Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 288 in total

Abstract:
Sort:
  1. Wahab MSA, Jalani MM, Goh KW, Ming LC, Faller EM
    Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2022 Sep 02;19(17).
    PMID: 36078707 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191710994
    Herbal and dietary supplements (HDSs) are frequently obtained from community pharmacies, but community pharmacists (CPs) have been underutilized for information regarding them. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of, factors behind, and reasons for consultation with CPs among HDS consumers in Malaysia. A cross-sectional study using an online survey was conducted among conveniently sampled individuals in Malaysia. Reasons for consultation or non-consultation with CPs about HDSs were sought from the respondents. A logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the predictors of consultation with CPs. Overall, 40.3% (239/593) of participants consulted CPs about the HDSs that they purchased. The participants were predominantly unmarried (362/588, 61.6%) and belonged to the 18-29 age group (332/593, 56%). The multivariate analysis showed that a suburban residential setting was the only significant predictor for consultation with CPs (adjusted odds ratio = 0.390, 95% CI = 0.260-0.583). Respondents who consulted CPs generally agreed that the CPs were the right people to consult on HDSs (mean = 4.37, SD = 0.73). However, their discussion with CPs regarding HDSs mostly revolved around the benefits and directions for use, but little on the potential risks. Meanwhile, most respondents who did not consult CPs agreed that they had never thought of consulting CPs about their HDS use (mean = 3.45, SD = 1.02). The majority of them referred to the Internet (61.3%, 217/354) and social media (59.9%, 212/354) for information about HDSs. The findings from this study show that more efforts are warranted in encouraging consumers to consult CPs about their HDS use and to enhance their awareness of the roles of CPs in ensuring the safe use of HDSs.
    Matched MeSH terms: Community Pharmacy Services*
  2. Lim AS, Ling YL, Wilby KJ, Mak V
    Curr Pharm Teach Learn, 2024 Mar;16(3):212-220.
    PMID: 38171979 DOI: 10.1016/j.cptl.2023.12.028
    BACKGROUND: Objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) remain an integral part of pharmacy education. This study aimed to characterize key researchers, areas, and themes in pharmacy education OSCEs using a bibliometric review with content analysis.

    METHODS: A bibliometric review was conducted on literature from over 23 years from January 2000 to May 2023. Articles focusing on any type of OSCE research in pharmacy education in both undergraduate and postgraduate sectors were included. Articles were excluded if they were not original articles or not published in English. A summative content analysis was also conducted to identify key topics.

    RESULTS: A total of 192 articles were included in the analysis. There were 242 institutions that contributed to the OSCE literature in pharmacy education, with the leading country being Canada. Most OSCE research came from developed countries and were descriptive studies based on single institution data. The top themes emerging from content analysis were student perceptions on OSCE station styles (n = 98), staff perception (n = 19), grade assessment of OSCEs (n = 145), interprofessional education (n = 11), standardized patients (n = 12), and rubric development and standard setting (n = 8).

    IMPLICATIONS: There has been a growth in virtual OSCEs, interprofessional OSCEs, and artificial intelligence OSCEs. Communication rubrics and minimizing assessor variability are still trending research areas. There is scope to conduct more research on evaluating specific types of OSCEs, when best to hold an OSCE, and comparing OSCEs to other assessments.

