Impact of a Prepharmacy Program on Students' Self-Awareness of Pharmacist Professional Identity: Comparison between Virtual and In-Person Settings.

Ensuring an adequate preparation for undergraduate students transitioning to pharmacy school is challenging. A significant barrier is changing from a subordinate to a critical thinking mindset while self-identifying as a professional. Here, we aimed to (1) determine whether our prepharmacy program called “Professional Identity and Me” (PRIME) could enhance learners’ self-awareness of their professional identity and (2) compare the effectiveness of the in-person and online versions of PRIME.

Continuous Magnesium Sulfate Infusions for Status Asthmaticus in Children: A Systematic Review.

Objectives: Magnesium sulfate is a second-tier therapy for asthma exacerbations in children; guidelines recommend a single-dose to improve pulmonary function and decrease the odds of admission to the in-patient setting. However, many clinicians utilize prolonged magnesium sulfate infusions for children with refractory asthma. The purpose of this review is to describe the efficacy and safety of magnesium sulfate infusions administered over ≥ 1 h in children with status asthmaticus.

Developing Medication Therapy Management Training for Community Health Professionals Serving Low-Income Patients.

BackgroundEach year, medication-related adverse events account for over 1 million emergency department visits according to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Medication therapy management (MTM), a service most commonly performed by health professionals, identifies and resolves medication-related problems and has been shown to both reduce healthcare costs and improve clinical outcomes. The objective of our project was to expand the use of MTM by developing a training program for health professionals to increase medication adherence for low-income patients at Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) specifically targeting individuals with hypertension and diabetes.

Correlation Between Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors and Statin Prescribing Patterns.

Background: In 2018, the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association published an updated guideline introducing risk-enhancing factors and promoting a highly individualized approach to the primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Although the benefit of the primary prevention of ASCVD is well-established within the literature, there are disparities that exist in statin prescribing patterns.

Objective: To assess the use of optimal statin therapy for the primary prevention of ASCVD in high-risk populations, including patients with diabetes mellitus or with elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL), according to the average number of ASCVD risk factors.

Incidence of Cytomegalovirus DNAemia in Pediatric Post-Renal Transplant Patients Receiving Weight-Based vs Body Surface Area-Based Valganciclovir Chemoprophylaxis.

Objective: To determine the incidence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNAemia and disease, identify potential risk factors, and assess the safety and efficacy of weight-based valganciclovir dosing in pediatric post-renal transplant patients.

Methods: This single-center, retrospective study included patients ≤21 years who received a kidney transplant between January 1, 2011, and November 1, 2019, with 3 to 24 months of follow-up data. Demographics and clinical characteristics were collected to assess for potential risk factors.

Effectiveness of telepharmacy diabetes services: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: Although pharmacist-provided diabetes services have been shown to be effective, the effectiveness of telepharmacy (TP) in diabetes management has not been clearly established. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to evaluate the effectiveness of diabetes TP services.

Methods: PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) were searched (from inception through September 2021) to identify published studies that evaluated the effect of TP services in patients with diabetes mellitus and reported either glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) or fasting blood glucose (FBG) outcomes.

Theophylline for Spinal Cord Injury Associated Bradycardia.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) related bradycardia occurs frequently in patients with high cervical spine injuries. In patients with SCI-related symptomatic bradycardia, a variety of agents have been used to improve heart rate and reduce the need for vasopressor therapy. The literature concerning the use of theophylline in this disease state is sparse.

All eyes on me: Remote online assessments for health professional programs during a pandemic.

Background: Due to the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, learning institutions were faced with many challenges while transitioning their in-person courses to an online format for teaching, learning, and testing. One of these challenges included the continuation of assessments in a safe but secure manner.

Discussion: Professional health programs may need to implement new policies to ensure a fair, safe testing process that maintains exam integrity during remote assessments.

A study of students' use of restraint systems in school transportation services in primary and secondary schools in northern Iran: an observational study.

Background: Traffic accidents are one of the leading causes of death and severe injury among child occupants of vehicles in most countries. This has led to the consideration of how to use restraint systems for students in school buses. The purpose of the present study was to determine the percentage of students' use of restraint systems in school transportation services in 2020.

Utilization of an emotional intelligence workshop to enhance student pharmacists' self-awareness.

Background And Purpose: This study evaluated the impact of an emotional intelligence (EI) workshop as a tool to improve student pharmacists' self-awareness. The primary objectives were to assess the change in student pharmacists' self-awareness as measured by the Self-Awareness Outcomes Questionnaire (SAOQ) and identify trends in their self-reflection.

Educational Activity And Setting: A four-hour EI workshop was delivered in a first-year required student pharmacist leadership course.

Co-Occurring Depression and Associated Healthcare Utilization and Expenditure in Individuals with Respiratory Condition: A Population-Based Study.

The existing literature is limited on the prevalence of depression among people with respiratory conditions and person-level factors that are associated with increased healthcare utilization and expenditures. The aim of this study was to explore the prevalence, pattern of healthcare use, and expenditures in noninstitutionalized individuals having co-occurring depression with respiratory conditions. The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data from 2011 to 2017 was used in this study.

A First Report of HCTZ and Dicyclomine Induced Uncharacteristic Contraction Alkalosis.

