To: Michael Ly
From: Angie Zhou
Date: Feb 27, 2023
Subject: Peer Review of Proposal for Enhancing Community Safe Medication Handling and Disposal Practices at a Local Pharmacy in Burnaby, BC
The research proposal was engaging and informative. Thank you for the excellent work and for completing the assignment on time. Please see my review below for comments and suggestions for improvements.
First Impressions:
The proposal is detailed, organized, well-written, and fulfills the criteria of the assignment. The document does a great job of outlining the problems with current medication waste handling and disposal practices, the consequences of these problems, and possible solutions. The method for collecting data for this research could be more specific and the problem of focus could be more consistent throughout, but the document overall is logical, has no obvious grammatical errors, and is delivered in a professional tone.
Organization:
- The document is organized and written in a logical manner
- The format of the proposal is clear and has appropriate spacing between paragraphs
- All headings are bolded and appropriately titled
- The document ends with an effective conclusion that ties in the introduction and re-emphasizes the problem at hand
Expression:
- The expression is clear and concise
- A professional tone is maintained throughout the document
Grammar:
- There are no obvious grammar issues or typos
Introduction:
- The introduction sets up the statement of problem effectively by addressing specific examples of improper storage and handling of medication waste and injectable devices
- The last sentence could be more clear if broken up into two shorter sentences
- Will this formal report also investigate the community knowledge of proper handling of injectable devices or just the handling of medication waste?
- The intended audience is clear
Statement of Problem:
- In the first sentence, you mention the handling and disposal of medication waste but not of injectable device/sharps waste so the problem of focus is a bit unclear. Is your research report addressing the handling and disposal of both medication waste and injectable device/sharps waste or just medication waste? Or does medication waste include injectable devices and sharps?
- Consequences of the problem at hand are provided, which helps the reader better understand why the problem addressed is truly a problem
- Description of the current situation is provided for reference, which helps the reader better understand how the current situation could be improved
Proposed Solution/Scope:
- The solution is clearly stated
- Collaborating with other pharmacies and associations is a good idea
- Would people have to pay an additional fee for having their own personal sharps container?
- I believe the scope of your research questions is suitable for the purpose of your report and should yield relevant results for your investigation
Methods:
- A survey is an efficient method for gathering data
- It is advised to keep your primary data sources anonymous
- Will this survey only be available in-person at the pharmacy or online as well?
- Will this survey only be available at this one specific pharmacy or also at the other pharmacies that you will be collaborating with for the campaign?
Qualifications:
- Your personal experience as a pharmacist shows that you have great familiarity with proper handling, storage and disposal of community medications
- Your experience with medication and medical waste companies makes getting in contact with these companies for your research more feasible
Conclusion:
- The conclusion nicely summarizes the main ideas addressed in this proposal
- It may be good to also mention improving the safety of our community in addition to “to protect our environment” since the subject line of your proposal is “for enhancing community safe medication handling and disposal practices”
Concluding Comments:
Overall, your proposal is very detailed and states how your research could help improve safe medication handling and disposal practices. It is evident that there is a need to increase the accessibility of medical waste containers such as sharps bins. Below is a summary of possible revisions to consider for refining this proposal even further:
- Being more consistent with your wording when addressing the problem of focus (handling and disposal of medication waste vs. medical and medication waste)
- Keeping the objective of your research more consistent (to improve safety or to protect the environment or both)
- Including more specific details to the method of your research
I hope the above comments and recommendations are helpful and will assist you in revising your proposal. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any other questions.
Encl. Michael’s Proposal
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