title: Understanding pharmacists' experiences with advice-giving in the community pharmacy setting: a focus group study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the experiences of community pharmacists providing advice about symptoms and complementary and alternative medicines (CAM).
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten licensed pharmacists and 21 student pharmacists working in community settings participated in 4 focus groups to discuss: patients' questions about symptoms and CAM, comfort level providing advice, and factors prompting physician referrals. Focus group recordings were transcribed verbatim and interpreted using thematic text analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pharmacists' dual role as advisors and medical liaisons emerged as primary themes. Participants reported that patients often seek their advice about self-care of symptoms to delay physician visits. Participants were comfortable giving advice; lack of medical history decreased their comfort level. Most were uncomfortable recommending CAM because of the lack of regulation and evidence. Participants suggested that pharmacy curricula expand training on symptom triage, pharmacist-patient communication, and CAM to prepare graduates for employment in community settings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Student and licensed pharmacists of this study voiced that they are often asked for advice on symptom management, but reported needing training to help provide appropriate advice to patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggest that training strategies could help pharmacists appropriately triage and advise patients seeking self-care advice for their symptoms in the community setting.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Cecil G Sheps Center for Health Services Research, UNC-Chapel Hill, NC, USA. amica_yon@unc.edu
authors.forename: Amica
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Simmons-Yon
authors.forename: Mary T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Roth
authors.forename: Maihan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vu
authors.forename: Dio
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kavalieratos
authors.forename: Morris
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weinberger
authors.forename: Jaya K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Rao
mesh_terms: D003157:Community Pharmacy Services; D000529:Complementary Therapies; D032882:Comprehension; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D009657:North Carolina; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010594:Pharmacies; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000523:psychology*; D024382:Professional Role; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D013339:Students, Pharmacy