Nardine Nakhla

Dr. Nakhla is a community pharmacist and academic with interest in minor ailments, self-care, and non-prescription medications. Since 2008, Dr. Nakhla has designed and delivered curricular content on the assessment of self-treating patients, common illnesses and self-medication using over-the-counter (OTC) medicines in both the lecture and practical laboratory setting. She has spoken at provincial, national and international meetings on these subjects, and has written a chapter for the Canadian Minor Ailments reference. In addition, Dr. Nakhla is a columnist for Pharmacy Practice+, blogging regularly about common and current issues related to OTC counselling.

• Clinical and economic outcomes of pharmacist’s prescribing for minor common ailments
• The role of community pharmacists in assessment and triaging self-treating patients
• Nonprescription therapeutics
• Self-care
• Expanded Scope of Practice for Pharmacists
• Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice

Dr. Nakhla’s research interests include the impact of minor ailment prescribing by pharmacists on patient and health system outcomes. She is also interested in examining factors influencing OTC product selection and patient counseling. In addition, Dr. Nakhla is dedicated and actively involved in the education and empowerment of community-based patients, pharmacists and healthcare providers regarding the safe and appropriate use of non-prescription medications.

• 2007, PharmD, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, New York, United States

• 2020 Excellence in Science Teaching Award, University of Waterloo
• 2020 Outstanding Performance Award, University of Waterloo
• 2019 Excellence in Pharmacy Teaching Award, University of Waterloo
• 2015 University of Waterloo Student Support Recognition Award

• Pharmacist & Co-owner – Ash Medical Pharmacy
• Member, Ontario College of Pharmacists, Minor Ailments Advisory Group (MAAG)
• Chair & Founder, AFPC Self-Care Therapeutics and Minor Ailments Special Interest Group (SIG)

• Licensed pharmacist with the Ontario College of Pharmacists (License #608193)
• Member, Nonprescription Medicines Academy (NMA)

• PHARM 127 - Professional Communication Skills in Pharmacy Practice
  • Taught in 2020
• PHARM 129 - Professional Practice 1
  • Taught in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
• PHARM 130 - Professional Practice 2
  • Taught in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
• PHARM 362 - Advanced Patient Self Care
  • Taught in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
• PHARM 366 - Concepts in Nutritional Sciences
  • Taught in 2019

* Only courses taught in the past 5 years are displayed.

