Pharmaceutical Care Implementation: A Survey of Attitude, Perception and Practice of Pharmacists in Ogun State, South-Western Nigeria

Purpose: To assess the attitude, perception and practice of pharmacists in Ogun State towards pharmaceutical care implementation. Methods: Pre-tested and validated structured questionnaire was administered to selected 120 hospital and community pharmacists to determine their knowledge, attitude and practice of pharmaceutical care in their settings using open, closed and open-ended questions. The data collected were analysed using SPSS and presented using descriptive statistics. Results: Of the 120 pharmacists, 105 completed and returned their questionnaire giving a response rate of 87.5%. Most of the respondents (92.2%) were aware of the pharmaceutical care concept but only 22.9% gave correct definition of the concept. Most respondents (97%) saw the need to incorporate pharmaceutical care concept into practice. In addition to willing to incorporate it, 94.2% equally wish to know more about pharmaceutical care concept. None of the respondents had implemented the concept fully but 67% monitor patients either through direct interview or through results of relevant tests. Some of the respondents (56%) had identified one form of error or the other in prescriptions, yet none of them document these errors and their respective interventions Topping the list of suggested ways of improving pharmaceutical care implementation were improved training at all levels, monitoring of therapy and enhanced relationships with other health professionals and patients. Conclusion: The attitude of the pharmacists towards implementation of pharmaceutical care is good but the ability to implement it is weak. Concerted efforts among policy makers and other stakeholders to address the weaknesses will go a long way to improve the outcome of therapy for numerous patients who eagerly awaits full pharmaceutical care implementation.