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)

• 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 & Owner – Ash Medical Pharmacy Member
• 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 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
• PHARM 130 - Professional Practice 2
  • Taught in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
• PHARM 362 - Advanced Patient Self Care
  • Taught in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
• PHARM 366 - Concepts in Nutritional Sciences
  • Taught in 2019
• PHARM 472 - Community Practice in a Changing Environment
  • Taught in 2018

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

• 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. JAPhA. 2020 May; In review (manuscript #JAPHA-D-20-00204).
• Nakhla N, Black E, Abdul-Fattah H, Taylor J. Self-care education across Canadian pharmacy schools: Curriculum Survey Findings. Can Pharm J (Ott). In-press (manuscript #CPJ-20-0006).
• 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
• Nakhla N. Chapter 9: Disorders Related to Menstruation. In: Handbook of Nonprescription Drugs. 20th ed. Washington, DC: American Pharmacists Association. Submitted January 24, 2020 (in press).
• 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
• Martinez L, Nakhla N, Ekman E. Perioperative Opioid-Sparing Strategies: The Utility of Conventional NSAIDs in Adults. Clinical Therapeutics. 2019 Nov 13; pii: S0149-2918(19)30498-9. doi: 10.1016/j.clinthera.2019.10.002
• 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
• Nakhla N. Richard C. Infant Nutrition. In: Compendium of Therapeutics for Minor Ailments. Ottawa, ON: Canadian Pharmacists Association. Submitted October 31, 2019 (in press).
• Nakhla N. Patient Self-Care and Minor Ailments. In: Compendium of Therapeutics for Minor Ailments. Ottawa, ON: Canadian Pharmacists Association. Revised: August 1, 2019]. [https://myrxtx.ca.
• Nakhla N. Pharmacist Process for Care of the Self-Treating Patient. In: Compendium of Therapeutics for Minor Ailments. Ottawa, ON: Canadian Pharmacists Association. Revised August 1, 2019]. [https://myrxtx.ca.
• Butt K. Nakhla N. Diaper Dermatitis. In: Compendium of Therapeutics for Minor Ailments. Ottawa, ON: Canadian Pharmacists Association. Revised: November 19, 2019]. [https://myrxtx.ca.
• Nakhla N. Chapter 720: Self-Care/ Over-the-counter drugs/ Minor Ailments in Pharmacy Practice. In: Babar, Zaheer-ud-din. Encyclopedia of Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Pharmacy. 1st edition. Huddersfield: Elsevier Academic Press, 2019:395-417.
• Nakhla N. Killeen R. Butt K. National Pharmacist-Led Smoking Cessation Initiative. January 21, 2019. 32 Pages.
• Nakhla N. Pharmacist Assessment of the Self-Treating Patient. In: Jovaisas B. Compendium of Therapeutics for Minor Ailments. 2nd ed. Ottawa, ON: Canadian Pharmacists Association; 2016:20-25. Available online, published April 1, 2016.

• 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.