• Nakhla N, Taylor J. Self-Care and Minor Ailments: The View from Canada. Explor Res Clin Soc Pharm. 2024 Jan;13. doi: 10.1016/j.rcsop.2024.100412. (50% contribution; review)
• Urslak R, Evans C, Nakhla N, Marrie RA, McConnell RA, Maxwell C. Peripartum mental health and the role of the pharmacist: A scoping review. Res Social Adm Pharm. 2023 Sept;19(9):1243-1255. doi:10.1016/j.sapharm.2023.05.005. Epub 2023 May 11. PMID: 37210239; PMCID: PMC10171896. (20% contribution; original research)
• Gunning R, Chu C, Nakhla N, Kim KC, Suda KJ, Tadrous M. Major Shifts in Acid Suppression Drug Utilization After the 2019 Ranitidine Recalls in Canada and United States. Dig Dis Sci. 2023 Aug;68(8):3259-3267. doi:10.1007/s10620-023-07958-6. Epub 2023 Jun 3. PMID: 37269368; PMCID: PMC10238237. (20% contribution; review)
• Taylor JG, Nakhla N, Aspden T, Rutter P, Van Amburgh J. When patients should seek medical care for minor ailments: Perspectives of first- and final-year pharmacy students. Pharmacy Education, 2023 August; 23(1): 479-490. https://doi.org/10.46542/pe.2023.231.479490 (25% contribution; original research) – also featured on FIP’s site.
• Malik P, Nakhla N, Guo Yanling, Tadrous M, Duqoum A, Hogan DB, Maxwell CJ. Pharmacists’ knowledge, perceptions, and practices regarding frailty: a cross- sectional survey across practice settings in Canada. Can Pharm J (Ott). 2023 May-Jun; 156(3): 159-171. doi: 10.1177/17151635231164957 (50% contribution; original research; corresponding author)
• Harris D, Guo Y, Nakhla N, Tadrous M, Hogan DB, Hennessy D, Langlois K, Garner R, Leslie S, Bronskill SE, Heckman G, Maxwell C. Prevalence of prescription and non-prescription polypharmacy by frailty and sex among middle-aged and older Canadians. Health Reports. 2022 Jun 15;33(6):3-16. doi:10.25318/82-003-x202200600001-eng. (30% contribution; original research) Also featured here.
• Malik P, Nakhla N. Instructor-Blinded Study of Pharmacy Student Learning When a Flipped Online Classroom Was Implemented during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Pharmacy (Basel). 2022 May 11;10(3):53. doi:10.3390/pharmacy10030053 (55% contribution; original research)
• Davenport Huyer L, Desveaux L, Nakhla N, Maxwell C, Tadrous M. “Fitting in the Pharmacist” – A qualitative analysis of the perceived relationship between community pharmacists and older adults with complex care needs. Int J Pharm Practice. 2021 July 09; doi:10.1093/ijpp/riab034 (30% contribution; original research)
• Nakhla N, Shiamptanis A. Pharmacist prescribing for minor ailments service development: The experience in Ontario. Pharmacy (Basel). 2021 Apr 27;9(2):96. doi: 10.3390/pharmacy9020096 (80% contribution; original research)
• Butt K, Nakhla N. Creating standardized tools for Canadian pharmacists providing smoking cessation services: a consensus-based approach. Pharmacy (Basel). 2021 Apr 14;9(2):80. doi: 10.3390/pharmacy9020080 (60% contribution; original research)
• Kim JJ, Tian AH, Pham L, Nakhla N, Houle S, Wong WL, Alsabbagh W. Economic evaluation of pharmacists prescribing for minor ailments in Ontario, Canada: A cost-minimization analysis. Int J Pharm Pract. 2021 May 25;29(3):228-234. doi: 10.1093/ijpp/riab006 (20% contribution; original research)
• Nakhla N, Black E, Abdul-Fattah H, Taylor J. Self-care education across Canadian pharmacy schools: Curriculum Survey Findings. Can Pharm J (Ott). 2020;154(1):52-60. doi: 10.1177/1715163520976161 (70% contribution; original research)
• Malik P, Nakhla N. An Infographic Assignment to Translate Self-Care Therapeutics into Practical Application. Innovations in Pharmacy. 2020;11(1). doi: 10.24926/iip.v11i1.2333 (50% contribution; original research)
• Martinez L, Ekman E, Nakhla N. Perioperative Opioid-Sparing Strategies: The Utility of Conventional NSAIDs in Adults. Clinical Therapeutics. 2019 Dec;41(12):2612-2628. doi: 10.1016/j.clinthera.2019.10.002 Epub 2019 Nov 14. (30% contribution; systematic review)
• Hayes KN, Nakhla N, Tadrous M. Further Evidence to Monitor Chronic Proton Pump Inhibitor Use. JAMA Network Open. 2019;2(11):e1916184. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.16184 (30% contribution; invited commentary)
• Cook B, Guo Y, Nakhla N, Tadrous M, Maxwell C. Frailty awareness and assessment: Exploring the link between pharmacists’ beliefs and behaviours. Can Pharm J (Ott). 2019 Sep-Oct; 152(5): S1–S43. doi:10.1177/1715163519874072 (25% contribution; original research)

• 2023 Distinguished Teaching Award (DTA), University of Waterloo. June 15, 2023.
• Inhalers, blood pressure meds top list of drug shortages reported by Canadian pharmacists. Email Interview (with Brooklyn Neustaeter) for CTV News. May 27, 2020.
• Popular infant teething gels removed from Canadian pharmacies without notice. Phone Interview (with Michelle Ward) for CBC News. January 9, 2020
• Moving Benadryl behind the counter doesn’t resolve safety concerns: pharmacists. Phone Interview (with Michelle Ward) forThe Associated Press. November 16, 2019.
• Pharmacists want to prescribe medication for more minor ailments. CBC Canada (by Kas Roussy). Toronto, Ontario. Available online, published November 25, 2019.