Pharmacy schools and colleges worldwide are facing unprecedented challenges to ensuring sustainable education during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The experiences of pharmacy educators ...in the Asia-Pacific region in delivering emergency remote teaching, ensuring purposeful experiential placements, supporting displaced or isolated students, and communicating with faculty members, staff members, and students are discussed. The role of this pandemic in accelerating opportunities for new models of pharmacy education across the world is also discussed.
To determine the perception of undergraduate pharmacy students of their experiential learning (EL) placements both in the community and hospital settings.
A cross-sectional survey was conducted ...utilizing a six-item online survey consisting of one open-ended and five closed-ended questions, the latter utilising five-point Likert-type scales ranging from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5). All undergraduate pharmacy students from the School of Pharmacy (N=496) were included in the study. Survey questions assessed students' perceptions on the effectiveness of the EL, tutors and placements sites, and organisation and structure of the EL. Thematic content analysis was performed on the open-ended comments, where relevant themes were generated.
From the 139 responses (response rate: 28%), 121 responses were analysed, and of these, 72.5% already had part-time jobs in community pharmacies. Close to 85% felt that their part-time work should contribute to EL hours, which is currently not recognised by the university. Respondents were positive about the effectiveness of EL in developing their professionalism and communication (M=3.84, SD=1.05), clinical (M=3.42, SD=1.22), and technical skills (M=3.32, SD=1.25) Respondents provided favourable feedback about their experience in the hospital as it gave them a real-world exposure to the role of a hospital pharmacist. Community placements were not viewed favourably and this was mainly attributed to the poor experience with tutors whom they felt used them as an extra pair of hands. This was thought to impede their learning experience. They also felt that hospital placements were of insufficient duration, reported by 72.5% of respondents. Respondents also felt they should be sent to other sites such as primary care for placements.
Tutor-training is key to ensure tutors are aware of the responsibilities and expectations. Similarly, quality assurance measures should be adopted to ensure tutors and placement sites are capable of providing students with an effective placement experience. While placement durations are a concern, the focus should be on the quality of the placement experience, and ensuring there is structure and flexibility. Content changes are also needed to include emerging placement sites such as primary care to prepare students for evolving pharmacist roles in the changing healthcare system.
BackgroundAs many medicines are not available for paedriatic use they have to be elaborated in the pharmacy service. Generally, there are different formulations described in the ...bibliography.PurposeTo compare two liquid formulations of omeprazole elaborated in the pharmacy service of a tertiary hospital evaluating physicochemical stability and organoleptic characteristics (OC) with the aim of defining the most ideal formulation.Material and methodsA bibliographic check of the different formulations of omeprazole was carried out and two liquid magistral preparations were elaborated in triplicate. Formulation 1 was prepared from omeprazole monohydrate salt, using as excipients: simple syrup, mixture conservans and purified water. Formulation 2 was prepared from omeprazole capsules using bicarbonate 1 M as excipient. Conditions of refrigeration and of light protection were established. As an indicator of physicochemical stability, the pH was selected. For its determination a pH measurer, Mettler Toledo SevenMulti was used. The data was analysed using an Excel 2010 spreadsheet. The results were expressed as average ±SD. Also colour, smell and taste (OC) were evaluated, as well as homogeneity of the formulations. Thirty days was established as a period of study. The determinations were carried out on days 0,10,17,24 and 30 post-elaboration.ResultsThe pH was stable with barely any oscillations during the period of study. The data obtained for formulation 1 was: 8.476±0.012 (sample 1), 8.544±0.01 (sample 2) and 8.547±0.018 (sample 3). For formulation 2 it was: 6.777±0.026 (sample 1), 6.373±0.005 (sample 2) and 6.382±0.003 (sample 3).The homogeneity of the formulations remained stable. The OC fluctuated significantly during the period of study. The colour of formulation 1 evolved from amber and opaque to dark brown, and the smell evolved from sweet to metallic and the taste (bitter-sweet) remained stable. In formulation 2 the opaque white colour and the disagreeable metallic smell remained unchanged. The taste changed, from very bitter to salty.ConclusionIn both formulations the pH remained stable.The formulation based on raw material presents significant changes in OC, mainly in colour.With regard to the formulation whose elaboration is made from capsules, the OC remained more stable.As a result of this, it was decided to establish formulation 2 as a preferential formula in spite of its more disagreeable taste.References and/or acknowledgementsNo conflict of interest.
