Despite Education Intervention, Pharmacist Pregnancy-Related Expertise Falls Short

An education intervention to improve community pharmacists’ preconception, pregnancy, and lactation expertise improved pharmacist knowledge but lacked the effect on patient counseling researchers had aimed for, according to a study in Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy. 

“Community pharmacists acknowledge to have an important role in providing pharmaceutical care during preconception, pregnancy, and lactation. However, pharmacists’ knowledge and counseling regarding this topic is still insufficient,” researchers wrote. “Hence, educational initiatives are urgently needed.”

Pharmacists from 40 pharmacies in a large pharmacy chain in Belgium were invited to participate in an e-learning program and an on-site training day. The blended learning program was geared to improve barriers, knowledge, and counseling on preconception, pregnancy, and lactation. Surveys, mystery shopper visits, knowledge retention tests, and pharmacy records provided information researchers used to gauge the intervention’s effect. 

While subject matter knowledge improved after the blended learning program, it declined over time, the study found.

On the plus side, pharmacists provided information about folic acid more often when dispensing pregnancy tests and, for an over-the-counter product aimed to ease pregnancy-related nausea, more often provided correct dose and dosage advice compared with before the intervention. However, researchers continued to observe poor information gathering, dosing errors, and incomplete information from pharmacists.  

“Hence,” they concluded, “the blended learning was insufficient to enhance pharmacists’ information-gathering competences and to fully implement pharmaceutical care services with regard to preconception, pregnancy, and lactation.” 

—Jolynn Tumolo 

Reference

Ceulemans M, Liekens S, Van Calsteren K, Allegaert K, Foulon V. Impact of a blended learning program on community pharmacists' barriers, knowledge, and counseling practice with regard to preconception, pregnancy and lactation. Res Social Adm Pharm. 2020 Sep 15:S1551-7411(19)31154-4. doi: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2020.09.009