Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34697047›Full record

ArticleEuropean journal of hospital pharmacy : science and practice2021

Analysis of activities undertaken by ward-based clinical pharmacy technicians during patient hospital journey.

Ahmed Abuelhana, Linden Ashfield, Michael G Scott, Glenda F Fleming, Nermin Sabry, Samar Farid, Kathryn Burnett

Open access · bronzeAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in European journal of hospital pharmacy : science and practice, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
0.1field-weighted citation impact, top 47% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 4 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Ahmed AbuelhanaSchool of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, University of Ulster, Coleraine, UK.
Linden AshfieldMedicine Optimisation Innovation Center, Northern Health and Social Care Trust, Antrim, UK.
Michael G ScottMedicine Optimisation Innovation Center, Northern Health and Social Care Trust, Antrim, UK.
Glenda F FlemingMedicine Optimisation Innovation Center, Northern Health and Social Care Trust, Antrim, UK.
Nermin SabryFaculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
Samar FaridFaculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
Kathryn BurnettSchool of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, University of Ulster, Coleraine, UK k.burnett@ulster.ac.uk.ORCID 0000-0001-6451-5271
Northern Health and Social Care Trust · GBCairo University · EGUniversity of Ulster · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionPrevious studies recognise insufficient time as an obstacle to pharmacists expanding their clinical-based activities and services. For such a reason, the role of well-trained ward-based clinical pharmacy technicians (CPTs) is to work as an integral part of the pharmacy team to achieve the best patient outcomes and medicines optimisation, releasing pharmacist time to complete more complex clinical-related activities.

objectiveTo demonstrate quantitatively the range and extent of daily activities undertaken by CPTs during a patient's hospital journey.

methodA prospective-based study has been designed. All daily working services and activities undertaken by ward-based CPTs within a 450-bed Acute District General hospital were quantitatively collected and documented. Data were collected from five medical, two surgical and one cardiology wards of 30 beds in each over a period of 2 weeks for each ward representing a total of 70 working days (14 weeks, excluding weekends).

resultsResults showed the breakdown of seven different ward-based activities throughout a typical working day with the main working load being reviews of the patients' medication charts in order to supply new medicines and refer medicines-related issues to the ward pharmacist, with an average number reviewed of (23.17±0.85) representing 77.23% of the total patients in a 30-bed ward. The CPTs' highest workload was on Mondays and Fridays, mainly during the morning working hours (09:00-12:00). Also, statistically significant differences (p<0.05; Kruskal-Wallis test) existed between the workload of the three different ward specialties (medical, surgical and cardiology) in five clinical activities out of seven undertaken by CPT per day.

conclusionCPTs are completing more than seven different ward pharmacy-related activities which enhance medicines optimisation, medicines management and patient care. They are a valuable resource carrying out many roles which were previously completed by junior pharmacists. Their prioritising of patients for review ensures pharmacists focus their efforts on the most vulnerable patients.

Indexed as

Pharmacy Service, HospitalPharmacy TechniciansHospitalsHumansPharmacistsProspective Studiesclinical pharmacy servicesclinical pharmacy techniciansmedicines managementmedicines optimisationpatient journeypharmacy workforce

Identifiers

PMID34697047
PMCPMC8552190
OpenAlexW2982575489

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.