BackgroundChlorhexidine has been used as a surgical prophylaxis in patients allergic to povidone in order to reduce post-surgery infections.1PurposeTo develop a 0.05% chlorhexidine ophthalmic ...formulation and study its stability in different storage conditions: in fridge (5°C), at room temperature (20°C) and accelerated (40°C).Material and methodsChlorhexidine 0.05% ophthalmic formulation was compounded in the pharmacy service by an aseptic technique, as starting products, chlorhexidine digluconate 20% (Acofarma), glacial acetic acid (Fagron), anhydride sodium acetate (Fagron) and water for injection (Braun) were used. The compounded drug was packed into a high-density poliethylene eye dropper.The pH and osmolarity of the samples were subsequently checked. The determination of pH was made with pHmeter Hanna HI5221 and the osmolarity was made with Fiske Model 210.Stability was determined by HPLC, Agilent 1260series HPLC System with a PAD detector.Each sample was taken twice for each condition.ResultsThe organoleptic properties of the three formulas were acceptable. The pH and osmolarity results differed minimally between 0 and 6 months, less than a 5% difference in pH and less than a 10% difference in osmolarity. The values were:Abstract 3PC-010 Table 1 Fridge (5°C ) Room temperature (20°C ) Accelerated (40°C ) pH5.665.675.66Osmolarity (mOsm/Kg)198.35198.54200.45The concentration fell below 10% at month 6.ConclusionChlorhexidine 0.05% eye drops can be compounded in the pharmacy service for allergic surgical patients. The drug meets the galenic requirements for ophthalmic preparations and can be stored at room temperature as well as in the fridge for a period of 3 months unopened.Reference and/or acknowledgementsMerani R, McPherson ZE, Luckie AP, et al. Aqueous chlorhexidine for intravitreal injection antisepsis: a case series and review of the literature. Ophthalmol 2016;123:2588–94.No conflict of interest.
BackgroundThe Falsified Medicines Directive (FMD) and the Delegated Regulation (DR) 2016/161 will require, from 9 February 2019, hospital pharmacies to check the authenticity of each medicinal ...product they receive. Our hospital participates in a test with the National Medicines Verification Organisation to evaluate possible strategies, compatible with legislation, for the implementation of serialisation.PurposeThe aim of the first test is to evaluate the feasibility of decommissioning of each unique identifier at the reception of medicinal products in the pharmacy.Material and methodsDuring 14 days (summer 2018), the pharmacy technician scanned the data-matrix of each box received with an Optel certa tabletop (possibility of switching between vertical and handheld scanner). Quantitative indicators (number of boxes received, number of serialised drugs in circulation, products with a non-compliant data matrix) were recorded. The scanning time of each carton was measured and the equipment’s ergonomics evaluated.ResultsDuring the study, the pharmacy received an average of 822 boxes/day (min: 273; max: 1737), of which 90% were in the scope of the FMD and the RD. The average scanning time per pack was 5 s, totalling an average of 56 minutes/day to scan all boxes. Only 3/530 medications displayed a serial number, while three of them (nicardipine, pemetrexed, midazolam) had a non-readable data-matrix (colour inversion) on their packaging and thus could not be scanned. The Optel certa tabletop and its software are considered easy to use. But the manoeuverability and malfunctions of the handheld scanner contributed to inflate the scanning time.ConclusionThis first test demonstrated the technical feasibility of decommissioning boxes on their reception in real working conditions. The connection to the National Medicines Verification System was not effective during the test, so the upload time between interfaces could not be evaluated. The imposing equipment leads to opting for mobile and compact scanning devices. Decommissioning at reception confronts us with repeated interruptions of tasks (deliveries, phone calls …) but avoids the storage of non-authentic and non-conforming boxes. A second decommissioning test just before dispensing to patients is planned to assess the feasibility of this scenario.References and/or acknowledgementsFalsified Medicines Directive.Delegated Regulation 2016/161.No conflict of interest.
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