Authors : Segun J. Showande and Abidemi O. Olaifa
Abstract: The focus of this exploratory study was to determine if community pharmacists order laboratory tests why they order the tests type of tests they order and what they do with the outcome of such tests. Self administered pre-tested 34 items semi-structured questionnaires were used to carry out this study among the superintendent pharmacists of registered pharmacy premises in two South-Western States in Nigeria. Descriptive statistics (frequency and percentages), Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to appropriately summarize the data obtained. All the respondents who consented to take part had ordered and interpreted laboratory tests for patients prior to this study. The types of invasive and non-invasive tests ordered ranged from simple dipstick pregnancy test to more varied tests like; Widal reaction test 45 (69.2%), urinalysis 10 (15.4%), Mantoux test 3 (4.6%) and hepatitis B and C test 3 (4.6%). The laboratory test results were sometimes interpreted in conjunction with the physicians. This aspect of the pharmaceutical care continuum could be harnessed to foster the collaboration between pharmacists and physicians and to ultimately improve patient care.
Segun J. Showande and Abidemi O. Olaifa, 2013. Community Pharmacists’ Involvement in the Ordering and Interpretation of Laboratory Tests. International Journal of Tropical Medicine, 8: 11-18.