How patients approached and employed community pharmacy services underwent notable changes, as highlighted by this pandemic-related study. Community pharmacies can utilize these findings to optimize patient care during and beyond this pandemic.

When care transitions occur, patients find themselves in a vulnerable position, facing the potential for unintended modifications to their treatment. Communication failures frequently result in medication errors. Although pharmacists are integral to successful care transitions for patients, their professional experiences and perspectives are under-represented in academic literature. To better understand the perspectives of British Columbian hospital pharmacists on the hospital discharge process and their perceived roles, this study was undertaken. Focus groups and key informant interviews were employed in a qualitative study of British Columbia hospital pharmacists, spanning the period from April to May 2021. After a comprehensive literature search, interview questions were created, inquiring about the application of interventions that have been frequently investigated. Ocular genetics Interview transcripts were thematically analyzed using both NVivo software and manual coding techniques. A total of 20 participants were involved in three focus groups, alongside one key informant interview. Six themes, identified via data analysis, encompass: (1) general outlooks; (2) vital pharmacy roles during patient discharge; (3) effective patient education; (4) obstructions to proper discharges; (5) proposed resolutions for existing obstructions; and (6) project prioritization. The impact of pharmacists on patient discharge processes is noteworthy, but the lack of sufficient resources and appropriate staffing models can often limit the depth and extent of their participation. To guarantee patients receive the best possible care, understanding the thoughts and perceptions of pharmacists regarding the discharge process is vital for effective resource allocation.

Experiential learning opportunities for student pharmacists within healthcare systems can present difficulties for pharmacy schools. Although clinical faculty practices within health systems improve student placement opportunities for schools, the clinical faculty's concentration on their individual practice often prevents the development of experiential learning opportunities throughout the entire site. To bolster experiential education throughout the academic medical center (AMC), the school's largest health system partner has introduced a novel clinical faculty position: the experiential liaison (EL). read more Identifying suitable preceptors, developing preceptor training programs, and establishing high-quality experiential learning activities within the site were all achieved by the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science (SSPPS) through a rigorous critical analysis, with the EL position playing a crucial role. The establishment of the EL position resulted in a 34% increase in student placements at the site, comprising 34% of SSPPS's experiential placements in 2020. A high percentage of preceptors demonstrated strong agreement regarding SSPPS's curriculum, school requirements, methods of utilizing assessment tools for evaluating student performance on rotation, and processes for giving feedback to the school. The hospital and school enjoy a collaborative relationship, characterized by routine and effective preceptor development programs. To better integrate experiential learning opportunities for students within healthcare systems, schools should consider creating a specialized clinical faculty position dedicated to fostering experiential learning.

A high dosage of ascorbic acid could potentially enhance the chance of experiencing phenytoin toxicity. This case report describes how high-dose vitamin C (ascorbic acid), used in conjunction with phenytoin as a preventative measure against coronavirus (COVID), resulted in elevated phenytoin levels and consequent adverse drug reactions. The patient experienced a significant seizure due to the lapse in his phenytoin medication. Starting phenytoin, and then adding high-dose AA later on, resulted in truncal ataxia, falls, and bilateral wrist and finger extension weakness. Following the cessation of Phenytoin and AA, the patient's condition reverted to baseline levels after commencing a new treatment plan comprising lacosamide and gabapentin, remaining seizure-free for a year.

A critical therapeutic approach for preventing HIV is pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). The most recently authorized oral PrEP medication is Descovy. Despite the presence of PrEP, suboptimal usage persists among at-risk individuals. OIT oral immunotherapy The role of social media platforms in spreading health information extends to education on PrEP. Descovy's first year of FDA PrEP approval prompted a content analysis of the Twitter posts related to it. The Descovy coding scheme encapsulated information concerning the indication, suitable use, cost implications, and safety profile. Tweets concerning Descovy were frequently enriched with insights into the target population, dosage procedures, and reported side effects. The absence of information regarding costs and appropriate usage was a frequent occurrence. Gaps in social media content about PrEP necessitate health educators and providers to provide comprehensive patient education to foster informed PrEP choices.

Those inhabiting primary care health professional shortage areas (HPSAs) often experience health inequities. Healthcare professionals, community pharmacists, possess the potential to provide care to populations in need. The comparison of non-dispensing services provided by Ohio community pharmacists in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) and non-HPSA areas constituted the study's objective.
Pharmacists practicing in full-county HPSAs and a random selection of community pharmacists in other Ohio counties (n=324) were sent a 19-item electronic survey, which adhered to IRB protocols. The questions investigated the current availability of non-dispensing services, along with the associated interest and impediments.
A response rate of 23% yielded seventy-four usable responses. There was a greater recognition rate for county HPSA status among respondents outside HPSAs than within an HPSA (p=0.0008). Non-HPSA pharmacies demonstrated a considerably higher frequency of offering 11 or more non-dispensing services, a statistically significant finding (p=0.0002), when compared to their counterparts in HPSAs. In non-HPSA regions, nearly 60% of respondents reported initiating new non-dispensing services during the COVID-19 pandemic, a rate markedly higher than the 27% reported in full HPSA counties (p=0.0009). Obstacles frequently cited in delivering non-dispensing services across both county categories primarily encompassed inadequate reimbursement (83%), procedural inefficiencies (82%), and insufficient space (70%). Respondents expressed a need for further clarification and knowledge about public health and collaborative practice agreements.
While HPSAs often require a range of non-dispensing services, community pharmacies located within full-county HPSAs in Ohio demonstrated a decreased tendency to provide these services or to develop new service offerings. Increasing community pharmacist access to non-dispensing services within HPSAs, fostering greater health equity and improved care access, requires addressing existing barriers.
Although the demand for non-dispensing services is substantial within HPSAs, community pharmacies situated within full-county HPSAs in Ohio exhibited a lower propensity to offer these services or initiate innovative ones. The provision of more non-dispensing services by community pharmacists in HPSAs, a step crucial to improving access to care and promoting health equity, necessitates the resolution of the existing barriers.

Service-learning projects, led by student pharmacists, aimed at community engagement, commonly educate on health while highlighting the pharmacy profession's value. Community-based projects frequently prioritize the perceived needs of residents, often neglecting the vital input of crucial community stakeholders in the planning process. Student organizations can benefit from the reflection and guidance provided in this paper, centered on project planning strategies that incorporate local community partnerships for achieving meaningful and enduring results.

An emergency department simulation's impact on pharmacy student interprofessional team skills and attitudes will be examined using a novel mixed-methods assessment strategy. Pharmacy and medical students, as members of interprofessional teams, engaged in a simulated emergency department scenario. The two rounds of identical encounters were bridged by a short debriefing session, a collaborative project of the pharmacy and medical faculty. Following the second round's conclusion, a thorough debriefing session was conducted. Pharmacy students underwent evaluation by the pharmacy faculty, utilizing a competency-based checklist after each simulation round. Before engaging in the simulation, pharmacy students evaluated their interprofessional skills and attitudes, and they re-evaluated them following the simulation. Pharmacy students' self-assessments, coupled with faculty observational ratings, highlighted a marked advancement in their ability to provide clear and concise verbal interprofessional communication and to develop collaborative care plans using shared decision-making. Student self-assessments highlighted a substantial perceived improvement in their contributions to the interprofessional team's care plan, and in showcasing active listening skills within that same team. Perceived self-improvement in a broad spectrum of team-based skills and attitudes, including confidence, critical assessment, role determination, communicative skills, and self-recognition, was documented by pharmacy students utilizing qualitative analysis.