Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39107026›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2024

Community pharmacists' roles during the closure stage of the COVID-19 pandemic in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada: a qualitative case study.

Sylvia Farooq, Jennifer R Donnan, Julia Lukewich, Maria Mathews, Tiffany A Lee

Abstract read
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Article in BMJ open, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Sylvia FarooqPharmacy, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
Jennifer R DonnanPharmacy, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-2908-0804
Julia LukewichFaculty of Nursing, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
Maria MathewsDepartment of Family Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
Tiffany A LeePharmacy, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada tiffany.lee@mun.ca.ORCID 0000-0001-5207-2186

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo explore the experiences and perspectives of community pharmacists regarding their roles during the closure stage (ie, March to May 2020) of the COVID-19 pandemic in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL), Canada.

designThis qualitative case study included a document analysis and semistructured interviews with community pharmacists who provided direct patient care during the COVID-19 pandemic. The document analysis was used to develop a chronology that informed the interviews. Themes from qualitative interviews were developed through iterative cycles of data review and analysis using applied thematic analysis. Findings are presented specifically for the time period between March and May 2020, defined as the 'Closure Stage'.

settingCommunity pharmacies in NL, Canada.

results12 community pharmacists participated in the interviews. Four themes were developed including (1) pharmacists' leadership in continuity of care, (2) pharmacists as medication stewards, (3) pharmacists as a source of COVID-19 health information and (4) the impact of COVID-19 on pharmacists' mental health and well-being. The first three themes described the key roles played by community pharmacists during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, including coordinating care, prescribing for common ailments, delivering medications and supplies, providing information on COVID-19 symptoms and their management, renewing chronic medications and protecting the medication supply. Unclear guidance on scope of practice, limited scope of practice, inadequate staffing and limited support from government bodies were identified as barriers to these roles. Facilitators included access to a delivery service, swift regulatory changes, reimbursement and support from colleagues and other healthcare professionals. The fourth theme is presented independently, emphasising the impact of working within the primary healthcare (PHC) system during the COVID-19 pandemic on pharmacists' mental health and well-being.

conclusionPharmacists played a critical role in the delivery of PHC services during the closure stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings of this research highlight the essential elements of a strong PHC pandemic preparedness plan that is inclusive of community pharmacists, including improved communication strategies, mental health support and access to resources.

Indexed as

Community Pharmacy ServicesCOVID-19PharmacistsProfessional RoleQualitative ResearchAdultContinuity of Patient CareFemaleHumansInterviews as TopicLeadershipMaleMiddle AgedNewfoundland and LabradorPandemicsSARS-CoV-2COVID-19PharmacistsPrimary Health CareQUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Identifiers

PMID39107026
PMCPMC11308875

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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.