Empowering Pharmacy Practitioners: Embrace the Granada Statements for Enhanced Research and Practice

The field of pharmacy practice, encompassing both clinical and social pharmacy, is evolving rapidly. As practitioners, it is crucial to stay abreast of new developments and methodologies that can enhance our work. The Granada Statements provide a comprehensive set of recommendations aimed at improving the quality of publications within our discipline. By implementing these guidelines, practitioners can not only improve their research output but also contribute to the advancement of pharmacy as a scientific discipline.

Understanding the Granada Statements

The Granada Statements are the result of a collaborative effort by journal editors in clinical and social pharmacy practice. These statements consist of 18 recommendations grouped into six key topics:

• Appropriate use of terminology
• Impactful abstracts
• Required peer reviews
• Journal scattering
• Effective use of metrics
• Selection of appropriate journals

The goal is to create a unified approach that enhances the visibility and impact of pharmacy practice research. By adhering to these guidelines, practitioners can ensure their work is recognized and valued within the scientific community.

Implementing the Recommendations

1. Consistent Terminology: Establishing a common glossary and using standardized terms can significantly improve the clarity and retrieval of research articles. This consistency aids in systematic reviews and supports evidence-based policy-making.

2. Impactful Abstracts: Using existing Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms in titles and abstracts enhances article visibility. This practice ensures that automated systems like the Medical Text Indexer First Line indexing (MTIFL) allocate appropriate MeSH terms, increasing article retrieval efficiency.

3. Peer Review Engagement: Active participation in peer review processes not only improves publication quality but also reduces publication delays. Encouraging students to engage in peer review can foster a culture of constructive feedback and continuous improvement.

4. Journal Selection: Prioritizing submissions to pharmacy-specific journals ensures that articles receive expert reviews tailored to the discipline's nuances. This focus enhances article quality and relevance.

The Path Forward

The Granada Statements serve as a roadmap for enhancing research quality in pharmacy practice. By adopting these recommendations, practitioners can elevate their work's impact, contributing to the discipline's growth and recognition as a high-consensus scientific field.

The journey towards improved research practices begins with individual commitment to these guidelines. As more practitioners embrace these standards, the collective advancement of our field will become evident through higher-quality publications and greater recognition within healthcare systems.

To read the original research paper, please follow this link: Improving the quality of publications in and advancing the paradigms of clinical and social pharmacy practice research: the Granada Statements.