Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Role ambiguity and role conflict and their influence on responsibility of clinical pharmacists in China

  • Research Article
  • Published:
International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background Due to the drug-centred tradition of Chinese hospital pharmacy and the lack of corresponding laws and regulations, Chinese clinical pharmacists may experience the problems of role ambiguity and role conflict. These problems may affect whether clinical pharmacists undertake their responsibilities, thus affecting the level of clinical pharmacy care. Objective To evaluate the level of Chinese clinical pharmacists’ role ambiguity and role conflict and to analyse their influence on the undertaking of responsibilities. Setting Research was conducted in 31 provinces (autonomous regions) and municipality directly under the Central Government in mainland China. Main outcome measure Chinese version of a role ambiguity and role conflict scale was used to measure clinical pharmacists’ role ambiguity and role conflict. A scale for clinical pharmacists’ responsibilities was established to measure whether clinical pharmacists undertake their responsibilities. Methods Subgroup analysis and logistic regression were employed to analyse the phenomenon of Chinese clinical pharmacists’ role ambiguity and role conflict and their influence on their fulfilment of responsibilities. Results Clinical pharmacists in China experience role ambiguity and role conflict. Clinical pharmacists in the eastern region, tertiary hospitals, and hospitals where clinical pharmacists training programs are available were less likely to experience role ambiguity and role conflict than those in the central and western regions, secondary hospitals, and hospitals where clinical pharmacists training programs are not available. Role ambiguity and role conflict have significant impacts on whether clinical pharmacists undertake certain responsibilities. Conclusion This study shows that clinical pharmacists in China experience problems with role ambiguity and role conflict and it will affect their fulfilment of their responsibilities. We propose that corresponding policies and measures should be taken to alleviate role ambiguity and role conflict and improve clinical pharmacy service.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Pharmacy A C O C. Standards of practice for clinical pharmacists. Pharmacotherapy. 2015;34(8):769–70.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Yan Y, Zhang JY. Development of laws and regulations for clinical pharmacist in USA and Japan and its enlightenment for China. China Pharm. 2016;19(11):2128–30.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Kahn RL, Wolfe DM, Quinn RP. Organizational stress: studies in role conflict and ambiguity. Am Sociol Rev. 1965;43(4):591–2.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Ma JH, Zhang TW. Analysis of the relationship between role cognition, sense of control and work stress. Chin J Ergon. 1999;5(04):15–19 ,  69–70.

  5. Behrman DN, Perreault WD Jr. A role stress model of the performance and satisfaction of industrial salespersons. J Mark. 1984;48(4):9–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Chu SZ, Xing XQ. Reflections on the current development status of China’s clinical pharmacists. Chin Pharm Aff. 2014;11:1261–4.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Cui L, Xi XY, Yao DN, Huang YK, Wang YT, Yao WB. National survey on clinical pharmacy services of tertiary hospitals in China: part 3. Status quo of clinical pharmacy service provision. Chin Pharm J. 2018;53(10):837–42.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Li JS, Cheng R. Thinking on pharmacist transformation and better service to clinical practice. J Inner Mong Med Univ. 2017;A1:352–4.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Chen EY, Huang YY. Survey on the cognition of medical staff to clinical pharmacy work in primary hospitals. China Pharm. 2018;21(6):1041–3.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Rizzo JR, Lirtzman HSI. Role conflict and ambiguity in complex organizations. Admin Sci Quart. 1970;15(2):150–63.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Yao DN, Huang YK, Xi XY, Wang X, Wang XJ, Wang YT, Yao WB. National survey on clinical pharmacy services of second-level hospitals in China: part 2. Analysis on the status quo of clinical pharmaceutical services. Chin Pharm J. 2019;54(02):150–7.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Perepelkin J, Dobson RT. Influence of ownership type on role orientation, role affinity, and role conflict among community pharmacy managers and owners in Canada. Res Soc Admin Pharm. 2010;6(4):280–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Rieck A, Pettigrew S. How physician and community pharmacist perceptions of the community pharmacist role in Australian primary care influence the quality of collaborative chronic disease management. Qual Prim Care. 2013;21(2):105.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Guirguis LM, Chewning BA. Role theory: literature review and implications for patient–pharmacist interactions. Res Soc Admin Pharm. 2005;1(4):483–507.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Wang MX, Li YP, Ye SY, Lin W. Correlation between job burnout of clinicians and medical safety and its influencing factors. J Fujian Med Univ. 2014;15(4):22–25, 63.

