Revista de Enfermagem e Cuidados

Preferences and Utilization of Drug Information Resources by Practicing Pharmacists

Abstract

Bisrat Hailemeske*, Imbi Drame, Min Choi and Pawvana Pansiri

Objective: This study was designed to identify preferences and utilization of drug information (DI) resources, and to assess perceived level of drug information skill for pharmacists enrolled in a Non-traditional Doctor of Pharmacy (NTDP) program. Background: The ability to search for, utilize and apply drug information is an essential skill for pharmacists to fulfill their role as the primary source of drug knowledge. However, with exponential growth in the abundance of information, the increasing availability of an array DI resources and as a advocacy measures for provider status and MTM reimbursement intensify, knowing appropriate DI skills has become a challenge for pharmacists. Therefore, understanding the baseline knowledge of practicing pharmacists, such as those in NTDP programs, is crucial for determining how to design effective training measures. Methods: An 18-question survey was distributed to the participants (n=18) to assess their drug resource preferences and perceived skill level. Descriptive statistics were used and Chi-square analysis was performed using IBM SPSS 23. Results: General search engines (55.6%)was the most preferred tool for respondents’ drug information search activities, while 72% of respondents frequently used Google for drug information inquiries. However, only 17%of the respondents always cross-checked preliminary search results with other resources, and only 22 percent always verified the authenticity of the websites used. The level of confidence in drug information skills and in the accuracy of information obtained was notably high amongst NTDP students with 72% and 100%, respectively, selecting confident or very confident. Conclusion: Observation from the study suggests that pharmacists should be more aware of the possible risks to patient safety inherent in using Google or other search engines, and should be steered toward utilization of more reputable, evidence-based DI resources.