Impact of a statewide community pharmacy approach to opioid harm reduction.

Background: The past several years have seen sharp increases in opioid overdose mortality. Harm reduction resources, such as nonprescription syringes and naloxone, are used to save lives.

Objectives: To develop a statewide approach to increase the use of opioid harm reduction services through community pharmacies.

Geriatric Polypharmacy: Pharmacist as Key Facilitator in Assessing for Falls Risk: 2019 Update.

This article highlights the significant health impact of falls among older adults. An emphasis is placed on the vital role of the pharmacist, regardless of practice setting, in assessing and reducing falls risk for this growing population. In addition, the importance of a stepwise comprehensive approach to falls assessment by pharmacists in collaboration with other clinicians is elucidated.

Impact of Students' Strengths, Critical Thinking Skills and Disposition on Academic Success in the First Year of a PharmD Program.

To determine the critical thinking skills, critical thinking disposition, and personal strengths that contribute to student success and excellence in the first year of a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program. Student pharmacists from three cohorts completed the Health Sciences Reasoning Test (HSRT) to assess their critical thinking skills, the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI) to assess their critical thinking disposition, and the StrengthsFinder 2.0 assessment to determine their top five Signature Themes.

Geriatric Polypharmacy: Pharmacist as Key Facilitator in Assessing for Falls Risk.

This article highlights the significant health impact of falls among older adults. An emphasis is placed on the vital role of the pharmacist, regardless of practice setting, in assessing and reducing falls risk for this growing population. In addition, the importance of a stepwise comprehensive approach to falls assessment by pharmacists in collaboration with other clinicians is elucidated.

Documenting the use of calcium supplements with oral bisphosphonates.

Objective: Patients receiving an oral bisphosphonate for treatment of osteopenia or osteoporosis without adequate calcium intake are not optimally treated. Physicians prescribing bisphosphonates may not consistently document calcium supplementation recommendations.

Design: This is a retrospective chart review of osteoporotic or osteopenic outpatients with an active prescription for an oral bisphosphonate.

Measuring adherence in a community-based elderly population.

Objective: To examine the reliability and validity of the Medication Adherence Individual Review-Screening Tool (MedAdhIR-ST) for assessing medication adherence in a community-dwelling elderly population.

Design: A prospective, observational pilot study comparing the reliability and validity of the MedAdhIR-ST and the Medication Adherence Questionnaire (MAQ).

Setting: Independent senior-housing apartments and senior centers in Wake County, North Carolina.

Medication errors and penalties in assisted living facilities.

Objective: To determine the percentage of medication-related proposed penalties for licensed assisted living facilities in North Carolina.

Design: This retrospective, cross-sectional study examined all proposed penalties and related case-file narratives stemming from annual surveys of licensed assisted living facilities conducted by the state between July 2007 and December 2008. The percentage of medication-related deficiencies and proposed penalties were calculated.