Experiential education supervisors as assessors of pharmacy student injection technique.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, students at the University of Waterloo in spring 2020 enrolled in the injections training curriculum were unable to complete the practical assessment component under the usual in-person model. Therefore, an alternative assessment strategy needed to be adopted to meet these curricular outcomes. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AND SETTING: To allow students to complete their training and apply this skill during co-operative work placements in fall 2020, pharmacist supervisors (preceptors) who were authorized to administer injections were asked to evaluate the practical assessment on behalf of the university. Students were mailed supplies to use for practice and assessment, and preceptors were provided the grading rubric and a copy of the didactic training materials for their reference. To obtain feedback on the process and identify areas for improvement, students and supervisors were invited to complete a brief survey containing both Likert scale and open-ended questions upon completion of the assessment. FINDINGS: By fall 2020 term end, 69 of 121 students successfully completed the practical assessment component at a workplace. Survey responses indicated that, despite some challenges accommodating the assessment within a busy pharmacy's existing workflow and identifying volunteers to receive the injections, the modified assessment was well received. SUMMARY: Supervisors can be effective adjuncts to in-class instruction and assessment of injection technique. Even when initial assessments can take place at the university, providing supervisors with access to training materials and rubrics can reinforce these skills for students immediately prior to their implementation into practice.

Healthcare Delivery and Huntington's Disease During the Time of COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Safer-at-home orders during the COVID-19 pandemic altered the structure of clinical care for Huntington's disease (HD) patients. This shift provided an opportunity to identify limitations in the current healthcare infrastructure and how these may impact the health and well-being of persons with HD. OBJECTIVE: The study objectives were to assess the feasibility of remote healthcare delivery in HD patients, to identify socioeconomic factors which may explain differences in feasibility and to evaluate the impact of safer-at-home orders on HD patient stress levels. METHODS: This observational study of a clinical HD population during the 'safer-at-home' orders asked patients or caregivers about their current access to healthcare resources and patient stress levels. A chart review allowed for an assessment of socioeconomic status and characterization of HD severity. RESULTS: Two-hundred and twelve HD patients were contacted with 156 completing the survey. During safer-at-home orders, the majority of HD patients were able to obtain medications and see a physician; however, 25% of patients would not commit to regular telehealth visits, and less than 50% utilized an online healthcare platform. We found that 37% of participants were divorced/single, 39% had less than a high school diploma, and nearly 20% were uninsured or on low-income health insurance. Patient stress levels correlated with disease burden. CONCLUSION: A significant portion of HD participants were not willing to participate in telehealth services. Potential explanations for these limitations may include socioeconomic barriers and caregiving structure. These observations illustrate areas for clinical care improvement to address healthcare disparities in the HD community.