Abstract The hospital pharmacy needs a constant process of evaluation and monitoring of its activities. In Brazil, several agencies establish tasks and duties for pharmacists, but little is known about the compliance and the perception of the professional regarding these policies. The present study aims to characterize the pharmacist’s perception of Brazilian hospital pharmacy policies according to the Basel Statements. A search was performed for the contacts of all medium and high complexity hospitals in the country. Subsequently, a questionnaire elaborated following the Basel Statements was sent by e-mail to hospital pharmacists throughout the country. The domain analyzed was "Human Resources, Training, and Development". Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 19.0. Pharmacists representing a total of 111 hospitals from all Brazilian regions answered the survey questionnaire and showed that more than half of the hospital pharmacists perceive themselves as not complying, whether in the service of local, national, or pharmaceutical education. Besides updating the professionals in relation to national policies, it is necessary that the representative bodies of the pharmaceutical class be more present in the elaboration and evaluation of the policies directed to human resources, seeking uniformity and the possibility of carrying out the activities required.

Background: Medication reconciliation aims to prevent unintentional medication discrepancies that can result in patient harm at transitions of care. Pharmacist-led medication reconciliation has clear benefits, however workforce limitations can be a barrier to providing this service. Pharmacy students are a potential workforce solution. Objective: To evaluate the number and type of medication discrepancies identified by pharmacy students. Methods: Fourth year pharmacy students completed best possible medication histories and identified discrepancies with prescribed medications for patients admitted to hospital. A retrospective audit was conducted to determine the number and type of medication discrepancies identified by pharmacy students, types of patients and medicines involved in discrepancies. Results: There were 294 patients included in the study. Overall, 72% (n=212/294) had medication discrepancies, the most common type being drug omission. A total of 645 discrepancies were identified, which was a median of three per patient. Patients with discrepancies were older than patients without discrepancies with a median (IQR) age of 74 (65-84) vs 68 (53-77) years (p=0.001). They also took more medicines with a median (IQR) number of 9 (6-3) vs 7 (2-10) medicines per patient (p<0.001). The most common types of medicines involved were those related to the alimentary tract and cardiovascular system. Conclusions: Pharmacy students identified medication discrepancies in over 70% of hospital inpatients, categorised primarily as drug omission. Pharmacy students can provide a beneficial service to the hospital and contribute to improved patient safety by assisting pharmacists with medication reconciliation.

Objectives: To (1) investigate the relationships between students’ characteristics and their (a) perceptions of research in general and (b) attitudes towards pharmacy practice research; (2) identify strategies that could be used by pharmacy educators to promote research interest in pharmacy practice; and (3) identify perceived barriers to the pursuit or completion of a pharmacy practice research degree. Methods: A survey was administered to all students enrolled in each year of the four-year pharmacy undergraduate program, University of Sydney, Australia. Perceptions of research in general were measured using 4 items on a five-point semantic-differential scale and attitudes towards pharmacy practice research were measured using 16 items on a five-point Likert scale. Student characteristics were also collected as were responses to open-ended questions which were analysed using content analysis. Results: In total 853 students participated and completed the survey (83% response rate). Participants’ characteristics were associated with some but not all aspects of research and pharmacy practice research. It appeared that positive attitudes and perspectives were influenced strongly by exposure to the ‘research’ process through projects, friends or mentors, previous degrees or having future intentions to pursue a research degree. Results from both the quantitative and qualitative analyses suggest positive attitudes and perceptions of research can be nurtured through the formal inclusion in research processes, particularly the utility of practice research in clinical practice across the four years of study. Participants indicated there was a lack of awareness of the needs, benefits and career opportunities associated with pharmacy practice research and voiced clear impediments in their career path with respect to the choice of practice research-related careers. Conclusions: Future research should investigate changes in perceptions and attitudes in a single cohort over the four-year degree, other factors influencing students’ perceptions and attitudes, and evaluate the effectiveness of research promoting strategies and programs.

Objetivos: (1) Investigar la relación entre las características de los estudiantes y su (a) percepción de la investigación en general, (b) actitudes hacia la investigación en farmacia práctica, (2) identificar las estrategias que podrían ser usadas por los educadores de farmacia para promover el interés en la investigación en farmacia práctica; y (3) identificar las barreras percibidas para elegir o completar un grado en investigación en farmacia práctica. Métodos: Se administró un cuestionario a todos los estudiantes matriculados en cada año de los cuatro años del programa de grado de farmacia de la Universidad de Sídney, Australia. Se midieron las percepciones de la investigación en general usando 4 ítems de una escala semántica-diferencial de 5 puntos, y se midieron las actitudes hacia la investigación en farmacia práctica usando una escala de Likert de 5 puntos con 16 ítems. También se recogieron las características de los estudiantes en respuestas abiertas que fueron analizadas mediante un análisis de contenido. Resultados: En total 853 estudiantes participaron y completaron el cuestionario (83% tasa de respuesta). Las características de los participantes se pudieron asocial con algunos, pero no con todos, los aspectos de la investigación y de la investigación en farmacia práctica. Resultó que las actitudes y las perspectivas positivas estaban fuertemente influenciadas por la exposición al proceso de ‘investigación’ a través de proyectos, amigos o mentores, graduaciones previas o intenciones futuras de iniciar un grado de investigación. Los resultados de los análisis cualitativos y cuantitativos sugirieron que las actitudes y las percepciones positivas pueden ser alimentadas a través de la inclusión formal en procesos de investigación, particularmente la utilidad de la investigación práctica en la práctica clínica durante los cuatro años de estudios. Los participantes indicaron que había una falta de consciencia de las necesidades, beneficios y oportunidades de carrera asociadas a la investigación de farmacia práctica, y enunciaban impedimentos claros en su carrera de progreso en relación a la elección de carreras de investigación en farmacia práctica. Conclusión: Futuras investigaciones deberían analizar los cambios en percepciones y actitudes en una cohorte durante los cuatro años de estudios, otros factores que influyen las percepciones y actitudes de los estudiantes, y evaluar la efectividad de estrategias y programas de promoción de la investigación.