In this episode of Pharmacy View Podcast’s Full Scope Pharmacy Leadership stream, host, Chantelle Turner, a Pharmacist Leadership and Business Coach at TURN Pharmacy Leadership, engages in a dynamic conversation with Maria Cooper, a Community Pharmacist and a PhD Candidate at the University of South Australia. Maria advocates for enhancing the mental health of the Pharmacy workforce through peer support, reflecting on their journey and the need for support during unprecedented challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic. The conversation spans topics from the transition of early-career Pharmacists to mid-career professionals to Cooper’s serendipitous entry into research, leading to a Ph.D. focusing on peer support in community Pharmacies.
Maria delves into their ongoing research addressing the historical stigma towards Community Pharmacy, the challenges young Pharmacists face, and the unique role community Pharmacies play during crises. They stress the importance of recognizing the value of Community Pharmacy, especially in providing crucial in-person support during emergencies. The survey data presented highlights the job satisfaction of Community Pharmacists, emphasizing the need for acknowledgment, remuneration, and public awareness regarding the complexity of their work.
The conversation unfolds to encompass the necessity of substantial organizational and legislative changes within the Pharmacy profession, including a shift in workplace cultures. Maria advocates for equipping Pharmacists, especially recent graduates in leadership roles, with conflict resolution and leadership skills. The discussion underscores the importance of peer support among employee Pharmacists, drawing attention to the unique challenges those in Community Pharmacies face.
Maria provides historical context to peer support, tracing its presence in various forms for centuries. They highlight the feasibility study on peer support in early career Pharmacists, encouraging an open-minded and calm approach to maximize its benefits. The episode concludes with Cooper emphasizing the significance of longitudinal data in understanding changes in the Community Pharmacy climate and inviting participation in the survey, offering five $100 Visa gift cards as an incentive.
Topics Covered
- Maria’s career journey
- Journey into research
- Survey findings
- Need for organizational and legislative changes
- Peer support in Pharmacy
- Historical context of peer support
- Importance of longitudinal data
- Cultivating calmness as a leadership tool
Key Quotes (Time Stamps)
- “Doing this research, I am really passionate about it because, I think, with the COVID-19 pandemic, especially, I’ve seen so many young Pharmacists and assistants and really bright young people just struggling and not getting the level of support that they need. And I’m thinking, well, if I’m struggling, you imagine what these young professionals are feeling entering a new profession, getting out of university, and entering the adult world for the first time and going, oh my god, this is a pandemic, and this is not what I hoped for or planned when entering this profession.” (4:38 – 5:11)
- “As much as Community Pharmacy is really great because you do get to build these wonderful relationships with people, I did find that a lot of my knowledge was being used in more of a business sense, in a retail sense, and it wasn’t really what I had in mind for myself as a Pharmacist because I say to a lot of people, if I wanted to own a business, I would have done a commerce degree.” (7:32 – 7:54)
- “I think, with our research, we want just to say: what do these young Pharmacists need to feel comfortable, safe and fulfilled in their careers so that they will want to pursue the career as a long-term thing.” (12:47 – 13:00)
- “Having a workplace culture that acknowledges that employees are people with feelings, needs, and lives is also really important. I think gone are the days when you live to work. We should be focusing on working to live.” (22:13 – 22:29)
- “As Pharmacists, we can provide the best level of care to our patients if we take the best level of care with ourselves.” (22:39 – 22: 45)
- “I think, until changes can be made at the top, we need to do the best we can to take care of ourselves as employees, as employee Pharmacists at the bottom.” (24:38 – 24:47)
Social Media Clips (Time Stamps)
- From Intern to Mentor: Maria Cooper’s Journey in Pharmacy and Research (3:34 – 5:11)
- The 10-Year Mark: Maria Cooper’s Journey from Early to Mid-Career Pharmacist (5:39 – 6:40)
- Maria Cooper’s Serendipitous Journey into Research (6:50 – 10:12)
- Unlocking the Heart of Pharmacy: Maria Cooper’s Research Journey (10:25 – 13:43)
- Beyond Labels: Maria Cooper on the Unsung Heroics of Community Pharmacists (14:37 -18:23)
- Breaking the Silence: Maria Cooper on Mental Health Challenges in Pharmacy (18:58 – 21:18)
- Revolutionizing Pharmacy: Maria Cooper’s Call for Organizational Change (21:20 – 23:26)
- United in Care: Maria Cooper on the Power of Peer Support in Pharmacy (24:15 – 31:56)
- Maria Calls for Longitudinal Data in Community Pharmacy Survey (33:13 – 36:48)
- Mastering Calmness: Maria Cooper’s Prescription for Resilience (38:13 – 39:21)
Useful Links
Turn Pharmacy Leadership | LinkedIn
Turn Pharmacy Leadership | Website
Email Chantelle Turner: cs.turner@bigpond.com
Maria’s survey for ECPs: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/maria-cooper-130275253_hi-all-me-again-i-hope-youve-all-had-activity-7157920591243530240-Z8c8?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