    Matched MeSH terms: Education, Pharmacy*
  3. Lee EL, Wong PS, Tan MY, Sheridan J
    Int J Pharm Pract, 2018 Apr;26(2):138-147.
    PMID: 28574154 DOI: 10.1111/ijpp.12374
    OBJECTIVES: This study explored the experiences and views of individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) on their diabetes self-management and potential roles for community pharmacists in diabetes self-management education and support (DSME/S) in Malaysia.
    METHODS: A qualitative study, using semi-structured, face-to-face interviews, was conducted with patients with T2D attending a primary care health clinic in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed inductively.
    KEY FINDINGS: Fourteen participants with T2D were interviewed. Data were coded into five main themes: experience and perception of diabetes self-management, constraints of the current healthcare system, perception of the community pharmacist and community pharmacies, perceived roles for community pharmacists in diabetes care, and challenges in utilising community pharmacies to provide DSME/S. There were misconceptions about diabetes management that may be attributed to a lack of knowledge. Although participants described potential roles for community pharmacists in education, medication review and continuity of care, these roles were mostly non-clinically oriented. Participants were not confident about community pharmacists making recommendations and changes to the prescribed treatment regimens. While participants recognised the advantages of convenience of a community pharmacy-based diabetes care service, they raised concerns over the retail nature and the community pharmacy environment for providing such services.
    CONCLUSION: This study highlighted the need to improve the care provision for people with T2D. Participants with T2D identified potential, but limited roles for community pharmacists in diabetes care. Participants expressed concerns that need to be addressed if effective diabetes care is to be provided from community pharmacies in Malaysia.
    Study site: primary care health clinic (klinik kesihatan), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
    Matched MeSH terms: Community Pharmacy Services/organization & administration*
  4. Chua SS, Paraidathathu T
    Asia Pac J Public Health, 2005;17(2):117-23.
    PMID: 16425656
    This study was conducted to evaluate the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) by consumers who obtained these drugs from community pharmacies. Factors that influenced community pharmacists in their choice of NSAIDs were also determined. Personal interviews were conducted on consumers who visited the 25 participating community pharmacies throughout Malaysia. Of the 389 respondents, 49% requested for an NSAID by name, 42% asked the pharmacist to recommend a medication and 9% had a doctor's prescription. NSAIDs were mainly purchased for joint/shoulder pain and the most commonly dispensed was diclofenac. Elderly respondents were more likely to be dispensed a selective COX-2 inhibitor than those below 60. NSAIDs were recommended based mainly on the pharmacist's perception of their efficacy, cost and safety. Community pharmacists play an important role in assisting patients in choosing the most appropriate NSAID for their health problems.
    Matched MeSH terms: Community Pharmacy Services*
  5. Chua SS, Lim KP, Lee HG
    Int J Pharm Pract, 2013 Feb;21(1):66-9.
    PMID: 23301536 DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-7174.2012.00219.x
    The study was conducted to assess how the general public in the Klang Valley, Malaysia, utilised community pharmacists.
    Matched MeSH terms: Community Pharmacy Services/utilization*
  6. Abubakar U, Zulkarnain AI, Samri F, Hisham SR, Alias A, Ishak M, et al.
    BMC Complement Med Ther, 2020 Sep 18;20(1):285.
    PMID: 32948163 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-020-03082-4
    BACKGROUND: Dysmenorrhea is a common problem that affects female students' quality of life and academic activities. Complementary and alternative therapies (CATs) are used for the treatment of dysmenorrhea. This study investigated the practices and perceptions of female undergraduate students with dysmenorrhea towards CATs.

    METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study conducted among undergraduate pharmacy students in a public university in Malaysia using a validated and pre-tested self-administered questionnaire. The study was conducted in November and December 2019. The data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical tests.

    RESULTS: Of the 318 female undergraduate students invited, 219 completed the questionnaire (response rate: 68.9%) with 52% aged between 21 and 23 years. The prevalence of dysmenorrhea was 72.1%, and the prevalence of ever-use and current use of CATs was 70.3 and 54.4%, respectively. Bed rest (71.5%), hot compress/heating pad (47.5%) and massage (43.0%) were the most common CATs used by the respondents. The most common reasons for using CAT were to reduce the need for analgesics (61.4%), efficacy (37.3%) and recommendation by others (32.9%). About 23 and 9% of the respondents believed that CATs were equally "effective" and "more effective" than analgesics, respectively. Reducing the need for analgesics (AOR: 4.066, 95% CI: 2.136-7.739) and those who agreed that CATs are effective (AOR: 2.701, 95% CI: 1.337-5.457) were independently associated with the current use CATs for the treatment of menstrual pain.

    CONCLUSION: The prevalence of ever-use and current use of CATs is high among female undergraduate pharmacy students. Bed rest and heat applications are the most common CATs used. Reducing the need for analgesics and efficacy are the factors associated with the current use of CATs. Students should be educated about the safe and effective use of CATs to reduce adverse effects and improve their quality of life.

