Table 4.
Taxonomy of the themes identified and illustrated with key roles and responsibilities of the pharmacists that emerged from the literature synthesis.
| Theme (n = 3) | % (n) of Data Elements | Definition | Domain (n = 8) | Meaning Unit (n = 37) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type of care delivery | 72% (n = 140) | Pharmacists support the medicines management of people living with palliative care needs directly with the patients themselves and indirectly by improving the performance of the organisation. | Clinical review | Reconciling medications; Deprescribing; Guiding the adjustment of medication doses; Identifying medication related problems; Assessing appropriateness and safety of prescribed medications; |
| Supply of medicines | Stocking subcutaneous injections; Dispensing; Returning of unwanted medicines; Delivering Medicines to the home; Supplying medicines to a residential aged care home; Offering a dose administration aid service; Providing medicines information; Counselling and educational intervention | |||
| Clinical governance | Participating on Medicines Advisory Committees in residential aged care home; Educating nursing workforce including carers; Auditing of medications; Developing policies and guidelines | |||
| Work setting of the pharmacist | 20% (n = 40) | Pharmacists collaborate with multidisciplinary workforce to achieve optimal results in patient care. | Community Pharmacy | Clarifying prescriptions with prescribers; Improving access to subcutaneous medicines; Participating in case conferences; Discussing medication review findings |
| Residential Aged Care Homes | Reviewing medicines on admission; Participating in multidisciplinary medication reviews; Participating in case conferences; Understanding patient’s goals of care; Supplying medicines to RACH imprest stock | |||
| General Medical Practice | Offering a clinical resource; Providing medicines information; Improving efficiency of medication reviews | |||
| Supportive professional and personal characteristics as soft skills | 8% (n = 16) | Pharmacists use soft skills in their role to assist and provide support to patients with their medication management. | Soft skills in supporting person-centred care | Advocating; Following-up |
| Soft skills in dealing with clinician prescribers | Framing of recommendations; Building trusting relationships; Developing creative communication approaches; Demonstrating a positive and helpful attitude; Communicating in a clear and honest manner; Facilitating referrals |