  16. Yuan SW. Analysis of services status of our country’s clinical pharmacy and its countermeasures. Anti Infect Pharm. 2016;13(3):494–6.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Sun Y, Huang CL, Zhang MH, Li DD, Wang S. Restricted factors of hospital clinical pharmaceutical care capability and discussion of improved of countermeasures. Pharm Care Res. 2016;16(5):369–74.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Pan CQ, Li XY, Wang LW, Li Q. Establishment of the clinical pharmacist working model based on the total quality management in hospital. Chin J Hosp Admin. 2016;32(3):191–4.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Li DS, Wang YH, Wu SS. Thinking and suggestion on positioning of clinical TCM pharmacists and the cultivation of post service ability. J China Pharm. 2017;28(36):5170–3.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Liu D, Zhang CL, Gui L, Wang Z, Zhang WT, Du G. Survey of current situation of clinical pharmacy in hospitals above class‖in Hubei province. Chin J Pharmacoepidemiol. 2011;20(4):186–8.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Yang ZW, Ji WR. An investigation into present clinical pharmacy work in 55 hospitals. Pharm Care Res. 2002;1:17–9.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Zhou YY, Yang Y, Meng L, Wang YQ. Investigation of the development of clinical pharmacy in 28 hospitals of Jiangsu province. J China Pharm. 2017;24:3341–6.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Wu TX, Wang B, Wang YD. Investigation of the evaluation of physicians for clinical pharmaceutical care in 5 third grade class a hospitals in Beijing. J China Pharm. 2016;27(36):5066–8.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Mei H, Zhang YL, Qing XF, Sun Q. The reliability and validity of Chinese version of Nurse’s Role Conflict and Ambiguity Scale. J Nurs Admin. 2015;15(1):3–5.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Zhang HL, Wei LM, Wu WQ. Orientation and transformation of thinking mode of clinical pharmacists. Chin Pharm. 2017;26(23):89–91.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Shi Z. Countermeasures and suggestions on improving the quality of clinical pharmaceutical care for clinical pharmacists. Med J Liaoning. 2015;29(6):324–6.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Yan GY, Du ZM, Wu YL, Sun JP. Some suggestions on the development of clinical pharmacy education in China. Pharm Educ. 2014;30(6):19–22.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Chang JY. The health service level evaluation research in China. J Shijiazhuang Univ Econ. 2013;03:25–7.

    Google Scholar 

  29. He QY. Influence of pharmaceutical care on hospital pharmacy management in western economically underdeveloped areas. Annual Academic Meeting Chinese Pharmaceutical Association. 2006.

  30. Li J, Zhang CZ, Chen QX, Yang JD, Long R, Meng L, Qiu F. Investigation on the demands and evaluation of medical personnel and patients towards clinical pharmacists in 56 third grade class a hospitals of 17 provinces (regions, cities). J China Pharm. 2018;29(08):1136–9.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Yao F, Lv B, Yang CJ, Chang J, Zhang T, Jin Z, et al. Pharmacy management and pharmaceutical service model in hospitals of China. Chin Pharm. 2016;02:6–9.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Huang WJ, Cai WM, Ma G. Investigation on cognition of the clinical pharmacists on the clinical pharmacy practice and their profession in the medical and health institutions in Shanghai. J China Pharm. 2015;26(36):5048–51.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Chen GX. Role orientation of clinical pharmacists in pharmaceutical care. Chin Mod Med. 2012;19(17):130–1.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors of this manuscript acknowledge that this article could not have been finished without the help of the many people involved in the course of data generation and major revision.

Funding

This work is supported by “Double First-Class” University project (CPU2018GY39) in China Pharmaceutical University.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Research Center of National Drug Policy and Ecosystem (NDPE), China Pharmaceutical University, No. 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing City, 211198, Jiangsu Province, China

    Wenjun Li, Guohua Lin, Ailin Xu, Yuankai Huang & Xiaoyu Xi

Authors
  1. Wenjun Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Guohua Lin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ailin Xu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yuankai Huang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Xiaoyu Xi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xiaoyu Xi.

Ethics declarations

Conflicts of interest

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Li, W., Lin, G., Xu, A. et al. Role ambiguity and role conflict and their influence on responsibility of clinical pharmacists in China. Int J Clin Pharm 42, 879–886 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11096-020-01053-w

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11096-020-01053-w

Keywords

Search

Navigation