Mandatory medication content in the curricula of six health care personnel types with patient contact in Denmark

This study investigated and compared mandatory medication content in the curricula of six types of health care personnel with patient contact. Using content analysis, three independent raters analysed the mandatory medication content for physicians, pharmacists, pharmaconomists, nurses, health care assistants and support workers in the Capital Region of Denmark. Three dimensions were analysed as follows: communication with patients about medication, medication use or pharmacology and medication formulation and production. ECTS credits were totalled for courses analysed to have high or medium content, and inter ‐rater reliability was tested with Fleiss’ kappa. The total mandatory medication content for pharmacists was 197.0 ECTS, physicians 136.0 ECTS, pharmaconomists 123.3 ECTS, nurses 52.0 ECTS, health care assistants 17.8 ECTS and support workers 0.0 ECTS. Communication with patients about medicatio n was included to the greatest extent in the educations of pharmaconomists (112.0 ECTS), pharmacists (37.5 ECTS) and physicians (25.0 ECTS). Knowledge about medication use and pharmacology was taught primarily to pharmacists (146.5 ECTS), physicians (123.6 ECTS) and pharmaconomists (89.8 ECTS) and t o a lesser extent nurses (52.0 ECTS), health care assistants (17.8 ECTS) and support workers (0.0 ECTS). Medication formulation and production were taught only to pharmacists (93.0 ECTS) and pharmaconomists (25.1 ECTS). Mapping the basic competencies about medication taught to ea...
Source: Basic and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research