Competency-Based Assessment in Experiential Learning in Undergraduate Pharmacy Programmes: Qualitative Exploration of Facilitators' Views and Needs (ACTp Study).
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SUBMITTER: Jacob SA
PROVIDER: S-EPMC9332294 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:BackgroundEmphasis has been placed upon embedding equity, diversity and inclusion within the initial education and training of healthcare professionals, like pharmacists. Yet, there remains limited understanding of how best to integrate cultural competency and cultural humility into undergraduate pharmacy student training.AimThis qualitative study explored the views of pharmacy students to understand perspectives on, and identify recommendations for, embedding cultural competency and cultural humility within pharmacy education and training.MethodUndergraduate pharmacy students from one UK-based School of Pharmacy were invited to participate in an in-person, semi-structured interview to discuss cultural competency in the pharmacy curriculum. Interviews were conducted between November 2022 and February 2023 and were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Reflexive thematic analysis enabled the development of themes. QSR NVivo (Version 12) facilitated data management. Ethical approval was obtained from the Newcastle University Ethics Committee.ResultsTwelve undergraduate pharmacist students, across all years of undergraduate training, were interviewed. Three themes were developed from the data, centring on: (1) recognising and reflecting on cultural competency and cultural humility; (2) gaining exposure and growing in confidence; and (3) thinking forward as a culturally competent pharmacist of the future.ConclusionThese findings offer actionable recommendations to align with the updated Initial Education and Training standards from the United Kingdom (UK) pharmacy regulator, the General Pharmaceutical Council; specifically, how and when cultural competency teaching should be embedded within the undergraduate pharmacy curriculum. Future research should further explore teaching content, learning environments, and methods of assessing cultural competency.
| S-EPMC10830727 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Experiential learning is an important component of pharmacist education and is primarily achieved through supervised placement or simulation. This study explored senior pharmacy students' experiential learning in an extended, immersive, gamified simulation, conducted as a capstone learning activity toward the end of their final year of study, consolidating all prior learning and preparing students for intern practice. The simulation aimed to enhance student confidence, competence and collaboration. The three-week activity involved student teams competitively managing simulated pharmacies, assuming the role of pharmacists to complete all scaffolded assessments, including dispensing prescriptions, clinical cases, verbal counselling, simulated patient cases, interprofessional collaboration, and assignments. Assessments were marked continuously, with consequences of practice acknowledged through gain or loss of 'patients' for the pharmacy. From 2016 to 2018, 123 students completed multiple individual reflective journals (n = 733). Reflective journals were analyzed to explore the student experience, using a mixed methods approach. Initial Leximancer® 4.51 semantic analysis guided thematic analysis, conducted in NVivo® 12. The major themes that emerged were teamwork, patient-centeredness, medicines provision, future practice, and the learning experience. Student participants reported an intense and emotional experience in the gamified simulation, with many students revealing transformation in their skills, behaviors and attitudes over its duration.
| S-EPMC8167508 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundPharmacists play a key role in antimicrobial stewardship (AMS). Consensus-based national AMS competencies for undergraduate healthcare professionals in the UK reflect the increasing emphasis on competency-based healthcare professional education. However, the extent to which these are included within undergraduate pharmacy education programmes in the UK is unknown.ObjectivesTo explore which of the AMS competencies are delivered, including when and at which level, within UK undergraduate MPharm programmes.MethodsA cross-sectional online questionnaire captured the level of study of the MPharm programme in which each competency was taught, the method of delivery and assessment of AMS education, and examples of student feedback.ResultsTen institutions completed the survey (33% response rate). No institution reported covering all 54 AMS competencies and 5 of these were taught at half or fewer of the institutions. Key gaps were identified around taking samples, communication, outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy and surgical prophylaxis. The minimum time dedicated to AMS teaching differed between institutions (range 9-119 h), teaching was generally through didactic methods, and assessment was generally through knowledge recall and objective structured clinical examinations. Feedback from students suggests they find AMS and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to be complex yet important topics.ConclusionsUK schools of pharmacy should utilize the competency framework to identify gaps in their AMS, AMR and infection teaching. To prepare newly qualified pharmacists to be effective at delivering AMS and prescribing antimicrobials, schools of pharmacy should utilize more simulated environments and clinical placements for education and assessment of AMS.
| S-EPMC10409409 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectiveFamily-based multi-component weight management programmes are recommended for adolescents with obesity in England and Wales, however, these programmes suffer from poor uptake and high attrition rates. This study aimed to gather the views of professional stakeholders in a UK weight management programme to identify potential areas to target to improve engagement and success for such programmes.ResultsSemi-structured interviews were conducted with those involved in the commissioning, referral, coordination or delivery of a weight management programme (n = 11). Interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Three main categories developed: professional support, tailoring and intervention content. Participants recognised the importance of support from experienced professionals, as well as family and peers. There was agreement that longer-term support was needed for adolescents with obesity; suggestions included integrating follow-up support with schools and leisure services. Emotional and psychological support must be prioritised. Having a variety of delivery modes, such as group and one to one, particularly in the home environment, were recommended. Stakeholders agreed that weight management programmes for adolescents need to be more proactive at incorporating technology. By acting on the views of those that work closely with adolescents, engagement with weight management programmes may be improved.