Contraction alkalosis is characterized by low serum sodium and chloride and high serum carbon dioxide and bicarbonate levels. A 28-year-old Caucasian active-duty male with a history of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease and diarrhea-predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome (D-IBS) presented to his primary care provider (PCP) with elevated blood pressure (136/96 mmHg), was diagnosed with stage-2 hypertension, and started oral HCTZ (25 mg/day). His medications included dicyclomine (10 mg oral three times daily).

Coping, resilience, and emotional well-being in pharmacy students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to investigate the significant contributions of coping, resilience, personal characteristics, and health behaviors on the emotional well-being of pharmacy students during the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 was identified in December 2019 and declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization in March 2020. Pharmacy students may experience greater stress during this outbreak because of interruptions in classes or rotations, concerns regarding personal or family health, and social isolation from peers.

A Population Based Study of Liver Function amongst Adults with Hyperuricemia and Gout in the United States.

To examine the association between uric acid levels and liver enzyme functions amongst adults with hyperuricemia and gout in the United States. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 2007 to 2016 was used to study the research objective. Data were analyzed for descriptive statistics and for differences using the t test, Chi-square test and ANOVA.

National survey of schools of pharmacy on prevalence and description of wellness initiatives.

Introduction: Although the importance of student wellness has been emphasized across health professions including pharmacy, there is a lack of information on the prevalence of such wellness programs in pharmacy schools. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of student wellness programs in United States (US) schools of pharmacy and to describe their basic structure.

Methods: Deans from the 143 US schools of pharmacy were asked to participate in this study by completing an electronic survey.

Identifying areas of improvement for cultural competence in pharmacy curricula: A multi-school study using the self-assessment of perceived level of cultural competence (SAPLCC) questionnaire.

Introduction: The implementation of culturally competent healthcare services has been considered a key strategy for the provision of patient-centered care; however, a need remains to address the requirements of teaching cultural competence, including identifying gaps, designing and evaluating curricula, and assessing students' progress toward program objectives. The objective of this study was to explore the applicability of the Self-Assessment of Perceived Level of Cultural Competence (SAPLCC) questionnaire in the identification of improvement areas in cultural competence content in pharmacy curricula.

Methods: This study used previously-collected SAPLCC data from student pharmacists at eight United States pharmacy schools.

Extended Duration Ketamine Infusions in Critically Ill Children: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Ketamine is an -methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist that has been used as an adjunct analgesic and sedative in critically ill children. Previous reports noted that ketamine has been used for a variable duration of 12 to 408 hours for this indication. We report on the use of ketamine infusions for >720 hours as a second-line sedative in addition to an opioid and dexmedetomidine infusion in a 2-month old and 17-month old.

Impact and feasibility of a pharmacist-delivered pharmacotherapy rotation on pediatric resident education.

Pharmacotherapy training for pediatric residents is an important part of their overall education. Limited data exist describing formal engagement of clinical pharmacists in residency training. The objective of this study was to evaluate a novel pharmacotherapy rotation for learner gains and program feasibility.

Evaluating pharmacy faculty perceptions of empathy in education: A qualitative study.

Introduction: Empathy is critical in building teacher-student relationships. Little research is available evaluating the empathetic capacity of faculty who teach in healthcare professional programs. This study's objectives were to describe how faculty define empathy, describe faculty perspectives on the role of empathy in pharmacy education, and discuss the potential barriers to demonstrating empathy to students.

Evaluation of social phobia, comfort in communication, and interprofessional value during advanced pharmacy practice experiences: A focus on pharmacy student and medical resident interprofessional education.

Background: We implemented and evaluated communication and interprofessional socialization after a unique rotation between final year pharmacy students and medical residents.

Interprofessional Educational Activity: Pharmacy students on an advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) in pediatric critical care completed a standard experience with (i.e.

Patients and Partners in Research: Patient and Caregiver Perceptions of Research Engagement and the Role of Their Psychosocial States in Participation.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the most common, nontraumatic, disabling diseases diagnosed in adults. Self-empowered patients and families are valued members of the MS research team. The objective of this study was to explore patient and family perceptions of the influence of psychosocial state on their willingness to be research partners.

Defining the optimal cut-point of self-reported ART adherence to achieve viral suppression in the era of contemporary HIV therapy: a cross-sectional study.

Background: When considering adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV, many different cut-points are used. The primary goals of this study were to identify a level of self-reported medication adherence that best distinguished HIV viral suppression from non-suppression, and to compare the ability of a single-item and a 3-item adherence questionnaire to predict HIV viral suppression.

Methods: This cross-sectional analysis included 380 persons with HIV (PWH) from the Florida Cohort study who completed a self-reported ART adherence measure within 30-days of having an HIV viral load test.

Losing the Battle but Winning the War: Can Defeated Antibacterials Form Alliances to Combat Drug-Resistant Pathogens?

Despite the recent development of antibacterials that are active against multidrug-resistant pathogens, drug combinations are often necessary to optimize the killing of difficult-to-treat organisms. Antimicrobial combinations typically are composed of multiple agents that are active against the target organism; however, many studies have investigated the potential utility of combinations that consist of one or more antibacterials that individually are incapable of killing the relevant pathogen. The current review summarizes in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies that evaluate combinations that include at least one drug that is not active individually against , , , or .