    Matched MeSH terms: Students, Pharmacy*
  7. Rohani N, Yusof MM
    Int J Med Inform, 2023 Feb;170:104958.
    PMID: 36608630 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2022.104958
    BACKGROUND: Pharmacy information systems (PhIS) can cause medication errors that pharmacists may overlook due to their increased workload and lack of understanding of maintaining information quality. This study seeks to identify factors influencing unintended consequences of PhIS and how they affect the information quality, which can pose a risk to patient safety.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: This qualitative, explanatory case study evaluated PhIS in ambulatory pharmacies in a hospital and a clinic. Data were collected through observations, interviews, and document analysis. We applied the socio-technical interactive analysis (ISTA) framework to investigate the socio-technical interactions of pharmacy information systems that lead to unintended consequences. We then adopted the human-organization-process-technology-fit (HOPT-fit) framework to identify their contributing and dominant factors, misfits, and mitigation measures.

    RESULTS: We identified 28 unintended consequences of PhIS, their key contributing factors, and their interrelations with the systems. The primary causes of unintended consequences include system rigidity and complexity, unclear knowledge, understanding, skills, and purpose of using the system, use of hybrid paper and electronic documentation, unclear and confusing transitions, additions and duplication of tasks and roles in the workflow, and time pressure, causing cognitive overload and workarounds. Recommended mitigating mechanisms include human factor principles in system design, data quality improvement for PhIS in terms of effective use of workspace, training, PhIS master data management, and communication by standardizing workarounds.

    CONCLUSION: Threats to information quality emerge in PhIS because of its poor design, a failure to coordinate its functions and clinical tasks, and pharmacists' lack of understanding of the system use. Therefore, safe system design, fostering awareness in maintaining the information quality of PhIS and cultivating its safe use in organizations is essential to ensure patient safety. The proposed evaluation approach facilitates the evaluator to identify complex socio-technical interactions and unintended consequences factors, impact, and mitigation mechanisms.

    Matched MeSH terms: Pharmaceutical Services*; Pharmacies*; Pharmacists; Pharmacy*
  8. Lai PS, Wong YY, Low YC, Lau HL, Chin KF, Mahadeva S
    PeerJ, 2014;2:e451.
    PMID: 25024919 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.451
    Background. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are currently the most effective agents for acid-related disorders. However, studies show that 25-75% of patients receiving intravenous PPIs had no appropriate justification, indicating high rates of inappropriate prescribing. Objective. To examine the appropriate use of intravenous PPIs in accordance with guidelines and the efficacy of a prescribing awareness intervention at an Asian teaching institution. Setting. Prospective audit in a tertiary hospital in Malaysia. Method. Every 4th intravenous PPI prescription received in the pharmacy was screened against hospital guidelines. Interventions for incorrect indication/dose/duration were performed. Patients' demographic data, medical history and the use of intravenous PPI were collected. Included were all adult inpatients prescribed intravenous PPI. Main Outcome Measure. Proportion of appropriate IV PPI prescriptions. Results. Data for 106 patients were collected. Most patients were male [65(61.3%)], Chinese [50(47.2%)], with mean age ± SD = 60.3 ± 18.0 years. Most intravenous PPI prescriptions were initiated by junior doctors from the surgical [47(44.3%)] and medical [42(39.6%)] departments. Only 50/106(47.2%) patients had upper gastrointestinal endoscopy/surgery performed to verify the source of bleeding. Unexplained abdominal pain [81(76.4%)] was the main driver for prescribing intravenous PPIs empirically, out of which 73(68.9%) were for suspected upper gastrointestinal bleed. Overall, intravenous PPI was found to be inappropriately prescribed in 56(52.8%) patients for indication, dose or duration. Interventions on the use of intravenous PPI were most effective when performed by senior doctors (100%), followed by clinical pharmacists (50%), and inpatient pharmacists (37.5%, p = 0.027). Conclusion. Inappropriate intravenous PPI usage is still prevalent despite the enforcement of hospital guidelines. The promotion of prescribing awareness and evidence-based prescribing through education of medical staff could result in more judicious use of intravenous PPI and dose-optimization.
    Matched MeSH terms: Pharmacy
  9. Hasan SS, Yong CS, Babar MG, Naing CM, Hameed A, Baig MR, et al.
    BMC Complement Altern Med, 2011 Oct 13;11:95.
    PMID: 21992582 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6882-11-95
    BACKGROUND: In recent times the basic understanding, perceptions and CAM use among undergraduate health sciences students have become a topic of interest. This study was aimed to investigate the understanding, perceptions and self-use of CAM among pharmacy students in Malaysia.

    METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 500 systematically sampled pharmacy students from two private and one public university. A validated, self-administered questionnaire comprised of seven sections was used to gather the data. A systematic sampling was applied to recruit the students. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were applied using SPSS® version 18.

