Reevaluating Core Elements of Emotional Intelligence in Professional Identity Formation for Inclusion in Pharmacy Education.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this review are to (1) analyze the core concepts of emotional intelligence self-perception, self-expression, interpersonal relationships, decision-making skills, and stress management and their role in professional identity formation, and (2) investigate the methods and strategies to incorporate emotional intelligence in pharmacy education. FINDINGS: A literature review of emotional intelligence in health care education was conducted by searching the electronic databases PubMed, Google Scholar, ProQuest, and ERIC. The following search terms were included: emotional intelligence, emotional quotient, in association with professional identity formation, pharmacy curriculum, pharmacy cocurriculum, entrustable professional activities, medicine, and nursing. Only full-length, free-access, English-text articles were included. Twenty articles addressed the inclusion and/or assessment of core elements of emotional intelligence in pharmacy education. Commonly taught, cultivated, and assessed core elements include self-awareness, empathy, and interdisciplinary relationships. Assessment tools used to evaluate emotional intelligence in pharmacy education are subjective, qualitative, and semiquantitative, and may include pre and postcourse surveys, event surveys, and questionnaires. SUMMARY: The pharmacy literature is scarce on how best to analyze emotional intelligence and the role it plays in the pharmacist's education and practice. A comprehensive integration of emotional intelligence into the pharmacy curriculum is a challenging task and requires additional in-depth discussions on how best to incorporate it in the pharmacist's professional identity formation. The Academy will benefit from re-engaging its constituents in addressing the gaps of emotional intelligence in the professional curriculum in preparation for the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education 2025 standards.

Associating Growth Mindset with Emotional Intelligence and Why It's Needed for Professional Identity Formation.

Nurturing professional identity formation (PIF) is incumbent for the future of a pharmacist. The process of PIF incorporates norms, roles, and expectations of the profession into existing identities. This process can be particularly challenging when there are conflicting identities that provoke strong emotional experiences. Emotions are driven by beliefs and thoughts which serve as the catalyst for our reactions and behavior. Dealing with strong emotions can be uncomfortable, requiring proper regulation and management. Emotional intelligence and a growth mindset are fundamental traits that significantly influence a learner's ability to navigate the emotional complexities and thoughts associated with PIF. Although there is some evidence in the literature on the benefits of cultivating emotionally intelligent pharmacists there is a paucity of information on its association with growth mindset and PIF. Emotional intelligence and growth mindset are not mutually exclusive traits and development of both is needed for a learner's professional identity.

Pharmacist-Led Chronic Care Management for Medically Underserved Rural Populations in Florida During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Medically underserved patients in rural areas are more vulnerable to poor health outcomes, including the risks associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Pharmacists, student pharmacists, and other health care professionals are working together to implement new, innovative ways to deliver the same standard of care during the COVID-19 pandemic to these vulnerable patients. These services include telehealth with virtual and telephone medication therapy management sessions led by ambulatory care pharmacists and student pharmacists. Pharmacists, student pharmacists, and other health care professionals should continue to adapt to these new technologies to improve health outcomes for their patients during the pandemic.

A survey of community pharmacists and final-year student pharmacists and their perception of psychotherapeutic agents.

INTRODUCTION: The World Health Organization has estimated that as many as 450 million people worldwide have mental disorders. More than 44 million people in the United States have a mental disorder annually, estimating the annual direct costs of mental illness to exceed US$69 billion. Psychotherapeutic agents are used to treat mental illnesses and improve quality of life. The purpose of the study is to assess the knowledge and knowledge perception of community pharmacists and final-year student pharmacists regarding psychotherapeutic agents dispensed to their community of patients with mental illness. METHODS: A survey was distributed to pharmacists and final-year student pharmacists regarding psychotherapeutic agents. RESULTS: In all, 100 pharmacists and 40 final-year student pharmacists completed the survey. Upon analysis of surveys returned by pharmacists, knowledge deficiency was assessed regarding anxiolytics and mood stabilizers. The analysis of student participant surveys demonstrated knowledge deficiency regarding antidepressants and anxiolytics. CONCLUSIONS: Final-year student pharmacists would benefit from the curricular incorporation of courses and advanced pharmacy practice experiences in Psychiatry. Community pharmacists caring for customers with psychiatric disorders should take advantage of continuing education series that highlight updates and new developments regarding psychotherapeutic agents in order to improve clinical outcomes of patients.

