title: Preparing hospital pharmacists to prescribe: stakeholders' views of postgraduate courses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore pharmacy stakeholders' views on developing a postgraduate course to prepare hospital pharmacists for collaborative prescribing in Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semi-structured interviews were conducted with pharmacy stakeholders from universities, hospitals and professional organisations (n = 25) to gather views on the content, structure and delivery methods of a possible postgraduate prescribing course for pharmacists. Transcripts were analysed thematically and coded using NVivo software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was strong support for collaborative prescribing as an appropriate role for advanced pharmacist practitioners and acknowledgement that further training is needed to implement this new role. It was proposed that postgraduate training for hospital pharmacists should be based on a national prescribing competency framework and participants highlighted key aspects of the prescribing process in which pharmacists need particular up-skilling: diagnosis, physical assessments, clinical decision-making and consultations. The training model used in the UK was favoured, where candidates undertake university-based study combined with collaborative training with a doctor and a practical assessment of competency.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings from this study have provided valuable information which can provide a pathway for the development of a postgraduate course to prepare Australian hospital pharmacists for prescribing. Future research should focus on uncovering the perceptions of Australian doctors, nurses and policy makers on the training requirements needed for pharmacist prescribing in the hospital setting. Stakeholders' views on pharmacist prescribing training in the community setting could also be explored.
authors: Faculty of Pharmacy, World Hospital Pharmacy Research Consortium, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors: Gritta
authors: G
authors: Kamarudin
authors: Jonathan
authors: J
authors: Penm
authors: Betty
authors: B
authors: Chaar
authors: Rebekah
authors: R
authors: Moles
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003162:Competency-Based Education / Q000379:methods; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003657:Decision Making; D004514:Education, Pharmacy, Graduate / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D024382:Professional Role
keywords: Basel Statements; competency; education; hospital pharmacy; prescribing