Int J Pharm Pract 1997:5:133-40

Department of Pharmacy, King's College London, Manresa Road, London, England SW3 6LX
Winit Winit-Watjana, BSc(Pharm), MSc, postgraduate student
Russell J. Greene, PhD, MRPharmS, director of studies, pharmacy practice group

Correspondence: Mr Winit-Watjana

Original Papers

Perceptions of United Kingdom pharmacy lecturers about teaching pharmaceutical care

WINIT WINIT-WATJANA and RUSSELL J. GREENE

Pharmaceutical care is now regarded as the primary mission of pharmacy practice. To help ensure that this mission is fulfilled, pharmacy students need the clinical knowledge and skills that underlie pharmaceutical care, and pharmacy academics need to be aware of this concept and its applications. A survey was conducted of British pharmacy lecturers' views on teaching pharmaceutical care. Correlations between lecturers' characteristics (sex, teaching commitment and teaching experience) and the use of computer-aided learning (CAL) in teaching pharmaceutical care were also evaluated. Self-completion questionnaires were sent to 16 heads of departments of pharmacy practice, or their equivalent, for distribution. There was a 40 per cent response rate. Perceptions varied considerably in terms of the definition of pharmaceutical care, the difference between clinical pharmacy and pharmaceutical care, the application in practice settings, drug-related problems, knowledge and skills required and the barriers to teaching pharmaceutical care. Lecturers' characteristics were not related to views on either the use of CAL generally or the potential use of CAL in teaching pharmaceutical care. Many respondents agreed that a CAL program could be used to supplement pharmaceutical care teaching. Further studies on pharmaceutical care teaching are suggested.