ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: With the expansion in pharmacy education in Saudi Arabia, there is a pressing need to maintain quality assurance in pharmacy programs using several tools. The progress test is a formative assessment tool that can serve to provide information to all stakeholders. This study evaluated the results of a unified progress test that was shared among 15 colleges of pharmacy. METHODS: The progress test was composed of 100 MCQs where 30% of which cover basic pharmaceutical sciences and 70% cover pharmacy practice. The questions were collected from all the 15 colleges of pharmacy participated in the test. The test was administered online to all undergraduate students in the professional programs of these colleges. RESULTS: The overall attendance rate was 80% from the total number of students enrolled in the participating colleges. Mean scores of students in basic pharmaceutical sciences were relatively higher than in pharmacy practice. The assessment results of the students in the unified program learning outcomes among colleges were higher in the domains of knowledge and skills compared to competence domain. There was a significant increment in the mean scores of the students as they progress through the years of the professional program. No correlation was found between the mean scores in the test and the cumulative grade point average (cGPA) of all students regardless of their level. CONCLUSION: The results indicated growth and maintenance of the gained knowledge and skills by the students as they progress through the years of the professional program with consistency in the results among the participating colleges. Sharing a unified test was effective as a valuable tool for the colleges of pharmacy for the purposes of benchmarking and improving the curricula. In addition, it could serve to evaluate learning of students and harmonize knowledge and skills gained by students at different institutions.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Blood transfusion is a conventional therapeutic procedure; however, the perceptions of general public and healthcare professionals (HCPs), especially physicians and nurses, remain unclear, although the insights of HSPs may affect the treatment decision. This study aimed to assess the awareness of HCPs and the public about blood transfusion risks and consent in Qassim region of Saudi Arabia, to uncover the factors that may influence such perceptions. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study used two different closed questionnaires that were distributed electronically between February and March 2018 among the population and HCPs in Qassim region. RESULTS: A total of 400 general public participants and 135 HCPs completed the survey. Among the surveyed participants, 70% believed that blood transfusion therapy was safe. The perceived risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) was the highest among all complications (74%). Furthermore, 88.2% of respondents were willing to accept a blood transfusion as a therapeutic measure, primarily from a first-degree relative, although the remaining 11.8% rejected the idea of a transfusion due to fear of medical error. From the HCP survey, 80% were previously involved in a blood transfusion therapy consent process. HCPs typically reported explaining the benefits, risks, and alternatives described in the consent form (74.1%, 67.4%, and 53.3%, respectively). CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that despite the current high level of acceptance and knowledge regarding blood transfusions, additional educational efforts remain necessary to increase public awareness of blood transfusion therapy.
ABSTRACT
Phospholipids were isolated from camel milk and identified by using high performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Anticancer drug etoposide (ETP) was entrapped in liposomes, prepared from camel milk phospholipids, to determine its activity against fibrosarcoma in a murine model. Fibrosarcoma was induced in mice by injecting benzopyrene (BAP) and tumor-bearing mice were treated with various formulations of etoposide, including etoposide entrapped camel milk phospholipids liposomes (ETP-Cam-liposomes) and etoposide-loaded DPPC-liposomes (ETP-DPPC-liposomes). The tumor-bearing mice treated with ETP-Cam-liposomes showed slow progression of tumors and increased survival compared to free ETP or ETP-DPPC-liposomes. These results suggest that ETP-Cam-liposomes may prove to be a better drug delivery system for anticancer drugs.
