Knowledge of students in the ultimate year of undergraduate pharmacy school about basic pediatric pharmacy

Main Article Content

Ufuoma S. Ahwinahwi
Ogheneovo C. Aghoja
John E. Arute
Oghare Okorodudu

Abstract

Background; Drug use in children is more challenging than in the adult population because of associated difference in drug handling.


Objectives; This study assessed the level of knowledge and competency of pharmacy students in the ultimate year on basic pediatric pharmacy as well as the impact of an educational intervention.


Methods; Baseline self-reported knowledge and competence of respondents on pediatric pharmacy was assessed with a questionnaire. An educational training was administered by a pharmacist who is a faculty member; thereafter knowledge and competence of the participants were re-assessed to determine the effect of the training.


Results; All the respondents were familiar with "Pediatrics", 40 (65.6%) learnt the term before getting admitted to study pharmacy while 21 (34.4%) got to know it during the course of their study. Thirty-four (56%) respondents were affirmative in responding to whether they had taken courses in pediatric dosing. Only 7 (11.5%) had poor knowledge of pediatric pharmacy while 57 (93.4%) had poor competency in handling issues relating to drug dosing and administration. Fifty-four (88.5%) respondents opined to addition of more pediatric-based courses in their curriculum. The mean scores in three of ten knowledge questions and in 5 of 6 competency questions were significantly improved post-intervention with values ranging between P <0.001 and P=0.047.


Conclusion; Pharmacy students in the ultimate year in a Nigerian university had appreciable basic knowledge in pediatric pharmacy but competency in handling dosing and drug administration issues in pediatric patients was poor. A training on basics of drug use in the pediatric population improved knowledge fairly and competency scores significantly.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Article Details

How to Cite
Ahwinahwi, U. S., Aghoja, O. C., Arute, J. E., & Okorodudu, O. (2023). Knowledge of students in the ultimate year of undergraduate pharmacy school about basic pediatric pharmacy. West African Journal of Pharmacy, 32(2), 39 – 48. https://doi.org/10.60787/wapcp-32-2-241
Section
Articles

How to Cite

Ahwinahwi, U. S., Aghoja, O. C., Arute, J. E., & Okorodudu, O. (2023). Knowledge of students in the ultimate year of undergraduate pharmacy school about basic pediatric pharmacy. West African Journal of Pharmacy, 32(2), 39 – 48. https://doi.org/10.60787/wapcp-32-2-241

Share

References

Kearns GL, Abdel-Rahman SM, Alander SW, Blowey DL, Leeder JS, Kauffman RE. (2003). Developmental pharmacology--drug disposition, action, and therapy in infants and children. New England Journal of Medicine 349(12):1157-1167.

Hieschfeld S. Clinical Trials involving children: history, rationale, regulatory framework and technical considerations. In Yaffe SJ, Aranda JV, eds. Neonatal Pediatric Pharmacology : Therapeutic Principles in Practice, Lippincot, Williams and Wilkins, Philadephia, P,A, USA 2011

Report of Nigeria's National Population Commission on the 2006 Census (2007). Population and Development Review 33(1): 206-210. JSTOR www.jstor.org /stable/25434601. Accessed February 18,2021

National Population Commission (NPC) [Nigeria] and ICF.Nigeria Demographic andHealth Survey 2018, Abuja, Nigeria ,and Rockville, Maryland USA: NPC and ICF.2019.http://www.dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf. Accessed February 20,2021

Naseralallah LM, Hussain TA, Jaam M, Pawluk SA (2020). Impact of pharmacist interventions on medication errors in hospitalized pediatric patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy 42:979-994.https://doi.org/10.1007//s11096-020-01034

Munzenberger PJ, Thomas RL, Edwin SB, Tutag-Lehr V (2011). Pharmacists' perceived knowledge and expertise in selected pediatrics topic. Journal of Pediatric Pharmacolology and Theraputics 2011;16:47-54

Mukattash TL, Jarab AS, Abu-Farha RK, Alefishat E , McElnay JC (2018). Pharmaceutical Care in Children: Self-reported knowledge ,attitude and competency of final-year pharmacy students in Jordan. Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal 18(4): 468-475

Oshikoya KA, Senbanjo IO (2010). Providing safe medicines for children in Nigeria: The impediments and remedies. Annals of African Medicine 9:203-12

Scottish Neonatal and Paediatric Pharmacists Group (SNAPP) Introduction to Pediatric Pharmaceutical Care (Updated 2017). Available at : www.nppg.org.uk/paediatric-pharmaceutical-care-snapp Accessed November 2020

Stewart D, Rouf A, Snaith A, Elliot K, Helms PJ, McLay JS (2007). Attitudes and experiences of community pharmacists towards paediatric offlabel prescribing: a prospective survey. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 64(1): 90-95.

Mukattash TL, Hawwa AF, Trew K, McElnay JC (2011). Healthcare professional experiences and attitudes on unlicensed/off-label paediatric

prescribing and paediatric clinical trials. European Journal of Clinical Pharmacololgy 67(5):449-461. doi:10.1007/s00228-010-0978-z

Joint Formulary Committee (1995). British National Formulary 29th Edition. London: BMJ Group and Pharmaceutical Press.

Reynolds JEF, Parfitt K (1989). Martindale : The Extra Pharmacopoeia, 29th Edition. London: The Pharmaceutical Press.

Bailey SC, Pandit AU, Yin S, Federman A, Davis TC, Parker RM, Wolf MS (2009).Predictors of Misunderstanding Pediatric Liquid Medication

Instructions. Family Medicine 41(10):715-21

Small L, Schuman A, Reiter RD (2008). Training program for pharmacists in pediatric emergencies.American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy 65:649-654

Riney EA, Crannage AJ , Hasan N , Murphy JA (2016). Impact of a training program on Pharmacists' Comfort with Pediatric Pharmacy Concepts and Basic Knowledge. Hospital Pharmacy 51(10):823-829

Similar Articles

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.