Pharmacists’ perceived confidence in dispensing oral antineoplastic agents: A crosssectional study in Miri General Hospital

Abstract

Introduction

The development of oral antineoplastic agents (OAA) allows chemotherapy patients to receive a home-based therapy. The shift of treatment paradigm from inpatient to outpatient basis has indirectly transferred the responsibility in ensuring the proper use of anticancer drugs to the patient or caregiver and other healthcare professionals. Pharmacists will be tasked to dispense and educate patients on OAAs more frequently compared to a decade ago due to the surge in use of OAAs.

Objective

This study assessed the perceived confidence of pharmacists in Miri General Hospital in counselling patients, identifying drug interaction and side effects of oral chemotherapy and the perceived barriers towards counselling and maintenance of knowledge
on OAAs.

Method

A cross-sectional study done on all pharmacists in Miri General Hospital using a questionnaire developed based on previous surveys. Formal consent obtained and participants given one week to fill in and return the hard copy questionnaire. Data analysed using descriptive statistics.

Results

With a response rate of 86.7%, the respondents varied in number of years of pharmacy experience and pharmacy position. At least two-thirds of the respondents reported no confidence in counselling patients, identifying drug or herbal interactions and adverse drug
events related to all the 10 OAAs selected for this survey. Only 9.6% of the participants received training or education on OAAs in the past one year. A significant proportion of responding pharmacists perceived the level of training or knowledge was the main barrier to
counselling patients over OAAs. Majority of the participants (94.2%) interested in attending continuing professional education on OAAs.

Conclusion

A substantial proportion of pharmacists in Miri General Hospital lack of perceived confidence in counselling patients, identifying drug or herbal interactions and adverse drug events of OAAs. More education or training on OAAs involving the collaborative engagement of drug manufacturers, government agencies and the pharmacy profession is critically needed to increase the baseline knowledge of pharmacists.