Practice nurses and pharmacists : a perspective on the expectation and experience of nurses for future collaboration

Abstract EN

Objective: To explore the nurses’ expectations and experience about pharmacists in private sector hospitals of Karachi, Pakistan.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from June to September 2012 in five private sector hospitals of Karachi, Pakistan.

A convenient sample of nurses (n=377) were enrolled in this study.

Data was obtained through a previously validated questionnaire.

Responses were statistically analyzed using SPSSv.17.

Results: Questionnaires were returned giving a response rate of 63.6% of which 20 were unusable (n=240).

Out of the remaining 220, 24.1% (n=53) responded that they never or rarely interacted with a pharmacist.

Respondents who expect pharmacists to collaborate with nurses to solve drug related problems were 45% (n=99).

Nurses’ experience of pharmacists was not substantial as only 44.5% (n=98) respondents consider pharmacists as a reliable source of clinical drug information.

Conclusion: The role of pharmacists is not well appreciated among nurses in Pakistan.

Hence, pharmacists must bridge the observed gap and use a more strategic and consistent approach to build a more positive image in line with other healthcare professionals and in providing patient-centred pharmaceutical care.

This research would impress upon the pharmacists the need to redefine their role in the healthcare settings