Pharmacists’ pivotal role during the COVID-19 pandemic has been widely recognized, as they adapted to continue to provide an even higher level of care to their patients. We sought to gain deeper understanding of frontline pharmacists’ lived experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on their roles and professional identity (what they do and what it means to them).

Photovoice was used, a visual research method that uses participant-generated photographs to articulate their experiences, and semi-structured interviews. This approach allowed us to explore the subjectivity of professional identity from the pharmacists’ lived experiences. Participants were asked to provide 3-5 photos that reflected on how they see themselves as a pharmacist and/or represents what they do as a pharmacist. The semi-structured interview guide asked open-ended questions about their photos, included a photo-elicitation exercise, and additional questions based on a recent scoping review. We recruited frontline community pharmacists who provided direct patient care during the COVID-19 pandemic in Alberta, Canada through social media and relevant pharmacy organizations. Data analysis incorporated content, thematic and visual analysis and was facilitated using NVivo software. Ethics approval was obtained from the University of Alberta ethics board.

Five primary themes emerged from the photographs and interviews: (1) autonomy, (2) clinical courage, (3) leadership, (4) safety, and (5) value and support. The photographs identified symbols participants associated with their lived experiences (e.g., worn shoes illustrate the relentless pace of pharmacists, a messy bed representing work-life balance out of control).

This study identified that pharmacists’ felt the pandemic made them visible to the public and made them feel valued as a trusted resource and a safe-haven for ongoing healthcare. Additionally, it was highlighted how participants demonstrated clinical courage and led their communities by adapting their roles and using their autonomy to fulfil community needs.