Impact of antimicrobial stewardship training on the use of clinical decision tools for pharyngitis management among pharmacists and pharmacy trainees

Abstract

Abstract Introduction: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) continues to rise owing to inappropriate antimicrobial use. In many countries, especially where patients cannot afford repetitive physician consultations, patients self-prescribe antimicrobials even for self-limiting infections like pharyngitis. Well-trained pharmacists capable of effectively managing pharyngitis through clinical decision-making scores (CDS) like Centor/McIsaac score can aid antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASP). The main aim of the current study was to train pharmacists to apply validated clinical decision criteria (Centor/McIsaac) for the differential assessment of pharyngitis, promote guideline-based antimicrobial dispensing, and evaluate the effectiveness of training. Methods: A cross-sectional, interventional study using a combination of convenience sampling and snowball sampling techniques was conducted among pharmacists and clinical pharmacy trainees in Pakistan. Educational material was developed through extensive literature search, and training sessions were conducted at community pharmacies and academic institutes. Knowledge was assessed before and after the training sessions using a self-developed, validated, structured questionnaire. Results: Of the 288 participants, majority of the practicing pharmacists at community pharmacies were younger than 30 years of age with an experience of less than 3 years. Most participants demonstrated poor baseline knowledge which imporved significantly following the training intervention, highlighting its effectiveness in enhancing the knowledge, beliefs, and perceptions of AMR and AMS. Discussion: Microteaching-based continuing professional development interventions can support the clinical competencies of pharmacists. These findings highlight the potential of such training interventions to improve infection management and antimicrobial stewardship and underscore the need for similar tailored programs for other clinical conditions.