    RESULTS: Overall, the students tend to disagree that complementary therapies (CM) are a threat to public health (mean score = 3.6) and agreed that CMs include ideas and methods from which conventional medicine could benefit (mean score = 4.7). More than half (57.8%) of the participants were currently using CAM while 77.6% had used it previously. Among the current CAM modalities used by the students, CM (21.9%) was found to be the most frequently used CAM followed by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) (21%). Most of the students (74.8%) believed that lack of scientific evidence is one of the most important barriers obstructing them to use CAM. More than half of the students perceived TCM (62.8%) and music therapy (53.8%) to be effective. Majority of them (69.3%) asserted that CAM knowledge is necessary to be a well-rounded professional.

    CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals a high-percentage of pharmacy students who were using or had previously used at least one type of CAM. Students of higher professional years tend to agree that CMs include ideas and methods from which conventional medicine could benefit.

    Matched MeSH terms: Students, Pharmacy/psychology*
  10. Jamshed SQ, Elkalmi R, Rajiah K, Al-Shami AK, Shamsudin SH, Siddiqui MJ, et al.
    J Infect Dev Ctries, 2014;8(6):780-5.
    PMID: 24916878 DOI: 10.3855/jidc.3833
    This study is aimed to investigate the understanding of antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance and its correlate factors among final-year medical and pharmacy students at International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM).
    Matched MeSH terms: Education, Pharmacy; Students, Pharmacy*
  11. Kc B, Khan TM, Xuan WY, Alrasheedy AA, Mohamed Ibrahim MI, Leggat PA
    Travel Med Infect Dis, 2019 07 31;33:101463.
    PMID: 31376464 DOI: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2019.07.019
    BACKGROUND: Millions of tourists visit Malaysia annually while a large number of Malaysians travel overseas. Taking care of travellers' healthcare needs is important aspect of the healthcare system. Community pharmacies are ideally positioned to provide travel health-related services. However, studies are lacking in this area. Therefore, this study aims to explore the nature and type of travel health-related services provided by Malaysian community pharmacies.

    METHODS: A survey was carried out at 135 community pharmacies in nine districts of Selangor, Malaysia, from November 2017 to February 2018, using a self-administered standardized questionnaire.

    RESULTS: The majority (n = 95, 85%) of community pharmacies reported to have provided services to both international travellers and outbound Malaysian travellers. The common healthcare services provided to international travellers were monitoring of chronic diseases including hypertension and diabetes, and advice on minor ailments, supplements and medical devices. The key health services provided to outbound Malaysian travellers were advice on vaccination requirements, better management of chronic diseases and necessary medications to manage illness during travel. Most of the respondents supported the provision of travel health-related services through the community pharmacies.

    CONCLUSION: The study findings showed that Malaysian community pharmacies provided several travel health-related services to both international and Malaysian outbound travellers. Pharmacists in Malaysia are ideally positioned to have an increased role in travel medicine. They have the training to advise on complex medication issues especially with regard to interactions and polypharmacy. However, further training and courses should be provided that are tailored specifically for the needs of this professional group.

    Matched MeSH terms: Community Pharmacy Services/statistics & numerical data*
  12. Simansalam S, Brewster JM, Nik Mohamed MH
    Am J Pharm Educ, 2015 Jun 25;79(5):71.
    PMID: 26246620 DOI: 10.5688/ajpe79571
    To evaluate the feasibility of an online training module, Certified Smoking Cessation Service Provider (CSCSP), developed for practicing pharmacists to equip pharmacy students with knowledge necessary for smoking cessation counseling and to assess the changes in student knowledge and skills regarding smoking cessation following training.
    Matched MeSH terms: Education, Pharmacy/methods*; Students, Pharmacy*
  13. Lee SWH, Mak VSL
    Int J Clin Pharm, 2017 Dec;39(6):1166-1170.
    PMID: 29052115 DOI: 10.1007/s11096-017-0540-5
    Background Studies have highlighted the benefits of having community pharmacists to deliver cardiovascular screening to patients. However, only few of such trainings are provided in Malaysia. Objective To describe the implementation and evaluation of a cardiovascular train-the-trainer program for community pharmacists. Method Community pharmacists' attended a 5 h train-the-trainer program. A pre and post-training survey was administered to participants who attended the workshop to determine their requirements for education and effectiveness of the training provided. Results Forty community pharmacists participated and were trained with 35 of them completing both the pre and post training assessment. Participants self-reported confidence, knowledge and ability to conduct a workshop on cardiovascular health increased between 0.22 and 0.75 points post-training (p 
    Matched MeSH terms: Community Pharmacy Services*; Education, Pharmacy/methods*
  14. Nathan AD, Shankar PR, Sreeramareddy CT
    BMC Prim Care, 2023 May 25;24(1):119.
    PMID: 37231354 DOI: 10.1186/s12875-023-02071-z
    BACKGROUND: Topical corticosteroids (TCS) are commonly available in community pharmacies and are used in skin conditions like atopic dermatitis and psoriasis among others. Problems such as overuse, use of potent steroids and steroid phobia have been identified in the use of TCS in the literature. The aim of the study was to obtain community pharmacists (CPs) views regarding factors influencing their counselling of patients about TCS; challenges associated, important problems, the counselling process, shared care with other healthcare professionals, and explore further the findings from the questionnaire-based study.

