Views of pharmacists on involvement in ward rounds in selected public hospitals in Limpopo Province
Authors: Sello Ditonkana A. , Dambisya Yoswa M. 
Published: September 2014

Background: Pharmacist participation in ward rounds is of increasing interest for better pharmaceutical care, yet most pharmacists do not engage in this activity.Objective: The objective was to obtain public sector pharmacists’ views and perceptions on their involvement in ward rounds.Method: A rapid assessment was conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire sent to five hospitals in Limpopo Province.Results: There were 55 respondents (61.8% female), mainly from the Polokwane-Mankweng Hospital Complex (69.1%); 45 (82%) were young pharmacists aged 25 to 34, whilst experience varied from 0 ≤ 5 years (69.1%), 5 ≤ 10 years (16.4%) to > 10 years (14.5%). The respondents included interns (n = 21), community service pharmacists (n = 7) and junior pharmacists (n = 8). Most had trained at University of Limpopo (n = 49), with a few from North-West University (n = 4), Wits (n = 1) and Durban–Westville (n = 1). The majority (94.5%) felt that it was necessary for pharmacists to be involved in ward rounds. Twenty-seven respondents (49.1%) said that pharmacists were involved in ward rounds and 21 of these (77.8%) said ward visits were to check on drug stocks, but not for direct patient care. Proposals to prepare pharmacists better for ward rounds included pre-service training (34.9%), internship (37.2%), community service (4.7%), post-graduate courses (8.1%) and continuing professional development (15.1%).Conclusion: Pharmacists in the public hospitals studied in Limpopo were willing to be involved in clinical ward rounds and suggested that this be introduced during undergraduate training. These findings support the plans for the Turfloop BPharm programme to introduce clinical ward rounds. Agtergrond: Die teenwoordigheid van aptekers tydens saalrondtes is van toenemende belang vir beter farmaseutiese sorg, maar baie aptekers is nie betrokke by by hierdie aktiwiteit nie.Doelstelling: Die doel van die studie was om die menings en persepsies van aptekers in die openbare sektor te verkry oor hulle betrokkenheid by saalrondtes.Metode: ’n Vinnige assessering was gedoen met behulp van ’n semi-gestruktureerde vraelys wat na vyf hospitale in Limpopo gestuur is.Resultate: Daar het 55 respondente aan die studie deelgeneem (61.8% vroue). Die meerderheid was van die Polokwane-Mankweng hospitaalkompleks (69.1%). Daar was 45 (82%) jong aptekers tussen die ouderdomme van 25 en 34, terwyl ervaring gewissel het van 0 tot 5 jaar (69.1%), 6 tot 10 jaar (16.4%), tot 10 jaar of meer (14.5%). Die respondente het die volgende ingesluit: interns (n = 21), gemeenskapsdiensaptekers (n = 7) en junior aptekers (n = 8). Die meeste het hul tersiêre opleiding aan die Universiteit van Limpopo verkry (n = 49), met ’n paar van die Noord-Wes Universiteit (n= 4), Wits (n = 1) en Durban-Westville (n = 1). Die meerderheid (94.5%) het gevoel dat dit wel nodig is vir aptekers om in saalrondtes betrokke te wees. ’n Totaal van 27 respondente (49.1%) het aangedui dat aptekers betrokke is by saalrondtes, maar 21 uit die 27 (77.8%) het saalbesoek omskryf as die nagaan van saalvoorraad en nie direkte pasiëntesorg nie. Voorstelle om aptekers beter voor te berei vir saalrondtes het die volgende ingesluit: pre-diens opleiding (34.9%), internskap (37.2%), gemeenskapsdiens (4.7%), nagraadse kursusse (8.1%), en deur middel van voortgesette professionele ontwikkeling (15.1%).Gevolgtrekkings: Aptekers in die openbare hospitale bestudeer in Limpopo was bereid om in die kliniese saalrondtes betrokke te wees en het voorgestel dat dit tydens voorgraadse opleiding ingestel word. Hierdie bevindings ondersteun die planne vir die Turfloop BPharm program om kliniese saalrondtes in te stel.