Hala Sacre1,2, Souheil Hallit2,3, Aline Hajj4,5, Rony M Zeenny6, Marwan Akel2,7, Elie Raad8, Pascale Salameh2,8,9. 1. Drug Information Center, 67014Lebanese Order of Pharmacists, Beirut, Lebanon. 2. INSPECT-LB: Institut National de Santé Publique, Epidémiologie Clinique et Toxicologie, Beirut, Lebanon. 3. Faculty of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK), Jounieh, Lebanon. 4. Laboratory of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacy and Drug Quality Control, Faculty of Pharmacy, Pôle Technologie-Santé (PTS), Faculty of Pharmacy, Saint-Joseph University, Beirut, Lebanon. 5. Faculty of Pharmacy, 36925Saint-Joseph University, Beirut, Lebanon. 6. Clinical Pharmacy Department, 66984American University Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon. 7. School of Pharmacy, Lebanese 125671International University, Beirut, Lebanon. 8. Faculty of Pharmacy, 63572Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon. 9. Faculty of Medicine, 63572Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: In the absence of a national qualification framework for health professionals, the Lebanese Order of Pharmacists (OPL) took the initiative of developing a pharmacy competency framework to standardize pharmacy education in all universities. The objective of this manuscript is to describe the steps that led to the Lebanese Pharmacy Core Competencies Framework. METHODS: Based on a primer developed by a group of academic instructors, following international reference documents from different parts of the world, the Academic board appointed by the OPL, reviewed, streamlined, and validated the suggested primer using the Delphi technique over three rounds, to come up with the final framework. RESULTS: The framework encompassed competencies distributed over 7 domains: fundamental knowledge, professional practice, personal skills, supply of medications, safe and rational use of medications, pharmaceutical public health competencies, and organization and management competencies. Its structure was similar to that of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), with cultural and legal adaptations and the addition of some behaviors related to OPL specific practice and research projects. CONCLUSION: This work describes the elaboration of the Lebanese Pharmacy Core Competencies Framework, a project considered to be an essential step forward for the profession and a first step toward providing information on human resource planning and professional development of the pharmacy workforce. Instead of adapting existing international educational standards from resource-rich contexts, which may not meet the actual needs of Lebanon, universities can draw our findings to develop relevant programs targeting the skills needed for health workers in Lebanon.
BACKGROUND: In the absence of a national qualification framework for health professionals, the Lebanese Order of Pharmacists (OPL) took the initiative of developing a pharmacy competency framework to standardize pharmacy education in all universities. The objective of this manuscript is to describe the steps that led to the Lebanese Pharmacy Core Competencies Framework. METHODS: Based on a primer developed by a group of academic instructors, following international reference documents from different parts of the world, the Academic board appointed by the OPL, reviewed, streamlined, and validated the suggested primer using the Delphi technique over three rounds, to come up with the final framework. RESULTS: The framework encompassed competencies distributed over 7 domains: fundamental knowledge, professional practice, personal skills, supply of medications, safe and rational use of medications, pharmaceutical public health competencies, and organization and management competencies. Its structure was similar to that of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), with cultural and legal adaptations and the addition of some behaviors related to OPL specific practice and research projects. CONCLUSION: This work describes the elaboration of the Lebanese Pharmacy Core Competencies Framework, a project considered to be an essential step forward for the profession and a first step toward providing information on human resource planning and professional development of the pharmacy workforce. Instead of adapting existing international educational standards from resource-rich contexts, which may not meet the actual needs of Lebanon, universities can draw our findings to develop relevant programs targeting the skills needed for health workers in Lebanon.
Authors: Maria M Stollenwerk; Anna Gustafsson; Gudrun Edgren; Petri Gudmundsson; Magnus Lindqvist; Tommy Eriksson Journal: BMC Med Educ Date: 2022-06-20 Impact factor: 3.263