David U Adje1
,
Azuka C Oparah2,
Felicia E Williams3,
Oluchukwu O Ezeagwuna1
For correspondence:- David Adje Email: a_udave77@yahoo.com Tel: +2348023241125
Published: 31 December 2016
Citation: Adje DU, Oparah AC, Williams FE, Ezeagwuna OO. Assessment of point of care testing services in community pharmacies in Delta State, Nigeria. J Sci Pract Pharm 2016; 3(1):115-120 doi: 10.47227/jsppharm.v3i1.6
© 2016 The author(s).
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Purpose: Assessing the nature and quality of point of care services offered by community pharmacists is critical to maintaining quality of service delivery. The purpose of this study was toassessthe range, frequency, resource availability, extent of documentation and referrals for point of care services in community pharmacies.
Methods: A cross sectional survey of 107 community pharmacies in the study area was carried out using a pre-tested self-administered questionnaire. Data was analysed using SPSS version 21. Chi square test was used to explore association between categorical variables.
Results: Majority 82 (95.4%) of the pharmacies carried out blood pressure measurement. There were more referrals to physicians for hypertensive 28 (32.6%), than diabetes 19 (22.1%) and overweight patients 2 (2.3%). Pharmacists followed-up more blood pressure patients than other groups of screened patients 56 (65.1%). Only 30 (34.8%) regularly documented tests results and referrals. Most instruments were not validated over time.
Conclusion: Community pharmacies in the study area were satisfactorily involved in the provision of point of care testing services however documentation and instrument validation were poor. There is a need to broaden the scope of services offered and provide training for pharmacists ensure competence in point of care testing
