Is the pharmacy door our limit? Challenges in the professional identity of pharmacist in Primary Health Care

Abstract

Pharmacists have been undergoing changes in their professional identity (IP), understood by the skills, knowledge, values, behaviors, and attitudes necessary for their role in the world of work. This article aimed to analyze the elements of pharmaceutical IP in Primary Health Care (PHC). This was an exploratory qualitative study with semistructured interviews. Pharmacists working in the APS, in the Regional Council of Pharmacy, and in universities participated. Thematic content analysis of the interviews was used based on three categories: “professional and training path,” “IP considering PHC attributes,” and “performance in PHC in the face of professional and health regulation.” An important level of education and an average time of seven years of experience were observed for those working in the PHC. The analysis of the interviews points to the emergence of a “new identity,” more aware and confident in their role in care and assistance, albeit constructed through the confrontation of challenges in labor relations, a technocratic teaching approach, little recognition from peers, and the obstacles of professional regulation. It was possible to make explicit changes in public policies to guarantee the pharmacist’s role as an integral part of the health team.