Collaboration between pharmacists, physicians and nurse practitioners: A qualitative investigation of working relationships in the inpatient medical setting

Abstract

While collaborative, team-based care has the potential to improve medication use and reduce adverse drug events and cost, less attention is paid to understanding the processes of well functioning teams. This paper presents the findings from key informant interviews and reflective journaling from pharmacists, physicians and nurse practitioners participating in a multicentre, controlled clinical trial of team-based pharmacist care in hospitalized medical patients. A phenomenological approach guided the data analysis and content analysis was the primary tool for unitizing, categorizing and identifying emerging themes. Pharmacists experienced highs (developing trusting relationships and making positive contributions to patient care) and lows (struggling with documentation and workload) during integration into the medical care team. From the perspective of the participating pharmacists, nurse practitioners and physicians, the integration of pharmacists into the teams was felt to have facilitated positive patient outcomes by improving team drug-therapy decision-making, continuity of care and patient safety. Additionally, the study increased the awareness of all team members' potential roles so that pharmacists, nurses and physicians could play a part in and benefit from working together as a team. Focussed attention on how practice is structured, team process and ongoing support would enable successful implementation of team-based care in a larger context. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00351676).

Providers' Perceptions of Student Pharmacists on Inpatient General Medicine Practice Experiences

“…[3][4][5] However, there is a paucity of literature describing prescriber perceptions of the benefit of a pharmacist or student pharmacist in similar practice environments. 6 Of those published reports that have attempted to capture the role and contribution of pharmacists or student pharmacists, most have been conducted outside of the United States, potentially limiting the transferability of their results to the US health care system; were not conducted in the internal medicine setting; and/or had small sample sizes. [7][8][9][10][11][12] Despite these limitations, the results of this study are similar to those reported in the literature for practicing pharmacists.…”

Cooperation in Pharmacy Education in Canada and the United States

“…Another study involving the integration of a pharmacist into a team with a physician and nurse practitioner reported their experiences and perceptions of the successes and challenges of their collaborative effort, as well as ideas for innovation. 3 The study also shed light on the continuing professional development needs of pharmacists as a result of the broadened/additional patient care skills needed within an interdisciplinary care team.…”

Evaluation of business survival strategies among community pharmacists in Malaysia: a Preliminary finding

“…[3] Integration of pharmacists into the team was felt to have positive patient outcomes by improving team drug-therapy decision-making, continuity of care and patient safety. [4] In order to achieve patients' best outcome, effective communication become one of the powerful skill that must be acquired and mastered by every pharmacist. Through effective communication, pharmacists can provide patients with knowledge on drug therapy and thus, increase their compliance.…”