Background: Previous research has shown community pharmacists do not have high perceived competence or confidence providing care to patients on oral anti-cancer medications. There is a paucity of evidence when it comes to hospital pharmacists providing care to oncology patients admitted to the hospital for a reason other than cancer.
Objective(s): To assess the perceived competence of hospital pharmacists not working in oncology in managing patients taking anticancer drugs. Additionally, identify factors impacting, potential interventions increasing, and any factors that improve perceived competence.
Methods: An anonymous cross-sectional survey distributed to hospital pharmacists throughout Canada.
Results: Mean perceived competence results ranged from 2.52 to 3.97 out of 7.00 with respondents reporting most perceived competence managing electrolyte disturbances and least competence managing drug-disease interactions and intervening on hepatic dysfunction. Low confidence in knowledge received from previous oncology training was reported with a mean of 2.82 on the 7-point Likert Scale. Continuing education sessions were perceived as the intervention which would most improve perceived competence with a mean value of 5.92 to 5.94 on a 7-point Likert Scale. The number of CE hours completed in the last five years was the only factor shown to have a statistically significant correlation with perceived competence.
Conclusion: Hospital pharmacists do not perceive themselves as competent in providing care to oncology patients. The implementation of a continuing education program related to oncology may improve perceived and actual competence.
Keywords: Oral medication; anticancer medications; hospital pharmacy.