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IMPROVING LEADERSHIP SKILLS AMONG HOSPITAL PHARMACISTS. A LITERATURE REVIEW

IOAN ANTOFIE 1#, MARIA MARCHIȘ 2#, MAGDALENA IORGA 2,3*

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Leadership in hospital pharmacy is important for enhancing the delivery of pharmaceutical care and ensuring patient safety. Recent studies have underscored the complexities within pharmacy leadership, highlighting the importance of tailored strategies to boost leadership competencies, foster effective succession planning, and optimize pharmacist job satisfaction globally. The present review synthesizes findings from previous studies exploring leadership development, succession planning, cultural influences on leadership styles, and job satisfaction among pharmacists working in the hospital pharmacy. A systematic review was conducted by searching PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, using combinations of keywords such as “leadership”, “hospital pharmacy”, “pharmaceutical services”, and related terms. Boolean operators (AND, OR) were used to refine searches and ensure broad coverage of the topic. The included studies were conducted between 2012 and 2024. A total of seven studies were eligible for the evaluation. There is a need for educational interventions that broaden students' perspectives on leadership, emphasizing collaborative influence and goal achievement beyond managerial tasks. The results’ emphasis on key skills and attitudes necessary for successors, coupled with the modest succession readiness rate underscores the ongoing efforts required to ensure sustainable leadership in pharmacy departments. The findings advocate for self-assessment among preceptors to improve interactions with students, fostering more cooperative relationships aligned with evolving leadership paradigms. Therefore, the study's findings support the concerted efforts to establish formal succession planning frameworks that ensure organizational stability and cultivate future pharmacy leaders. Disparities in satisfaction related to experience levels and workplace settings highlight areas for improvement, particularly in optimizing working conditions and leadership practices to sustain high levels of job satisfaction among pharmacists. Addressing these complexities requires tailored approaches that enhance leadership competencies, promote effective succession planning, and create supportive work environments conducive to hospital pharmacist satisfaction and professional growth.