Modifiable prostate cancer risk reduction and early detection behaviors in black men.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the personal factors related to modifiable prostate cancer risk-reduction and detection behaviors among black men. METHODS: Three thousand four hundred thirty (3430) black men were surveyed and structural equation modeling employed to test study hypotheses. RESULTS: Modifiable prostate cancer risk-reduction behavior was found to be influenced by perceived severity, cues to action, knowledge, and behavioral control. Prostate cancer detection behavior was determined by perceived susceptibility, attitude, perceived behavioral control, knowledge, and acculturation. CONCLUSION: The confirmed associations underscore the importance of cognitive-behavioral factors in the promotion of CaP risk-reduction behavior as well as early detection among black men.

Prostate cancer health and cultural beliefs of black men: The Florida Prostate Cancer Disparity Project.

BACKGROUND: Since behavioral factors are significant determinants of population health, addressing prostate cancer (CaP)-related health beliefs and cultural beliefs are key weapons to fight this deadly disease. This study investigated the health beliefs and cultural beliefs of black men relative to CaP, and the key socio-demographic correlates of these beliefs. METHODS: The study design was a cross-sectional survey of 2,864 Florida black men, age 40 to 70, on their perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, attitude, outcomes beliefs, perceived behavioral control, CaP fatalism, religiosity, temporal orientation, and acculturation relative to CaP screening and prevention. RESULTS: The men reported favorable attitude and positive outcome beliefs, but moderate perceived behavioral control, CaP susceptibility and CaP severity. They also had low level of acculturation, did not hold fatalistic beliefs about CaP, had high religious coping skills and had high future time perspective. Several demographic variables were found to be associated with health beliefs and cultural beliefs. DISCUSSION: Our study provides rich data with regard to the health and cultural beliefs that might serve to inform the development of CaP control initiative for US-born and foreign-born black men.

Within-group differences between native-born and foreign-born Black men on prostate cancer risk reduction and early detection practices.

To better address prostate cancer disparities, we investigated the differences among US-born, African-born, and Caribbean-born Black men on prostate cancer risk reduction and early detection behaviors. Data were collected from over 3,400 Black men in five cities in Florida. One-way analysis of variance was used to explore the ethnic variations among the three study groups. We found that there were significant differences among the three groups. The US-born Black men had the highest knowledge, were most likely to have health insurance, and consume the most meat compared to African-born, and Caribbean-born Black men. African-born Black men were most likely to use chemoprevention products and discuss prostate cancer risk-reduction and early detection with a physician. Given the significant number of foreign-born Blacks in the US, it is important to disaggregate the data of US-born and foreign-born Blacks to develop effective programs and policies to address the needs of each group.

Aripiprazole for the treatment of adolescent Tourette's syndrome: a case report.

Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS) is a neuropsychiatric, lifelong disorder with onset in childhood. The essential features of this disorder are multiple motor tics and one or more vocalizations. The neurochemical pathophysiology of GTS involves an unknown abnormality in the central dopaminergic system. Atypical antipsychotics, such as aripiprazole, serve as a new therapeutic option for GTS. The authors describe a unique case of Tourette's syndrome (TS) in an adolescent in which aripiprazole resolved the patient's symptoms. A 17-year-old, 5'11'' tall, African American male weighing 220 lbs was diagnosed with TS at 9 years old. By age 16, the patient developed prominent symptoms of intermitted eye blinking, forehead raising, finger snapping, heavy breathing, and head bobbing. Clonidine, in addition to homeopathic remedies (N-acetylcholine and alpha lipoic acid), was administered to the patient without significant diminution of symptoms. Later, aripiprazole was initiated at 5 mg/d. As a result, noticeable symptomatic improvement occurred within 48 hours. Aripiprazole was titrated over the next 4 weeks to 6.5 mg/d, with significant results. Over the next 6 months, aripiprazole was titrated again to 10 mg/d with additional symptom reduction. This case illustrates a patient who responded to aripiprazole with no reported adverse effects, when standard therapy failed to improve symptoms.

Personal factors affecting African-American men's prostate cancer screening behavior.

