Pharmacy

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Betty Bouad Chaar

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Guest Editor

Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
Interests: ethics in pharmacy; end of life decision-making; hospital pharmacy; opioid substitution treatment [OST] services and harm minimization in pharmacy; cultural competence and health literacy in pharmacy; impairment in pharmacy; sport pharmacy; complementary medicines in pharmacy; prescribing in pharmacy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Pharmacists today are practising in a vastly different ecosystem to traditional models of practice and accepted norms of practice. Fast-tracked technological and healthcare advancements are emerging around the world with immense impact on healthcare delivery, including pharmacy, in the context of patient-centred care. No doubt the pandemic has also had impact on new emerging roles in pharmacy in many countries, such as vaccinating and rescheduling of many prescription medicines to “pharmacist-only” supply.

With pharmacists’ roles expanding, increased utility of artificial intelligence, and professional responsibilities are evolving. Ethical norms of practice are also expanding to encompass change and broader scope of practice. There is intense pressure on the profession to rise to the occasion to serve with integrity and enhance trust of the public. Ethical sensitivity and awareness of expectations of the public are therefore ever more important to the profession.

I invite you to share your thoughts and/or research on contemporary professional ethics in practice to this Special Edition of the Pharmacy Journal, entitled: Professional Ethics in Pharmacy: Exploring Contemporary Challenges and Future Directions of the Profession of Pharmacy.

Dr. Betty Bouad Chaar
Guest Editor

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Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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Keywords

contemporary challenges in pharmacy practice
professional ethics in pharmacy
ethics and law in pharmacy
patient centred care
public trust in pharmacists
implicit bias in pharmacy practice
expanded roles in pharmacy
vaccination in pharmacy
pharmacists’ prescribing
AI in pharmacy
pharmacogenomics in pharmacy
conscientious objection in pharmacy

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 573 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exposure of Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians to Violence in Community Pharmacies in Southeast Europe: Frequency and Ethical Considerations

by Monika Popčević, Tanja Javorina, Miljenko Košiček and Arijana Meštrović

Pharmacy 2024, 12(3), 88; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmacy12030088 (registering DOI) - 4 Jun 2024

Abstract

Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians working in community pharmacies are exposed to the risk of violence in their workplaces. Studies have shown that workplace violence is affecting their job satisfaction, productivity, and mental health. This study aims to identify the frequency of different types of violence, as well as the common perpetrators that community pharmacy staff in SEE (Southeast Europe) are dealing with. A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire created for this purpose. Selected community pharmacies in Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro participated in this study. In total, 732 responses were collected from 24 pharmacy chains or independent pharmacies including all community pharmacy staff. More than 80% of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians reported having been exposed to verbal violence at the workplace, while more than 20% of them reported physical and sexual violence in the preceding 12 months. There were no statistically significant differences between pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, gender, age groups, or countries in relation to exposure to physical, verbal, and sexual violence. The most common perpetrators were identified as patients/clients. More than 90% of pharmacy staff reported they did not receive any kind of support from their employer nor any other help after experiencing a robbery. There is a need for a structured approach to addressing violence in pharmacies including organized support for pharmacy staff. Achieving quality patient care, despite dealing with violent individuals or situations daily, is one of the greatest ethical challenges for healthcare providers in community pharmacies to be empowered. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Professional Ethics in Pharmacy: Exploring Contemporary Challenges and Future Directions)

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15 pages, 615 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Pharmacists’ Attitudes towards Medically Assisted Dying

by Lun Shen Wong, Shane L. Scahill, Emma Barton, Bert Van der Werf, Jessica Boey and Sanyogita (Sanya) Ram

Pharmacy 2024, 12(2), 40; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmacy12020040 - 20 Feb 2024

Viewed by 1530

Abstract

Aims: We aimed to explore pharmacists’ attitudes and support toward medically assisted dying (MaiD) through the End of Life Choice Act 2019 (EOLC), their willingness to provide services in this area of practice, and the influences on their decisions. Methods: The study was conducted via an anonymous, online Qualtrics^TM survey of pharmacists. Registered New Zealand pharmacists who agreed to receive surveys from the two Schools of Pharmacy as part of their Annual Practicing Certificate renewal were invited to participate through an email with a Qualtrics URL link. The survey contained questions regarding demographics, awareness, knowledge, support for, and attitudes and willingness to participate. Results: Of the 335 responses received, 289 were valid and included in the analysis. Most participants supported legally assisted medical dying (58%), almost a third of participants did not support it (29%), and 13% of respondents were unsure. The five primary considerations that participants perceived to be beneficial included support from legislation, respect for patient autonomy, discussions around morality, ending suffering, and preserving dignity. The main concerns were legal, personal bias, palliation, stigmatisation, and vulnerability. Conclusions: The influences on the decision by pharmacists to support and willingness to participate in the provision of services consistent with the EOLC are complex and multifactorial. Diverse factors may influence attitudes, of which religion is the most significant factor in not supporting the Act or willingness to participate. Clarity and standardised guidance to ensure that assisted dying queries are appropriately managed in practice would help to address any potential access issues. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Professional Ethics in Pharmacy: Exploring Contemporary Challenges and Future Directions)

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