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Palliative care for patients with cancer: what are the educational needs of community pharmacists?

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Abstract

Aims

The objective of this study was to determine the educational needs of community pharmacists in Australia related to palliative cancer care, to guide the development of an online educational program for pharmacists.

Methods

Questionnaires were posted to a random sample of community pharmacies in Australia. The questionnaire sought information pertaining to pharmacists’: demographics; educational needs by rating the importance of learning more about 18 palliative cancer care topics and self-perceived level of knowledge of them; preference for format(s) for the program; willingness to participate in the program; and perception regarding their practice of palliative cancer care. Results were analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 11.5 software.

Main results

A questionnaire return rate of 10.3% was achieved. The characteristics of respondents were reflective of community pharmacy practice in Australia when compared with the latest available labour force figures by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Pharmacists rated all 18 topics as “important/essential”, and their level of knowledge of them as “poor/good”. Pharmacists preferred information provided in these formats: text (89.8%), case studies (80.6%) and multi-choice questions (69.4%). Most pharmacists (85.2%) indicated that they would participate in the program. The majority of pharmacists (71.3%) reported that they deliver palliative cancer care services; usually less-than-monthly (24.1%) or weekly (21.3%).

Conclusions

Educational needs of community pharmacists in palliative cancer care were identified. The information gathered will assist in guiding the development of an online educational program for pharmacists to improve their knowledge and skills in palliative cancer care.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing as part of the Third Community Pharmacy Agreement. The authors would like to thank the Pharmacy Guild of Australia for providing the database of a random sample of community pharmacies in Australia and the pharmacists for their valuable time and effort in completing the questionnaire.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacy Practice, Victorian College of Pharmacy, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia

    Safeera Y. Hussainy, Jill Beattie, Roger L. Nation, Michael J. Dooley & Jennifer L. Marriott

  2. Bayside Health, Commercial Road, Prahran, Victoria, Australia

    Michael J. Dooley

  3. Department of Pain and Palliative Care, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, St Andrews Place, East Melbourne, Victoria, 3002, Australia

    Julia Fleming & Simon Wein

  4. Mercy Western Palliative Care, 3 Devonshire Road, Sunshine, Victoria, 3020, Australia

    Maria Pisasale

  5. The Pharmacy Guild of Australia (Victorian Branch), 40 Burwood Road, Hawthorn, Victoria, 3122, Australia

    William J. Scott

Authors
  1. Safeera Y. Hussainy
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  2. Jill Beattie
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  3. Roger L. Nation
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  4. Michael J. Dooley
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  5. Julia Fleming
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  6. Simon Wein
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  7. Maria Pisasale
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  8. William J. Scott
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  9. Jennifer L. Marriott
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jennifer L. Marriott.

Appendix A

Appendix A

Questionnaire distributed to pharmacists

  1. 1.

    What is your gender?

     □Male □Female

  2. 2.

    What will your age be on December 31, 2004?

     □21–29 years

     □30–39 years

     □40–49 years

     □50–59 years

     □60 years and over

  3. 3.

    What is the postcode of the pharmacy in which you work?

  4. 4.

    How many years have you been practising as a registered pharmacist?

  5. 5.

    The following table lists a number of topics related to palliative cancer care that could be included in an online educational program developed for community pharmacists. Indicate the importance to you of learning more about each of the topics by ticking the appropriate boxes below.

    Topic

    Not important

    Of some importance

    Important

    Very important

    Essential

    Principles of Palliative Cancer Care

    		     

    Causes of Cancer

    		     

    Incidence and Prevalence of Cancer

    		     

    Diagnosis and Staging of Cancer

    		     

    Common Cancers: Risk Factors, Presentation, Treatments, Prognosis e.g. breast, colon, lung & skin cancers

    		     

    Management of Cancer Pain

    		     

    Management of Non-Pain Symptoms/Side Effects e.g. constipation, nausea, pressure sores

    		     

    Palliative Cancer Treatments e.g. chemotherapy, radiotherapy

    		     

    Long Term Complications of Chemotherapy e.g. effects on fertility

    		     

    Handling of Cancer Emergencies e.g. hypercalcaemia, haemorrhage

    		     

    Drug Interactions with Palliative Cancer Treatments

    		     

    Complementary and Alternative Medicines used by patients with cancer e.g. homeopathic & herbal medicines, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation

