Advanced Level Practice Education: UK Critical Care Pharmacists’ Opinions in 2015

Abstract

National UK standards for critical care highlight the need for clinical pharmacists to practice at an advanced level and above. The aim of this research paper was to describe the views of UK critical care pharmacists on the current provision of Advanced Level Practice (ALP) education and accreditation. It sought to identify whether there is a need for a national or regional training programme. A questionnaire was delivered electronically targeting UK critical care pharmacists. Whilst the response rate was low at 40% (166/411); the views expressed were representative of UK practitioners with the majority of responders meeting the national specifications for clinical pharmacist staffing in critical care areas. The responses highlighted work-based learning as the main resource for developing ALP and a lack of suitable training packages. The vast majority of pharmacists identified that a national or regional training programme was required for ALP. The results also identified the main barriers to undertaking ALP accreditation were lack of time, uncertainty regarding the process and its professional benefits and a lack of education and training opportunities. In conclusion, the responses clearly indicated that, for the necessary progression of critical care pharmacists to ALP, a national or regional training programme is required.

How Do Pharmacists Develop into Advanced Level Practitioners? Learning from the Experiences of Critical Care Pharmacists

“…This supports the results of a survey of critical care pharmacists by Warin et al [10] and is typical of other health-care professionals [20,21,22]. Work-based learning was facilitated by two different communities of practices, critical care and pharmacy.…”

“…Moreover, of those non-ALP pharmacists approximately a third did not have access to an ALP pharmacist at their institution [9]. Warin et al [10] surveyed critical care pharmacists and found they felt that there were no suitable training programmes to help them to develop ALP. The key recommendation from the survey was a requirement to develop a national or regional ALP training programme [10].…”

“…Warin et al [10] surveyed critical care pharmacists and found they felt that there were no suitable training programmes to help them to develop ALP. The key recommendation from the survey was a requirement to develop a national or regional ALP training programme [10]. In response to this recommendation the UKCPA led a project to identify an appropriate model for an ALP education and training programme using critical care as an example of specialist pharmacy practice.…”

Critical care pharmacy workforce: a 2020 re-evaluation of the UK deployment and characteristics

“…Unlike in the USA [ 34 ], the UK does not yet have a recognised critical care pharmacist training programme. The need for [ 35 ], and format of [ 9 ], an advanced-level training programme for critical care pharmacists has been identified, but national delivery and credentialling remains a challenge. Greater organisational workstream alignment between pharmacy bodies and intensive care specialty groups can aid pharmacy service developments.…”

The role of the pharmacist in the intensive care unit

“…1 Supporting systems such as face-to-face peer discussion, mentorship and work-based learning are practitioner development tools that need expansion and formalising to optimise the pharmacist's skills. 4 Some of this is required by the revalidation for pharmacy professionals process which formally starts in 2018. 5 A high proportion of critical care pharmacists are also prescribers, 6 and this is set to become a standard feature.…”