PHARMACY STUDENT PRACTICAL FORMATION TO PHARMACEUTICAL HEALTHCARE IN HOSPITAL CARE UNIT
Pdf
European Statement
Education and Research
Author(s)
Elisa Vitale, Quentin Perrier, Arnaud Tanty, Claire Chapuis, Armance Grevy, Agathe Landoas, Dorothée Lombardo, Prudence Gibert, Lénaik Doyen, Benoit Allenet, Pierrick Bedouch, Sébastien Chanoine
Why was it done?
In France, during their 5th year of study, pharmacy students complete a six-month full-time equivalent internship in a hospital setting. At our hospital, most students spend six months in a care unit to perform pharmaceutical care and promote quality use of medicines. These missions are carried out in collaboration with all healthcare professionals, either under the direct supervision of a pharmacy resident, senior pharmacist, or independently. While tasks assigned to pharmacy students in the care unit with direct pharmaceutical supervision were well known, other students reported difficulties in understanding what was expected of them, as well as a lack of confidence when integrating an established interprofessional team.
What was done?
The aim was to create and evaluate a specific training session for all pharmacy students joining a care unit for the first time.
How was it done?
Four hospital pharmacists collaborated to define the learning objectives and select the appropriate teaching tools. A pre- and post-training self-assessment questionnaire consisting of seven questions was created to evaluate students’ self-efficacy regarding the learning objectives and their satisfaction with the training.
What has been achieved?
A four-hour training session, divided into five sequences, was created. The objectives were: 1) Highlighting the challenges of joining an interprofessional team, 2) identifying the tasks and learning opportunities for pharmacy students, 3) simulating a medication reconciliation, 4) managing pharmaceutical issues through problem-solving exercises.
Regarding the evaluation, students reported that they: a) were more enthusiastic about the idea of working in a care unit after the training course (85% vs. 74%, p=0.001); b) had a clear understanding of their mission (84% vs. 53%, p<0.001); c) felt more confident in performing a medication reconciliation (93% vs. 35%, p<0.001); d) were more aware of the pharmaceutical resources available to them (95% vs. 27%, p<0.001); e) had a better understanding of how hospital pharmacy is organized (58% vs. 19%, p<0.001). Additionally, 99% found the training useful, and 94% felt that the training methods aligned with the training objectives.
What next?
Assess the long-term impact of the training and its effectiveness in ensuring that pharmacy students perform pharmaceutical care successfully and confidently