Can a long-term continuing education course in patient counselling promote a change in the practice of Finnish community pharmacists?

Abstract

Objective: To assess community pharmacists' perceptions of the impact of a long-term continuing education (CE) course on their patient counselling skills. Methods: Three focus groups were conducted with the course participants (n = 17) during the last module of the CE course. Data were analysed using computer software for qualitative analysis. Key findings: The focus groups revealed eight preliminary categories that were further categorised into four themes related to the learning process in patient counselling skills. The first theme related to achieving the learning objectives. The second related to personal development, understanding principles of two-way communication, and problems in their implementation in practice. The third theme related to actions taken by the participants in their work place, and the fourth involved the potential conflict between the new skills gained and the traditional communication culture in the participant's pharmacy. Conclusion: The CE course provided the community pharmacists with new skills and knowledge in patient counselling and collective in-house training. The findings show that the greatest challenge is to change the communication culture of the pharmacy. To achieve this, it may be necessary for more than one pharmacist from the same pharmacy to participate in the training process at the same time.