The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has known as for stronger collaboration amongst specialised branches of the pharmacy career to enhance affected person care, strengthen skilled competencies and advance pharmacy follow within the nation.
The PSN President, Ayuba Ibrahim Tanko, who made the decision forward of the society’s 99th Annual National Conference, mentioned stronger pharmacy follow would require superior scientific follow, collaboration amongst healthcare professionals, residency coaching, training and analysis, notably in pharmacotherapy, remedy security, pharmaceutical preparation and the suitable use of medicines.
He defined that integrating these areas {of professional} experience would strengthen patient-care companies, promote competency improvement, enhance practice-based coaching and improve collaboration between pharmacists and different healthcare professionals.
According to him, current initiatives present a basis for advancing these targets, together with the popularity of the Consultant Pharmacist cadre, the PSN’s collaboration with the West African Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (WASPEN), and the International Pharmacy Practice Residency Programme (IPPR) at Delta State University Teaching Hospital (DELSUTH), facilitated by the West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists (WAPCP).
He mentioned bringing the initiatives into a typical strategic dialogue would assist align skilled priorities with out merging them right into a single programme or disregarding their current governance constructions.
On the Co isnsultant Pharmacist cadre, Tanko famous that its recognition inside federal and state public-service schemes of service introduced a chance to make clear the tasks and competencies anticipated of pharmacists in superior follow.
He mentioned constant implementation required clearer definitions of their roles, skilled improvement expectations, reporting relationships and accountability.
“A standardised framework could support more consistent appointments, improve workforce planning and strengthen the integration of advanced pharmacists into multidisciplinary clinical teams,” he mentioned.
Tanko known as for a competency and qualification framework masking superior scientific follow, management, training, analysis and repair improvement.
He mentioned the framework also needs to make clear pharmacists’ contributions to advanced medication-related selections, therapeutic optimisation, remedy security, coordinated affected person care, mentorship, skilled training and high quality enchancment.
He suggested that such a framework ought to draw on related worldwide fashions whereas reflecting Nigeria’s healthcare system, regulatory surroundings and workforce wants.
He added that any proposed scientific authority or prescribing tasks should stay per relevant Nigerian legal guidelines and laws.
On the PSN-WASPEN collaboration, Tanko mentioned the partnership provided alternatives to strengthen multidisciplinary diet care and outline applicable roles for pharmacists in scientific diet and specialised pharmaceutical companies.
He recognized alternatives within the identification and administration of medication-related issues that might have an effect on dietary standing, therapy response and restoration.
Pharmacists, he mentioned, may additionally contribute to the secure use of medicines in sufferers receiving enteral or parenteral diet by addressing compatibility, administration and monitoring necessities.
Other areas embody growing nutrition-support protocols, strengthening medication-safety methods, scientific monitoring and high quality enchancment.
Tanko additionally highlighted sterile compounding and specialised pharmaceutical companies as vital areas for skilled improvement and health-system enchancment.
He defined that the PSN, in collaboration with related companions, had superior initiatives to strengthen native pharmaceutical compounding and manufacturing, starting with non-sterile preparations.
According to him, the WASPEN-pharmaceutical business collaboration represents the second part of the broader initiative, with a concentrate on sterile compounding and specialised pharmaceutical companies, notably the secure preparation of parenteral diet.
He mentioned the initiative may help coaching in aseptic methods, sterile compounding and cleanroom practices, alongside the event and implementation of high quality methods, customary working procedures and risk-management processes.
Other potential advantages embody supporting the secure preparation of parenteral diet in collaboration with multidisciplinary nutrition-support groups and exploring centralised admixture companies the place possible, correctly ruled and sustainable.
Tanko added that the collaboration may promote technical training, scientific attachments, analysis and the suitable introduction of compounding applied sciences.
He mentioned joint workshops, webinars, conferences, mentorship and scientific attachments may additional strengthen skilled competencies.
However, he careworn that any new service needs to be assessed in opposition to native wants, regulatory necessities, staffing, infrastructure and sustainable financing.
On the International Pharmacy Practice Residency Programme, Tanko mentioned it was launched at DELSUTH, Oghara, in May 2022 by means of WAPCP, in collaboration with the educating hospital and with engagement involving the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP).
He mentioned the programme provided a chance to strengthen the practice-based element of postgraduate pharmacy coaching by connecting theoretical information with supervised scientific expertise.
Its improvement, he added, additionally offered classes in residency programme management, preceptor preparation, competency evaluation and repair enchancment.
Tanko mentioned efforts to strengthen the programme ought to concentrate on clear studying targets, competency evaluation, structured scientific experiences, preceptor improvement, mentorship and constant suggestions for residents.
He added that multidisciplinary affected person care, remedy security, high quality enchancment and analysis needs to be built-in into the coaching.
“The IPPR should complement existing WAPCP postgraduate training and residency pathways rather than be presented as evidence that traditional training lacks practical value,” he mentioned.
He famous that selections on increasing the programme needs to be guided by documented expertise, programme readiness, the supply of preceptors, service capability and relevant accreditation necessities.
According to him, the DELSUTH programme is beneath evaluation by ASHP following an accreditation survey, with a call anticipated by March 2027.
Tanko mentioned inputs had been obtained from related stakeholders, together with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN), PSN, WASPEN, WAPCP, the Association of Consultant Pharmacists, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), healthcare establishments and tutorial companions.
He careworn the necessity to determine areas requiring speedy motion and people needing additional session or technical improvement to make sure the initiatives obtain their targets.
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