An investigation of Emergency Department Pharmacist Practitioners V1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An investigation of Emergency Department Pharmacist Practitioners in the United Kingdom
IRAS ID
221114
Contact name
Daniel Greenwood
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Manchester
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 28 days
Research summary
Due to shortages of emergency department (ED) doctors and nurses, some hospitals have started to make greater use of emergency department pharmacists who have completed additional clinical skills training. This training appears to be either a comprehensive programme, which teaches pharmacists multiple skills such as how to diagnose more serious medical conditions and prescribe medicines, or short courses focused on one skill such as taking blood samples. The aim of the ENDPAPER study is to investigate and thereby describe and define the role of these pharmacists (Part 1) and to develop standards for the role (Part 2). The standards developed will detail what these pharmacists should do in the ED (service specification), and the attributes of a good quality service (quality specification). Herein, for simplicity, emergency department pharmacists who have completed any additional clinical skills training are described collectively as 'Emergency Department Pharmacist Practitioners' (EDPPs).
For Part 1, we will ask EDPPs at up to 24 hospitals in the UK to record their work in the ED over two weeks using an iPad based questionnaire. Information collected will include tasks that pharmacists have always done, such as helping doctors to choose the best medicines for patients, as well as tasks that they do with their new training, such as examining patients. Analysis of data collected will enable description of the EDPP role.
For Part 2, we will conduct telephone interviews with up to 20 patients who have been treated by EDPPs in the ED. We aim to learn what patient's believe quality care is when provided by EDPPs. Analysis of the qualitative data collected will enable us to adapt existing hospital pharmacist standards and produce EDPP role standards (consisting of both service and quality specifications).
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Bradford Leeds Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/YH/0275
Date of REC Opinion
4 Aug 2017
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion