Key determinants of satisfaction with residency of hospital pharmacy specialists in Spain

BackgroundNo study thus far has focused on assessing factors affecting satisfaction with hospital pharmacy residency training. Elucidating these factors might help improve satisfaction levels and, ultimately, affect quality of care.ObjectivesPrimary objectives were assessing the impact that institutional, organizational, educational, and current employment factors have on the satisfaction of Spanish hospital pharmacy residents. Secondary objectives were to identify areas for improvement, professional prospects, and work experience afterwards.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was sent to Spanish health-system pharmacists who had completed their hospital training between 2009 and 2012. Pearson’s chi-square, Spearman’s correlation, and Mann–Whitney’s tests were used for categorical, ordinal, and non-parametric quantitative variables, respectively.ResultsOf 506 forms, 162 were returned (32.01%). Residency satisfaction was scored at 3.24 ± 0.69 out of 5 and was affected by the following factors: compliance with rotation calendar (ρ = 0.711, p < 0.001), number of residents at the site (ρ = 0.38, p < 0.001), participation in international rotations (ρ = 0.185, p = 0.018), in-pharmacy educational activities (ρ = 0.181, p = 0.021), and scientific events attended (ρ = 0.156, p = 0.047). Moreover, a relationship between residency satisfaction and post-residency employability was found (ρ = −0.519, p < 0.001, for time worked in non-hospital pharmacy roles, and ρ = 0.197, p = 0.05, for time worked in hospital pharmacy roles). Involvement in clinical activities (17.9%) and resourcefulness/troubleshooting (45%) were the lowest- and highest-valued areas, respectively.ConclusionSpanish pharmacists were moderately satisfied with their hospital residency. The degree of compliance with the rotation calendar had the largest impact on satisfaction. Other factors also affecting satisfaction included the following: employability after residency, number of residents in the institution, in-pharmacy educational activities, scientific events attended, and international experiences.