Exploring the Duties of Pharmacists in Parenteral Nutrition Therapy, Perceived Barriers, and Areas for Improvement

Abstract

Introduction:
Pharmacists play a crucial role in healthcare by ensuring the safe and effective use of medications, providing patient education, and supporting overall health management. However, their specific duties especially in parenteral nutrition (PN), perceived barriers, and areas for improvement may sometimes be underexplored.
Methods:
A qualitative study involving pharmacists who provided PN service in Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II (HRPZ II) were interviewed face-to-face via in depth, semi-structured interviews. A set of interview guide adopted from a previous literature was employed until data saturation was reached. They were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis in QDA Miner Lite v2.0.9.
Results:
A total of 7 participants were interviewed. Several barriers to providing effective pharmaceutical care were identified. The participants agreed that establishing an institutional standard for PN therapy would help enhance the quality of PN services and the need to encourage more pharmacists to develop specialized PN skills. Regular knowledge disseminations through discussions and journal clubs were also recommended to keep pharmacists updated on the latest practices.
Conclusion:
The pharmacists at HRPZ II performed both technical and clinical tasks in PN therapy and collaborated with other healthcare providers. Several barriers to effective pharmaceutical care were identified and specific recommendations have been made to address them. Further quantitative research is warranted to better understand the role of pharmacists in PN therapy, particularly in terms of their impact on patient outcomes and the efficiency of care delivery.