    METHODS: Seven licensed practicing community pharmacists (from the Klang Valley, Malaysia) were interviewed between 23rd September to 14th November 2021. These were CPs participating in the questionnaire study who agreed to be interviewed. NVIVO 11 software was used for data analysis. Codes and themes were generated and agreed on by the researchers.

    RESULTS: The major themes identified related to the process mentioned of providing information to patients, the issues addressed by CPs during the counselling (including steroid phobia, overuse of TCS, patients asking for a specific preparation by name), less counselling support material, language barriers, lesser knowledge about certain conditions, information sources used by CPs (material provided by Ministry of Health and Malaysian Pharmacists Association, MIMS) and suggestions to strengthen the quality of counselling (specialization in skin diseases, webinars, shared care models). For patients requesting a particular preparation by name, the pharmacist will decide whether the preparation requested is suitable or suggest an alternative. Steroid phobia was seen more commonly among parents of young children and young patients. MIMS was available as a smartphone application making it easier to use. Advanced training for CPs in the management of skin conditions like that provided for diabetes mellitus can be considered.

    CONCLUSIONS: Counselling was conducted while dispensing TCS in the open area of the pharmacy. Challenges to counselling were lack of time, limited counselling materials, and language barriers. Steroid phobia requires attention. Initiatives to strengthen counselling were mentioned by respondents and appear feasible. Further research covering the entire country is required.

    Matched MeSH terms: Community Pharmacy Services*
  15. Ramachandram DS, Tan CH, Selvaraj A, Appalasamy JR, Kow CS
    Int J Pharm Pract, 2024 Feb 15;32(1):100-103.
    PMID: 38029419 DOI: 10.1093/ijpp/riad085
    OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the impact of pharmacy automation on the workload and satisfaction of pharmacists and pharmacy assistants in an inpatient setting.

    METHODS: This was an observational, cross-sectional survey using a convenience sampling method conducted at the University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) In-Patient Pharmacy. A validated online questionnaire assessed user satisfaction and task duration.

    RESULTS: A total of 21 pharmacists and 18 pharmacy assistants participated in the survey. Most pharmacists (n = 17/21) were confident in the system, and both pharmacists and pharmacy assistants perceived it to be beneficial for patients (n = 33/39) and for reducing medication errors (n = 32/39). Pharmacy assistants spent approximately 5.34 hours on traditional work including filling medication orders (1.44 hours) after automated tablet dispensing and packaging system (ATDPS) implementation. Pharmacists spent 1.19 hours filling medication orders and 1.71 hours checking/verifying them, in contrast.

    CONCLUSION: Pharmacists focused mainly on clinical duties with healthcare colleagues, while pharmacy assistants handled various medication orders. Nevertheless, ATDPS reduced pharmacy staff workload in medication handling, achieving user satisfaction.

