Pharmacist Performance of Physical Assessment: Perspectives of Clinical Pharmacists Working in Different Practice Settings.

INTRODUCTION The scope of practice for pharmacists is rapidly evolving in Canada, with pharmacists in most provinces and territories currently having some degree of prescribing authorization.1 In anticipation that this expanded scope of practice would lead pharmacists to seek help in developing more comprehensive assessment skills, the British Columbia Branch of the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists (CSHP) launched the Physical Assessment Course for Pharmacists in September 2015. The course, sponsored in part by the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia, is now offered in 3 cities, with expanded enrolment. (For details about ongoing or upcoming classes, see www.cshp-bc.com/events/events.html.) To date, more than 130 pharmacists have graduated from this course, with many now integrating physical assessment (PA) into their practice. This article details interviews with 3 clinical pharmacists (D.C., F.L., R.T.P.) who, after completing this course, have integrated PA into their widely different settings. In this article, these pharmacists share information about how they have changed their respective practices by integrating PA, the challenges they have faced, and their advice for pharmacists wishing to do the same.