RESULTS OF METHODOLOGICAL MONITORING OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF PHARMACEUTICAL COUNSELLING COMPETENCIES IN NOVICE PHARMACISTS

The article presents the results of monitoring conducted to identify and assess the level of formation of key competencies for the labour function A/04.7 ‘Informing the public and medical workers about medicines and other products of the pharmacy assortment’ (according to the professional standard ‘Pharmacist-University educated’ approved by the Order of the Ministry of Labour of Russia from 09.03.2016 № 91n) among novice workers who received higher education in the specialty ‘Pharmacy’ graduates of the Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education ‘Privolzhsky Research Medical University’. The aim of this study was to compare the level of demand and formation of professional competences among novice pharmacists compared to more experienced colleagues. The study covered the responses of cohorts of both graduates and experienced pharmacists, which made it possible to identify differences in the perception of the importance of different competences. The questionnaire method and the Thurstone 10-point rating scale were used to collect information, and the non-parametric Mann-Whitney test was used for statistical comparison of cohort responses. The results obtained showed: graduates have a pronounced reflection on their skills, but note a deficit of practical skills necessary for successful counselling. Despite the availability of quality academic education, novice counsellors face insufficient readiness for practical activity, which is related to the gap between theoretical knowledge and real work needs. The article analyses the results of monitoring and highlights the training needs. The authors offer recommendations for the optimisation of training programmes, emphasise the need to integrate the methods of monitoring and competence assessment into the training of novice pharmacists, which is important for improving the quality of pharmaceutical services to the population.