Tracing the prescription journey: a qualitative evaluation of an interprofessional simulation-based learning activity

Abstract

BackgroundIn many countries across the world, the majority of prescribing occurs within the community setting. Close collaboration between general practitioners (GPs) and pharmacists is required to ensure effective therapeutic treatment of patients, whilst minimising prescribing and dispensing errors. Despite the need to work collaboratively, medical and pharmacy training is often unilateral. Interprofessional education (IPE) and simulation-based education (SBE) are teaching approaches widely used by healthcare professionals to foster collaborative practice. At Queen’s University Belfast (QUB), an innovative IPE activity was developed for medical and pharmacy undergraduate students that aimed to develop a greater understanding of their roles and duties in community prescribing and dispensing. This study set out to evaluate the impact of such a SBE activity on students’ attitudes towards collaborative practice in prescribing and dispensing medication in the community.MethodsInterprofessional groups of year 3 pharmacy (n = 10) and year 4 medical (n = 9) students took part in a SBE activity. This focused on the IPE team clinically assessing, diagnosing, writing prescriptions, dispensing medication(s) and counselling a simulated patient (in a simulated practice and pharmacy setting). Using a questioning guide, four focus groups of medical and pharmacy students were used to evaluate their attitudes towards the simulated IPE activity. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed iteratively using thematic analysis.ResultsFour main themes emerged from the analysis: (1) IPE simulation activity: creating a broader learning experience; (2) patient-centred practice: a shared understanding; (3) professional skills: explored and shared; and (4) professional roles: a journey of discovery, respect and stereotypes.ConclusionsStudents broadened their knowledge of each other’s expertise in skills and clinical roles whilst working together. Furthermore, students valued the opportunity to strengthen cooperation with their future colleagues with the shared goal of improving patient-centred care.

A Rapid Review of Prescribing Education Interventions

“…Three studies implemented an educational intervention centred around learning through role-play and Simulation-Based Medical Education (SBME) [37][38][39]. Two studies implemented a mixed disciplinary small-group approach to their role-play method of teaching [37,38] and one study used a large-group experimental observation approach [39].…”

A simulação no ensino de competências para a realização de serviços farmacêuticos de âmbito clínico

“…Dentre os estudos recuperados, 4 (22,2%) não obtiveram taxas de participação maiores que 75% a partir da população inicial 28,31,32,34 ; 3 (16,7%) tiveram menos do que 50 participantes 22,30,31 ; 6 (33,3%) tiveram entre 50 e 100 participantes 21,[24][25][26]33,34 ; 9 (50,0%) tiveram mais de 100 participantes 20,23,[27][28][29]32,[35][36][37] ; 6 (33,3%) não utilizaram testes estatísticos 21-23,29,-31 1 (5,6%) relatou dados sobre a confiabilidade interna 26 ; 2 (11,2%) utilizaram o cegamento nos delineamentos dos estudos 20,37 ; e 1 (5,6%) utilizou métodos validados 32 . 15 , as habilidades de comunicação são essenciais para o desenvolvimento do cuidado centrado no paciente e para o ambiente de cuidado em saúde junto a outros profissionais de saúde.…”

Simulation based learning methodology in pharmacology: knowledge and perception among second year medical under-graduate students

“…It is perceived that SBL improves learning and recall ability, broadens perspective compared to lectures. [8][9] Pharmacology in India is primarily taught using didactics, Case-Based Learning (CBL), Problem Based Learning (PBL) and other methodologies to make the subject interesting and understandable easily. Although these are effective learning tools for medical education, they are not as profound as experiential learning observed in simulation.…”

“…Authors used a high-fidelity mannequin, METIman (MMP1223) (CAE healthcare, Australia). Cumulative scores for quality in levels of perception, good (26-35), fair (16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25), and poor (7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15). 94% of the students scored a "good" cumulative score and 6% scored between 6-25 which was "fair".…”