Situational factors as determinants of community pharmacists' clinical decision making behavior.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the relative contribution of two work-related pressures, workload and perceived normative beliefs of significant others, to community pharmacists' clinical decision making behavior.


METHODS
Systematic random sample design.


METHODS
A large southeastern city.


METHODS
450 independent and chain community pharmacists identified from the state board of pharmacy list of licensed community pharmacists.


METHODS
A mailed questionnaire asking about community pharmacists' workload pressures and the perceived beliefs of their patients and employers (significant others) approving or disapproving of them providing pharmaceutical care.


METHODS
Clinical decision making behavior, as measured using a subset of the Behavioral Pharmaceutical Care Scale.


RESULTS
Response rate was 31.8%. Workload was not significantly related to clinical decision making. After controlling for social desirability and workload, perceived normative beliefs of significant others was highly significant; it accounted for 7.6% of the variance associated with clinical decision making behavior.


CONCLUSIONS
Workload pressures did not appear to influence the provision of pharmaceutical care. Community pharmacists' perceived normative beliefs about their patients' and employer's approval or disapproval of the provision of pharmaceutical care should be further examined within the larger context of the pharmacy organization's climate.
School of Pharmacy, Shenandoah University, Winchester, VA 22601, USA.
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Latif
D000328:Adult; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010346:Patient Care Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010595:Pharmacists; D014481:United States