Pharmacy Technicians, Stigma, and Compassion Fatigue: Front-Line Perspectives of Pharmacy and the US Opioid Epidemic

Alina Cernasev, Shane Desselle, Kenneth C. Hohmeier, Joanne Canedo, Britney Tran and James Wheeler
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Alina Cernasev: Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Science, College of Pharmacy, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 301 S Perimeter Park Dr, Suite 220, Nashville, TN 3721, USA
Shane Desselle: Department of Social and Behavioral Pharmacy, Touro University California College of Pharmacy, 1310 Club Drive, Vallejo, CA 94592, USA
Kenneth C. Hohmeier: Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Science, College of Pharmacy, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 301 S Perimeter Park Dr, Suite 220, Nashville, TN 3721, USA
Joanne Canedo: Department of Social and Behavioral Pharmacy, Touro University California College of Pharmacy, 1310 Club Drive, Vallejo, CA 94592, USA
Britney Tran: Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Science, College of Pharmacy, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 301 S Perimeter Park Dr, Suite 220, Nashville, TN 3721, USA
James Wheeler: Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Science, College of Pharmacy, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 301 S Perimeter Park Dr, Suite 220, Nashville, TN 3721, USA

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 12, 1-11

Abstract: The opioid epidemic in the United States has led to a quadrupling of opioid overdoses since the 1990s. Stigmas exist among healthcare professionals, and it is essential to educate the next generation of pharmacy technicians regarding opioid use disorder. The main objective of this study was to characterize the phenomenon of stigma through the pharmacy technician lens when taking care of patients who are using opioid medications. Grounded in Van Manen’s phenomenological approach and the Link and Phelan stigmatization model, a qualitative study was conducted from February to June 2020 to understand pharmacy technicians’ perceptions and attitudes towards patients using opioid medications. Focus groups ( n = 46) with pharmacy technicians were conducted in-person and online over five months in 2020. Thematic analysis identified three themes that characterize the stigma and the relationship between pharmacy technicians and patients taking opioid medications: (1) pharmacy technician perspectives on stigma and patients with addictive opioid-use behavior; (2) current approaches of pharmacy technicians towards patients with addictive opioid-use behavior; (3) future approaches of pharmacy technicians towards patients with addictive opioid-use behavior. The findings highlight an “ever-present” negative connotation associated with the stigma that is formed from patient interaction. It is necessary to develop proper resources and educational materials to manage the stigma that exists in pharmacies throughout the nation. These resources will facilitate how to address and prevent the stigma among pharmacy technicians in the U.S.

Keywords: stigma; opioid use disorder; pharmacy technician (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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