Pharmacy student perception of a remote hypertension and drug information simulation‐based learning experience in response to the SARS‐CoV‐2 pandemic

Abstract

IntroductionSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) has required pharmacy educators to redesign or create new simulation‐based learning (SBL) activities to ensure achievement of accreditation standards and ensure practice‐ready pharmacists. Little is known regarding student perception of SBL activities conducted across the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) curricula during the SARS‐CoV‐2 pandemic.ObjectiveTo assess first‐year Pharm.D. students' confidence in performing manual blood pressure techniques, drug information, and communication skills through a remote SBL.MethodsA pre‐ and post‐simulation survey was administered to Pharm.D. students enrolled in a first‐year pharmaceutical skills course who completed a remote SBL activity. The students' perception of their confidence performing manual blood pressure technique, utilizing drug information resources, and communication skills was assessed in addition to overall experience and challenges with conducting a remote SBL activity.ResultsA total of 87 students completed the SBL activity. The response rate for the pre‐ and post‐simulation survey were 95% (n = 83) and 62% (n = 54), respectively. Significant improvements in perceived confidence in performing manual blood pressure techniques, utilizing drug information resources, and communication skills were observed. A majority of students agreed or strongly agreed that the remote SBL activity was valuable and allowed for the application of didactic content. Qualitative feedback was analyzed using thematic analysis and indicated that the remote setting was challenging to perform manual blood pressure assessment and to interact with a standardized patient, although the feedback was positive for improving drug information and communication skills. Only five students (9%) who completed the post‐simulation survey reported technology issues.ConclusionThe introduction of a remote SBL activity for first‐year Pharm.D. students improved confidence in ability to perform many essential tasks to provide optimal care for patients with hypertension. This included an improvement in confidence in manual blood pressure assessment, the ability to use drug information resources, and communication skills. We could not conclude whether the improvement in confidence was a direct result of the remote SBL activity. Overall, technology did not appear to be a barrier to the implementation of a remote SBL activity.

Understanding the Effects of Health Care Distance Simulation

“…Included studies represented 14 different countries. There was a North American predominance to authorship, with 30 studies featuring authors located in the United States 17–46 and 5 studies included authors from multiple countries 23,27,47–49 Figure 2. highlights the reported origins of all included studies.…”

“…Overall, less than half of the included studies were found to have a low risk of bias (n = 27/54, 49%) as seen in Appendix B (Table, Supplemental Digital Content 2, http://links.lww.com/SIH/A983). Of the 16 studies that were evaluated with the NIH assessment tool (NHBLI, NIH) for prestudies and poststudies with no control group, 18,19,21,22,26,29,33,34,36,38,47,49,53–56 more than half were assessed to be at low risk for bias (n = 9/16, 56%) 21,26,29,33,34,36,38,47,54 . Twenty-eight studies additionally were evaluated using the appropriate CASP tools 17,20,23,25,27,30–32,35,37,39,40,43,44,46,48,50–52,55,57–64 .…”

Non-virtual simulation training and patient simulation existing for pharmacy students: A scoping review

“…Pharmacy Education 24(1) 91 -145 100 popular for improving self-perception of interprofessional competence and attitude toward interprofessional collaboration (in 9 articles) (Koo et al, 2014;Shrader et al, 2015;Shrader et al, 2016;Ottis & Gregory, 2016;Iverson et al, 2018;Patel et al, 2018;Curley et al, 2019;Cowart & Updike, 2021). The SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment) tool helped students collaborate to identify potential medication misuses (Marken et al, 2010;MacDonnell et al, 2016;Clauser et al, 2020;Egelund et al, 2020;Acquavita et al, 2021).…”

“…Some barriers to interprofessional education were eliminated thanks to a telehealth simulation, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic. In this way, the telehealth simulation was able to improve the student's confidence in the use of these technologies (Estes et al, 2016;Begley et al, 2019;Wen et al, 2019;Ma et al, 2020;Cowart & Updike, 2021;Wong et al, 2021;Baalmann et al, 2023). Incorporating telehealthlearning into a curriculum may give students an opportunity to be better prepared to practice in the ever-evolving healthcare environment (Estes et al, 2016).…”