| S-EPMC8019507 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThe relationship between a preceptor and a learner is complex and can be prone to conflict. The issue of conflict in experiential education has been studied in medicine, nursing, social work, and education; however, conflict between pharmacy preceptors and learners has not been described.ObjectiveTo describe types of conflict between pharmacy preceptors and learners, the outcomes of such conflict, the impacts on the preceptor-learner relationship, and conflict-resolution strategies.MethodsAn anonymous electronic survey of pharmacist preceptors and pharmacy residents in British Columbia was conducted. The survey included various types of questions to enrich the quality of responses (e.g., Likert scale, ranking, and requests for comments). Descriptive statistics were used.ResultsForty-nine participants completed the survey from the preceptor's perspective, 12 from the learner's perspective, and 4 from both perspectives. Sixty percent of preceptors (32/53) and 75% of learners (12/16) admitted experiencing conflict. Preceptors (n = 27) cited the learner's professionalism (74%), knowledge/skills (59%), communication issues (59%), personal issues (56%), and punctuality/attendance (52%) as causes of conflict. Learners, however (n = 12), cited differing expectations (67%), teaching versus learning style preferences (50%), and communication issues (67%) as causes of conflict. The majority of preceptors and learners indicated that conflict had negatively affected the relationship; however, most preceptors (69% [18/26]) and learners (50% [6/12]) agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, "I have generally felt comfortable working with preceptors/learners after a conflict." More learners than preceptors felt that the learner's ability to perform was negatively affected by the conflict (92% [11/12] versus 52% [13/25]). Preceptors were more likely to take initiative to resolve conflict. Verbal communication was the method of conflict resolution preferred by both preceptors and learners. Most preceptors and learners indicated that they felt that conflicts were generally resolved.ConclusionsConflict was common in the pharmacy preceptor-learner relationship. Pharmacy preceptors and learners had different perspectives about the causes and outcomes of conflict.
| S-EPMC7801327 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Clinical reasoning for acute dyspnoea: Comparison of final-year medical students from discipline- and competency-based undergraduate programmes. BACKGROUND:The global shift to competency-based medical education aims to improve the performance of its trainees, including in the key competency domain of clinical reasoning. However, research on whether such education actually improves clinical reasoning is sparse. The purpose of this study is to compare assessed clinical reasoning performance in digitally presented cases of acute dyspnoea between final-year medical students from a traditional, discipline-based and those from an integrated, competency-based undergraduate programme. METHODS:A total of 60 medical students in their final-year clerkships participated in the study; 30 were from a discipline-based programme, and 30 were from a competency-based programme of the same faculty. The students completed a knowledge test consisting of 22 single choice items and a computer-based test of clinical reasoning with six video-based case scenarios with different underlying diseases leading to dyspnoea. The operationalized measures of clinical reasoning were the number and relevance of the diagnostic tests chosen, time to diagnosis and diagnostic accuracy. RESULTS:The two groups did not differ in their knowledge of the acute dyspnoea content domain. With regard to clinical reasoning, the selection of relevant tests, time required to make a diagnosis and accuracy of the diagnosis varied across the six case scenarios in both groups. However, the results from the measures of the clinical reasoning process did not differ between the students from the two types of undergraduate medical programmes. No significant differences were found with regard to the selection of relevant diagnostic tests (M?=?63.8% vs. M?=?62.8%), the time to a diagnosis (M?= 128.7?s vs. M?= 136.4?s) or the accuracy of diagnosis (M?=?82.2% vs. M?=?77.0%). CONCLUSIONS:Key indicators of the clinical reasoning process, when assessed with objectively measured parameters, did not differ between final-year medical students from a traditional, discipline-based and those from an integrated, competency-based undergraduate programme in the domain of acute dyspnoea. The results substantiate and expand those of previous studies based on subjective assessor ratings that showed limited change in the clinical reasoning performance of medical students with competency-based undergraduate education.
