Resumen de Is the emergency pharmacist role accepted by emergency department staff?
Carmen López Martín, Elena Álvaro Sanz, Carmen Agüera, Juan Agulló, Begoña Tortajada Goitia
Background: The resistance from Emergency Department (ED) staff is seen as a potential blockage to implementation of emergency pharmacist (EP) programs.
Objective: Examine the perceived value of the EP role from ED staff.
Method: Descriptive survey study developed in a General teaching hospital.A pharmacist carried out pharmacist’s clinical tasks in ED. After two months, an anonymous 14-item survey involving physicians and nursing staff was developed.
Results: 85 surveys were analysed (60% nurses). 93% of respondents felt that EP improves quality of care, 71% considered that EP should be an integral part of ED team. The EP role as staff and patient educator was highly valued (89% and 72%, respectively). Staff found EP to be useful in consultations regarding:
interactions (96%), adverse reactions (96%), medication in pregnancy (94%) and medication reconciliation (92%). Accessibility to consultations was the most valued role of EP. Respondents gave 7.5 points (SD 1.8) over 10 to the role of EP. No differences between the answers given by nursing and medical staff were found.
Conclusions: EP role is highly valued by ED staff and it is perceived to improve quality of care. Consultations about drugs and medication reconciliation are the most valued specific EP functions. Staff acceptance should not be a barrier to the implementation of EP programs
