Clinical pharmacy practice in private hospitals in Windhoek Namibia
Loading...
Date
2025
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Namibia
Abstract
The practice of clinical pharmacy in Namibia is poorly understood, with limited documented
evidence of its application in clinical settings. There is broad awareness of the need for the
implementation of clinical pharmacy services among healthcare professionals; however, there
is a need to further examine the acceptance and integration of clinical pharmacy practice among
these professionals. This study assessed the current practice of clinical pharmacy in private
hospitals in Windhoek, Namibia, specifically focusing on the level of integration of clinical
pharmacy practice into the multi-disciplinary healthcare team and differences in perceptions
between healthcare team members. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed online to
healthcare professionals (medical practitioners, pharmacists, and nurses) working in private
hospitals in Windhoek. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics. A total of 53 healthcare
professionals responded to the questionnaire, of which 60% (n=32) were nurses, 20% (n=11)
were doctors (general practitioners (n=4) and specialists (n=7)), and 19% (n=10) were
pharmacists. The majority (66%, n=35) of the responses confirmed that clinical pharmacists
are an integral part of the multi-disciplinary team. Additionally, 43% (n=23) of participants
indicated that pharmacists are actively engaged in most areas of care relating to the distribution
of pharmaceuticals in their respective hospitals, while a minority (9%, n=5) indicated that
pharmacists are not involved in these roles. The study further found that most participants
(47%, n=25) indicated that pharmacists are only involved in a few patient care rounds, which
reflects that pharmacists in private hospitals in Windhoek still have a lot to do in order to be
more involved in clinical practice. Overall, healthcare practitioners in private hospitals in
Windhoek are aware of clinical pharmacy practice and view the practice as an integral part of
multi-disciplinary care. However, the implementation and provision of clinical pharmacy
services are still in their infancy, presenting an opportunity for growth
Description
A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Clinical Pharmacy
Keywords
Paractice, Health care proffessional, Private hospitals, Clinical pharmacy, Namibia, University of Namibia