Training student pharmacists to facilitate human immunodeficiency virus point-of-care testing.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The advent of HIV point-of-care testing (POCT) has increased ease of access to HIV testing in the outpatient setting. As community pharmacy continues to expand, it is crucial that student pharmacists are exposed to POCT in the classroom so they are prepared for more intensive training as a pharmacist as they could be providing POCT in future practice. Our objective was to train student pharmacists to perform HIV POCT and educate patients on results and implications of testing. Educational activity and setting: Following a didactic HIV lecture, second-year student pharmacists learned to utilize the OraQuick ADVANCE Rapid HIV-½ Antibody Test in a one-hour workshop. Participants were then assessed using a 4-point Likert type scale during an individual, 10-min skills lab on their ability to provide POCT using sample kits and interpret simulated results. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. FINDINGS: Forty-one students participated. Students showed competency when performing HIV POCT, as 92.7% of students were able to describe the test, and 97.6% of students were able to interpret the results correctly. Students scored a mean of 46.2 points overall (maximum of 50). SUMMARY: Results suggest training student pharmacists to perform HIV POCT may better prepare them to administer the test and counsel patients on results in an outpatient setting. Future studies should examine the differences in the ability to perform POCT between pharmacists who received training as students and those who did not.

Evaluation of student perceptions of introductory pharmacy practice experiences.

INTRODUCTION: Introductory pharmacy practice experiences (IPPEs) are focused on sharpening the student's knowledge, skills, abilities, and attitudes related to becoming an effective member of the healthcare team. Currently, the literature on student pharmacists' perceptions focused only on advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs). This study gathered perceptions of IPPEs from pharmacy students in their first through third year professional years. METHODS: A voluntary pre- and post-survey instrument was administered to 367 first through third year professional students from Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) and Cedarville University at the beginning and end of the 2017-2018 academic year. Each survey utilized questions with Likert scales designed to detect differences in student expectations and experiences related to IPPE training. Questions primarily focused on demographics, objectives, goals, interprofessional teamwork, application of knowledge, and preceptor engagement. Students ages 18 and older who were enrolled at the participating institutions were eligible for inclusion in this study. Survey completion was voluntary, and students were not incentivized to participate. RESULTS: Sixty-six students completed the pre- and post- surveys with matching, identifiable data for analysis. Twenty-nine items demonstrated a more negative perception of IPPEs between the pre- and post-surveys (p < 0.05). Eight items demonstrated a difference by institution (p < 0.05), while three items demonstrated a difference between professional years (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Student expectations of IPPEs were significantly less positive in the pre-survey than in the post-survey. Future studies should examine the implications of these results on student IPPE performance and methods to impact student perception of the value of IPPE training.

Assessing the Effects of a Paired TBL Session and Patient Simulation on Pharmacy Student HIV Treatment Knowledge.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM: Pharmacists can play a crucial role in monitoring, counseling, and providing adherence checks across practice pharmacy settings; but they may not gain experience in this area until after graduating from pharmacy school. STATEMENT OF INNOVATION: Students participated in an intentionally aligned team-based learning session followed by completion of an HIV patient treatment worksheet and an HIV patient care simulation. This sequence was assessed using the HIV Treatment Knowledge Scale. DESCRIPTION OF THE INNOVATION: Second-year pharmacy students (N=48, 98% response rate) participated in a baseline knowledge assessment before a four-hour HIV team-based learning (TBL) session, which included the use of an online HIV Patient Management Simulator. Students were administered the scale again post-session. Three days before the simulation, students had access to an HIV patient treatment worksheet that was required to be completed before the simulation. Ten days after the initial assessment, students participated in an HIV patient simulation where they proposed a new antiretroviral plan while also addressing monitoring, barriers, and maximizing adherence for the patient. Post-simulation, students were again administered the scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Wilcoxon and paired t-tests, as appropriate. CRITICAL ANALYSIS: A total of 48 second-year pharmacy students participated. HIV knowledge increased significantly post-TBL (p < 0.001). Post-simulation, scores improved, but not significantly (p = 0.291). Knowledge on 15 of the 21 items on the HIV Treatment Knowledge Scale significantly improved from pre-TBL to post-simulation (p ≤ 0.025). NEXT STEPS: Future investigation should focus on the impact that HIV simulation training has on skills, abilities, confidence, and empathy.

Evaluation of a sepsis teaching rounds simulation for pharmacy students.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The goal of this prospective, observational cohort study was to determine if simulated interdisciplinary teaching rounds improved student perceptions of confidence and attitudes towards working as part of a team. The secondary objective of this study was to investigate changes in student knowledge of the management of sepsis. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AND SETTING: Students participated in a traditional sepsis lecture followed by a simulated interdisciplinary rounding experience. Confidence and collaborative attitudes were assessed using a 5-point Likert scale (1=strongly disagree, 5=strongly agree). Changes in knowledge were measured using multiple choice questions. Students completed these tools at three points in time: pre-lecture, post-lecture, and post-simulation. FINDINGS: Student confidence and attitudes related to interdisciplinary rounds improved following the simulation (2 of 4 items, p=0.003; 2 of 5 items, p<0.05). Also, most students agreed or strongly-agreed that the simulation reinforced knowledge gained from lecture (94.7%), that lecture followed by a simulation was the most effective way to learn about sepsis (94.7%), and that the simulation helped reinforce critical-thinking skills (94.7%). Knowledge improved between the didactic lecture and the simulation, but these differences were not found to be statistically significant. SUMMARY: A simulated interdisciplinary rounding experience may increase student confidence during teaching rounds and improve attitudes towards working alongside other healthcare professionals. Incorporating rounding simulations into pharmacy curricula may be beneficial towards student success on rounds.