Class Pharmaceutical Communication

This curricular unit focuses on equipping future pharmacists with essential communication skills that are integral to their professional practice. The course covers various fields of action, including patient counseling, public health communication, interprofessional collaboration, and conflict resolution. It emphasizes the pharmacist's role in educating and empowering patients, especially those with chronic conditions, multiple medications, and the elderly, ensuring they can effectively manage their health. This unit is highly relevant within the pharmacy studies cycle, as communication is a key determinant of patient safety, medication adherence, and overall healthcare outcomes. By mastering these skills, students will enhance their ability to deliver personalized care, improve public health efforts, and promote a collaborative healthcare environment.

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1. Customer service - exploring how to interact effectively with patients and carers. 2. General concepts of health communication - an introduction to the fundamental principles of health communication. Concepts of literacy and health literacy. 3. Healthcare communication models - understanding the different approaches to interacting effectively with patients. 4. The importance of communication in the everyday life of a pharmacist - explore the impact of strong communication skills on clinical outcomes and professional relationships, both face-to-face and online 5. Communication in conflict management - focus on conflict management and resolution strategies. Active listening, empathy, negotiation and de-escalation techniques will be emphasised. 6. Communicating with patients with multiple pathologies/polymedication and/or the elderly - This module covers strategies for communicating effectively with these patients.

Lectures will be held using expository methodology and dialogue/discussion. In practical classes, the following innovative methodologies can be used to enhance the teaching-learning process in this curricular unit: 1. Role play and simulation, for students to practise real-world scenarios such as patient counselling, conflict resolution and team communication. 2. Case-based learning, to present students with real case studies to analyse and discuss. These can range from complex interactions with patients to interprofessional challenges. 3. Fieldwork - As part of the week of contact with the profession, an observational study will be carried out in Community Pharmacy that will allow the student to familiarise themselves with the professional environment they will soon encounter during their curricular internship.  4. Analysing scientific articles related to the pharmaceutical care topics covered in the role-playing.

  Aguiar, AH. Boas Práticas de Comunicação na Farmácia, Hollyfar, Lisboa .2013 Soares, MA. Medicamentos de prescrição não obrigatória, Associação Nacional das Farmácias. 2002 Ordem dos Farmacêuticos. Código Deontológico. INFARMED. Prontuário Terapêutico (13ª edição) Kim, M. G., Lee, N. E., & Sohn, H. S. (2020). Gap between patient expectation and perception during pharmacist-patient communication at community pharmacy. International journal of clinical pharmacy, 42(2), 677–684. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11096-020-01014-3 van Dijk, M., Blom, L., Koopman, L., Philbert, D., Koster, E., Bouvy, M., & van Dijk, L. (2016). Patient-provider communication about medication use at the community pharmacy counter. The International journal of pharmacy practice, 24(1), 13–21. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijpp.12198