Development and validation of a feasible questionnaire to assess pharmacists' attitudes to documenting and classifying pharmaceutical interventions in hospital settings.

Abstract

Background: Significant efforts have been directed towards systematically documenting and classifying pharmacist interventions (PIs), generating relevant data for professionals' practice and improving the quality of patient care and health outcomes. However, the paucity of PI evaluation tools hinders data generation, harmonisation and sensible application.

Aim: This study aimed to develop and validate a comprehensive questionnaire to assess pharmacists' opinions and practices concerning documenting and classifying PIs in Portuguese hospital settings.

Method: The tool development underwent face, content, construct validity procedures and scale reliability calculations grounded in the attitudinal framework. An exploration of the instrument dimensionally was accomplished through factor analysis. Face validity, content validity, construct validity and scale reliability were the selected validation parameters.

Result: A 37-item scale was developed comprising an initial sociodemographic section (8 items) and three explanatory attitudinal-based domains: Cognitive (6 items), Behavioural (14 items), and Affective (9 items). The scale showed adequate overall psychometric properties. Within the Affective domain, factor analysis revealed three latent explanatory factors: Process (4 items), Outcome (3 items) and Satisfaction (2 items).

Conclusion: This newly developed tool can contribute to assessing pharmacists' perspectives and routines in documenting and classifying PIs within hospital environments.