2019 Volume 45 Issue 2 Pages 63-75
Despite the demand for pharmacists' active participation in home medical care and cooperation with other professionals, their role in home medical care is not properly understood by other professionals. This study qualitatively analyzed the opinions of other professionals about their perceived need to cooperate with pharmacists.
A semi-structured interview was conducted involving 4 visiting nurses and 2 certified care workers providing home medical care services in Aichi Prefecture, and the obtained data were qualitatively analyzed using a grounded theory approach.
As medication management of patients at home was difficult due to not only patients' physical factors, but also emotional and social factors, as well as living, environmental, and institutional factors, the ability to care for such patients is essential. Home medication management was performed mainly by care workers, nurses, and pharmacists; however, a difference in the attitude of sharing information with pharmacists was observed between care workers and nurses. Thus, pharmacists must consider emotional barriers, such as concerns and hesitations towards pharmaceutical knowledge among other professionals, as well as emotional conflicts over the overlap of professional domains in the management of medications. Also, since home medical care is provided in the patient's personal domain, excessive emphasis is often placed on the patient's and family's intentions. It is, therefore, important that pharmacists acquire the ability to endure emotional difficulties and dissonance caused by the patient's rejection of professional involvement, and learn and develop an attitude to accept the feelings of patients and their families.
