Identification of Standards for Pharmaceutical Care in Benin City

Purpose: Pharmaceutical care (PC) is still a theoretical statement in Nigeria and not operational. The goal of this study is to identify practice standards that can be effectively applied in the implementation of pharmaceutical care in Nigeria.
Method: The survey instrument (a pre-tested self-administered questionnaire) was distributed to pharmacists in Benin City. Each questionnaire contained the 52 suggested practice standards obtained from round one discussion by the Delphi panel of PC experts. The pharmacists were requested to indicate in the questionnaire whether or not each of the standards was feasible, relevant, being currently applied or intend to be apply it in their practice setting. Analysis of the responses on "being currently applied or intend to apply it" excluded the pharmacists in academia since nearly all of them were full-time University Lecturers.
Result: Of the 150 copies of the questionnaire distributed, 119 (79.3%) responded. The average proportion of pharmacists who gave positive response to each of the standards were as follows: feasibility (71.3% ± 9.2%), relevance (72.0% ± 8.0%), currently apply it (18.2% ± 20.2%) and intend to apply it (10.8% ± 6.7%). The 95% confidence intervals of the responses were: feasibility (68.7% - 73.9%), relevance (69.7% -74.4%), currently apply it (12.5% -23.8%), and intend to apply it (8.9% -12.6%). Neither the age, years of professional experience, qualification nor area of practice significantly influenced the pharmacists responses. Forty-seven (47) of the 52 standards were identified for application by the pharmacists.
Conclusion: PC standards that can be effectively applied in improving effective pharmaceutical services in Benin City have been identified. The identified 47 standards are most likely to stimulate the widespread implementation of PC in Nigeria if seriously addressed by the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria, the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria and Nigeria pharmacists.