PURPOSE: Although there are significant controversies about prostate cancer screening, it is the only method recognized to combat prostate cancer through early detection and appropriate treatment. The primary goal of this study was to identify personal factors influencing African-American men's participation in prostate cancer screening. METHODS: Two cross-sectional mail surveys were conducted over one year to test the validity of the Attitude-Social Influence-Efficacy model in predicting prostate cancer screening. Data were collected from African-American men age > or =40. The study hypotheses were tested using multiple linear regression and logistic regression analyses RESULTS: One-hundred-ninety-one African-American men participated in the first cross-sectional survey, and 65 African-American men responded to the follow-up survey a year later. The participants were mostly African-American men who were born and grew up in America, were 50-59 years of age, had some college training, were married, were urban residents, had full-time employment status and had a household income of $20,000-$39,000. The key determinants of intention to undergo prostate cancer screening were attitude, perceived behavioral control, past behavior and perceived susceptibility. Attitude was the primary determinant of screening behavior. CONCLUSION: To foster appropriate prostate cancer detection activities, the modifiable factors identified in this study should be considered.

An automated competency-based student performance assessment program for advanced pharmacy practice experiential programs.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the development and preliminary outcomes of the System of Universal Clinical Competency Evaluation in the Sunshine State (SUCCESS) for preceptors to assess students' clinical performance in advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs). DESIGN: An Internet-based APPE assessment tool was developed by faculty members from colleges of pharmacy in Florida and implemented. ASSESSMENT: Numeric scores and grades derived from the SUCCESS algorithm were similar to preceptors' comparison grades. The average SUCCESS GPA was slightly higher compared to preceptors' scores (0.02 grade points). CONCLUSIONS: The SUCCESS program met its goals, including establishing a common set of forms, standardized assessment criteria, an objective document that is accessible on the Internet, and standardized grading, and reducing pressure on preceptors from students concerning their grades.

A focus group study of factors influencing African-American men's prostate cancer screening behavior.

This study was conducted to identify the factors perceived by African-American men as influencing their behavior relative to prostate cancer screening. A total of 49 African-American men, age 40 and above, participated in 10 focus group discussions in Florida. Data collection was between October 12, 2001 and March 9, 2002 in Tallahassee, Tampa, and Miami. Data analysis was conducted using a comprehensive ethnographical analysis, including the use of an ethnographical retrieval program, Nonnumerical Unstructured Data Indexing Searching and Theorizing (QSR NUD*IST 4.0) software. Factors identified as influencing prostate cancer screening participation by African-American men were impediments to prostate cancer screening; positive outcome beliefs associated with prostate cancer screening; social influence; negative outcome beliefs associated with prostate cancer screening; resources or opportunities that facilitate prostate cancer screening; prostate cancer knowledge; perceived susceptibility to prostate cancer; perceived threat of prostate cancer; perceived severity of prostate cancer; positive health activities; illness experience; and prostate cancer screening intervention message concept, message source, and message channel. The results of this study may offer an excellent guide to designing effective, culturally sensitive, and relevant interventions, which would increase African-American men's participation in prostate cancer screening.

Detoxification from high-dose zolpidem using diazepam.

OBJECTIVE: To report a rare case of physical and psychological addiction to an excessive dose of zolpidem and subsequent completed detoxification using diazepam. CASE SUMMARY: A 46-year-old white man with a history of polysubstance abuse received a prescription for zolpidem 2 years prior to his hospital detoxification. During that time, he gradually escalated the total dosage to an amount of 400 mg/day in divided doses. Upon hospitalization, he was detoxified using a standard benzodiazepine 7-day diazepam tapering regimen. DISCUSSION: Zolpidem is a nonbenzodiazepine medication approved for the short-term treatment of insomnia. Its mechanism is a selective benzodiazepine type 1 receptor agonist. The selectivity of the drug for the type 1 receptor may not be absolute and is inversely dose dependent. Compared with the benzodiazepines, zolpidem addiction is rare. However, at higher than recommended doses for extended periods of time, its addictive potential may be similar to that of the benzodiazepines. CONCLUSIONS: Given the similarities in receptor binding and pharmacologic activities of zolpidem and the benzodiazepines, we chose to use a standard benzodiazepine detoxification protocol to treat zolpidem withdrawal. Confirmation of this has been evidenced by successful zolpidem detoxification using a standard 7-day benzodiazepine/diazepam taper regimen.