ responsibilities |
| title_fullStr | Pharmacists’ perceived barriers towards delivering their emergency roles during the COVID-19 pandemic and perceived policymakers’ responsibilities |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pharmacists’ perceived barriers towards delivering their emergency roles during the COVID-19 pandemic and perceived policymakers’ responsibilities |
| title_short | Pharmacists’ perceived barriers towards delivering their emergency roles during the COVID-19 pandemic and perceived policymakers’ responsibilities |
| title_sort | pharmacists perceived barriers towards delivering their emergency roles during the covid 19 pandemic and perceived policymakers responsibilities |
| topic | coronavirus pandemics pharmacy educators educational institutes faculty of pharmacy pharmaceutical association jordan |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s40545-020-00254-y |
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