    Matched MeSH terms: Pharmacists; Pharmacy*; Pharmacy Service, Hospital*
  16. Awadh AI, Jamshed S, Elkalmi RM, Hadi H
    J Res Pharm Pract, 2016 Jul-Sep;5(3):193-9.
    PMID: 27512711 DOI: 10.4103/2279-042X.185731
    OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the knowledge, attitude, perception, and practice of medical and pharmacy students toward the usage of sunscreen as protection for the skin against ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
    METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted among final year medical and pharmacy undergraduates at the International Islamic University Malaysia. Validated questionnaires were distributed to 134 medical students and 100 pharmacy students. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used where appropriate.
    FINDINGS: One hundred and sixty-one out of 234 participants completed the questionnaires. The participants comprised 101 medical students (75.4%) and sixty pharmacy students (60.0%). The majority of the respondents were females (102; 63.4%), and 59 (36.6%) were males. The median of the knowledge scores of the final year medical students was significantly lower than that of the final year pharmacy students (P < 0.001). The female students showed significantly higher knowledge scores than the male students (P = 0.027). This study reported that 24 (39.3%) pharmacy students were influenced by the media to use sunscreen, whereas 35 (34.7%) medical students were influenced the most by friends to use sunscreen. The final year pharmacy students had a better perception compared to the medical students, with the total perception score of the final year pharmacy students being significantly higher than that of the final year medical students (P = 0.020). Most of the participants were also aware of the harmful effects of UV radiation and had a positive reaction toward the usage of sunscreen to prevent those harmful effects.
    CONCLUSION: The knowledge and perception of final year pharmacy students were significantly higher than the knowledge and perception of final year medical students with regard to the usage of sunscreen.
    KEYWORDS: Attitude; knowledge; perception; practice; sunscreen
    Matched MeSH terms: Students, Pharmacy
  17. Saleem F, Hassali MA
    Res Social Adm Pharm, 2016 Jan-Feb;12(1):173-4.
    PMID: 26342241 DOI: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2015.08.005
    Matched MeSH terms: Community Pharmacy Services*
  18. Collins JC, Chong WW, de Almeida Neto AC, Moles RJ, Schneider CR
    Res Social Adm Pharm, 2021 12;17(12):2108-2115.
    PMID: 33972178 DOI: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2021.04.021
    The simulated patient method is becoming increasingly popular in health services research to observe the behaviour of healthcare practitioners in a naturalistic setting. This method involves sending a trained individual (simulated patient among other names), who is indistinguishable from a regular consumer, into a healthcare setting with a standardised scripted request. This paper provides an overview of the method, a brief history of its use in health services research, comparisons with other methods, ethical considerations, and considerations for the development of studies using the simulated patient method in health services research, with examples from pharmacy and other fields. Methods of analysis, mixed-methods, and the use of simulated patients with feedback are also discussed.
    Matched MeSH terms: Community Pharmacy Services*
  19. Syed M Haq AH, Md Yusof FA, Chan PL, Chok MCF, Phua GSY, Teoh CJ, et al.
    Curr Pharm Teach Learn, 2018 07;10(7):854-874.
    PMID: 30236423 DOI: 10.1016/j.cptl.2018.04.005
    BACKGROUND: The pharmacy internship program is designed to provide comprehensive training for interns to perform various roles in pharmacy practice. In Malaysia, the current internship program has been in place since 2004 in public health facilities, but has never been extensively evaluated.

    AIM: To assess the level of job satisfaction and perception of Provisionally Registered Pharmacists (PRP) towards the internship training provided.

    METHODS: A cross-sectional nationwide survey was conducted amongst all PRPs undergoing training between December 2015 and February 2016 to assess their level of job satisfaction and perception towards the training requirements stipulated by the Pharmacy Board of Malaysia.

    RESULTS: A total of 733 PRPs participated in the survey and the response rate was 95.8%. On the basis of the response received, 92.5% (n = 678) felt that the one year training period was 'just nice', 30.5% (n = 223) felt that the logbooks were 'too complicated', and 33.2% (n = 241) said the targets set by the Pharmacy Board of Malaysia were 'too high'. On a scale of 1 to 5, respondents rated 3.32 (SD 0.54) for mean score of job satisfaction. Significant factors influencing mean score of job satisfaction were: perceived fairness at the work place; perceived self-competence after one year of training; preceptors' competence; and pharmacy as a chosen career pathway.

    CONCLUSION: Intern pharmacists were fairly satisfied with the internship training in government facilities in the Ministry of Health, Malaysia. A review of the internship logbooks and the practicality of targets set by the Pharmacy Board warrant further improvement.

    Matched MeSH terms: Pharmacy Residencies/standards*
Filters
Contact Us

Please provide feedback to Administrator (afdal@afpm.org.my)

External Links