    		     

    Methods of Drug Administration in Palliative Cancer Care e.g. enteral & parenteral drug administration (nasogastric tubes, total parenteral nutrition), infusion pumps

    		     

    Access to Palliative Cancer Medications e.g. Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and Special Access Scheme “issues”

    		     

    Psychosocial Care of patients

    		     

    Communicating with patients and families

    		     

    Terminology Used in Palliative Care

    		     

    Conducting Medicine Reviews for patients (at home, in residential aged care facilities and hospices)

    		     

    Other (please describe)

    		     

    Other (please describe)

    		     

    Other (please describe)

    		     
  6. 6.

    Indicate your level of knowledge of each of the following palliative cancer care topics by ticking the appropriate boxes in the table below.

    Topic

    Nil

    Very Poor

    Poor

    Good

    Excellent

    Principles of Palliative Cancer Care

    		     

    Causes of Cancer

    		     

    Incidence and Prevalence of Cancer

    		     

    Diagnosis and Staging of Cancer

    		     

    Common Cancers: Risk Factors, Presentation, Treatments, Prognosis e.g. breast, colon, lung & skin cancers

    		     

    Management of Cancer Pain

    		     

    Management of Non-Pain Symptoms/Side Effects e.g. constipation, nausea, pressure sores

    		     

    Palliative Cancer Treatments e.g. chemotherapy, radiotherapy

    		     

    Long Term Complications of Chemotherapy e.g. effects on fertility

    		     

    Handling of Cancer Emergencies e.g. hypercalcaemia, haemorrhage

    		     

    Drug Interactions with Palliative Cancer Treatments

    		     

    Complementary and Alternative Medicines used by patients with cancer e.g. homeopathic & herbal medicines, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation

    		     

    Methods of Drug Administration in Palliative Cancer Care e.g. enteral & parenteral drug administration (nasogastric tubes, total parenteral nutrition), infusion pumps

    		     

    Access to Palliative Cancer Medications e.g. Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and Special Access Scheme “issues”

    		     

    Psychosocial Care of patients

    		     

    Communicating with patients and families

    		     

    Terminology Used in Palliative Care

    		     

    Conducting Medicine Reviews for patients (at home, in residential aged care facilities and hospices)

    		     

    Other (please describe)

    		     

    Other (please describe)

    		     

    Other (please describe)

    		     
  7. 7.

    What format(s) would you find valuable to use in an online educational program in palliative cancer care? (You may tick more than one box)

     □Information as text

     Information that can be read on screen or printed for easier reading or later reference.

     □Case studies

     You are presented with problem-based and pharmacy practice-relevant scenarios to solve. Answers are provided at the end for reflection. Case studies are used to support the information provided as text and to put problems into a clinical and pharmacy-relevant context.

     □Self-assessed multi-choice questionnaires

     You are presented with questions that have up to five possible answers, from which you can choose only one which is correct. Immediate feedback is given about the response you choose. This enables you to test your knowledge and understanding of topics.

     □Web-based Open discussion group

     You may post questions to, or information for, your peers. This allows you to discuss problems, share your experiences and provide practice-based solutions for each other.

     □Web-based Moderated discussion group

     As above for the open discussion group, and additionally your questions are answered by a qualified person who has expertise in the area.

  8. 8.

    Would you participate in an online educational program for community pharmacists in palliative cancer care (that would be free of cost) if offered to you?

     □Yes [go to question 9]

     □No [please indicate why, and go to question 10]

  9. 9.

    If you would like to participate in the educational program that is developed to facilitate the role of community pharmacists in palliative cancer care, please write down your contact details on the separate slip provided with this questionnaire. Place the slip in one of the Reply Paid envelopes provided.

  10. 10.
    1. a)

      Are there occasions when you deliver palliative cancer care advice/services?

       □Yes [go to question 10b]

       □No [go to question 11]

    2. b)

      How often do you deliver palliative cancer care advice/services?

       □Daily

       □Weekly

       □Fortnightly

       □Monthly

       □Less than monthly

  11. 11.

    Your comments are welcome.

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Hussainy, S.Y., Beattie, J., Nation, R.L. et al. Palliative care for patients with cancer: what are the educational needs of community pharmacists?. Support Care Cancer 14, 177–184 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-005-0844-1

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