| S-EPMC7238574 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectivesMedicine access is a human right; yet, concerningly, there are international instances of shortages. Quantitative data has allowed WHO to propose global solutions; however, individualised understanding of specific regions is still required to work towards national solutions. Fiji has an established issue with medication supply and the aim of this study was to use qualitative methods to gain a fuller understanding of this context.MethodsSemi-structured interviews were used to gain the perspective of key stakeholders involved in the Fijian medicine supply chain in regards to causes, impacts and possible solutions of medicine shortages. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the interview data.ResultsIn total, 48 stakeholders participated and the information was synthesised into three main themes, causes, impacts and solutions and the sub-themes including; political, system and patient causes, adverse health effects on patients, professional dissatisfaction, monetary loss and loss of faith in the health system, workarounds, operation improvements, government intervention and education and training.ConclusionsThe situation in Fiji is not dissimilar to other instances of shortages around the world and hence international solutions like that proposed by WHO are feasible; however, they must be modified to be uniquely Fijian to work in this context.
| S-EPMC5459560 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThe pharmacist career is constantly adapting to societal and health care needs. The past decade has seen a growing demand for curricular development to align graduation outcome with workforce competencies.ObjectiveThis study aims to identify expectations for both didactic and experiential components of a new curriculum based on young pharmacist practitioner views.MethodsAn online survey questionnaire was used in 2019-2020 to evaluate the pharmacy curriculum to detect indicators or key areas which require comprehensive reform.ResultsThe predominant majority of the 205 study participants recommended reduction in credit hours for Natural Sciences (78.54%) and a similar increase in the Theoretical and Practical Expertise Module (77.9%). Pharmaceutical care, clinical therapeutics and clinical pharmacy competencies should also be more highlighted in the program. Findings indicate the current training does not prepare for problem-solving and daily workplace challenges (72.7%) or for extended pharmacist skills and competencies (71.71%). Results show inconsistency in practical training experience, as all respondents participated in practical training for drug manufacturing and analysis but 61.0% reported no hands-on skills training in a hospital-clinical simulation setting. Indications for practitioner involvement into the natural sciences and biomedical subjects (86.3%) confirm the obvious need for more practice-oriented education.ConclusionsEducational reforms seem to be inevitable to achieve measurable improvement in professional practice and skills competency. The country specific demand for a needs-based pharmacy education reflects global trends but may also provide useful insights for individual transitions to transform education through practice and improve practice through education.
| S-EPMC9072685 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectivesTo explore stakeholders' perceptions of decision aids designed to support the informed consent decision-making process for randomised controlled trials.DesignQualitative semistructured interviews. Participants were provided with prototype trial decision aids in advance to stimulate discussion. Interviews were analysed using an established interpretive approach.Participants23 stakeholders: Trial Managers (n=5); Research Nurses (n=5); Ethics Committee Chairs (n=5); patients (n=4) and Clinical Principal Investigators (n=4).SettingEmbedded within two ongoing randomised controlled trials. All interviews conducted with UK-based participants.ResultsCertain key aspects (eg, values clarification exercises, presentation of probabilities, experiences of others and balance of options) in the prototype decision aids were perceived by all stakeholders as having a significant advantage (over existing patient information leaflets) in terms of supporting well informed appropriate decisions. However, there were some important differences between the stakeholder groups on specific content (eg, language used in the section on positive and negative features of taking part in a trial and the overall length of the trial decision aids). Generally the stakeholders believed trial decision aids have the potential to better engage potential participants in the decision-making process and allow them to make more personally relevant decisions about their participation.ConclusionsCompared to existing patient information leaflets, stakeholders perceived decision aids for trial participation to have the potential to promote a more 'informed' decision-making process. Further efforts to develop, refine and formally evaluate trial decision aids should be explored.
| S-EPMC4139633 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Extensive research demonstrated that firms may pursue several advantages in hiring individuals with the set of emotional, social, and cognitive (ESC) competencies that are most critical for business success. Therefore, the role of education for competency development is becoming paramount. Prior studies have questioned the traditional methods, grounded in the lecture format, as a way to effectively develop ESC competencies. Alternatively, they propose experiential learning techniques that involve participants in dedicated courses or activities. Despite the insights provided by these studies, they do not take into account a comprehensive set of learning methods and their combined effect on the individual's competency portfolio within educational programs that aim to transfer primarily professional skills. Our study aims to fill these gaps by investigating the impact of the interplay between different learning methods on ESC competencies through a sample of students enrolled in the first year of a master's degree program. After providing a classification of three learning methods [traditional learning (TL), individual experiential learning (IEL), and social experiential learning (SEL)], the study delves into their combined influence on ESC competencies, adopting the Artificial Neural Network. Contrary to prior studies, our results provide counterintuitive evidence, suggesting that TL needs to be implemented together, on the one hand, with IEL to achieve a significant effect on emotional competencies and, on the other hand, with SEL to have an impact on social competencies. Moreover, IEL plays a prominent role in stimulating cognitive competencies. Our research contributes to educational literature by providing new insights on the effective combination of learning methods that can be adopted into programs that transfer technical knowledge and skills to promote behavioral competencies.
| S-EPMC4557282 | biostudies-literature