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 \u3c 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

A Comparison of the Effect of Intermittent and Continuous Infusion of Meropenem on the Prevalence of Nausea in Pediatric Cystic Fibrosis Patients

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease, leading to changes of membrane secretions causing obstruction of smaller airways. CF patients often develop pulmonary infections and require antibiotic treatment. Meropenem is a broad spectrum beta lactam that acts by lysing microbes through interfering with bacterial cell wall synthesis. Although a safe and effective treatment, data on pediatric patients is limited

Juanita Draime

https://digitalcommons.cedarville.edu/white_coat_ceremony_gallery_2012/1026/thumbnail.jp

Description and Comparison of Drug Diversion in Pharmacies by Pharmacists, Interns, and Pharmacy Technicians

Objective: To describe reported drug diversion within the practice of pharmacy. Methods: There is limited research that examines the nature and extent of drug diversion within the practice of pharmacy. If drug diversion is reported, state boards of pharmacy examine cases involving registered pharmacy personnel. To describe the problem of diversion, a sample of state board records were examined. First, states were classified, using US Census classifications, into regions and divisions to provide a representative sample. States who did not have minutes posted online or who did not register technicians were excluded. If more than one state remained in a division, then a state was randomly chosen for analysis. Meeting minutes were obtained from May 2008 to May 2013. The following items were obtained for each case of drug diversion: 1) category of pharmacy employee (pharmacist, technician, intern), 2) type of substance (control, non-control, both), 3) use of diverted substance (sale, personal use, both, unknown), and 4) action taken by the board. An a priori sample size was calculated (=0.05, effect size=0.3, n=253 cases). Descriptive statistics were performed for all data in SPSS v.21, and Chi-squared tests were used to assess categorical differences. Results: A total of 811 drug diversion cases in 9 states were identified and used. Most cases were involving a pharmacy technician (71.4%), controlled substances only (94.2%), diverted for personal use (46.6%), and resulted in license revocation/surrendering (62.5%). When examining drug diversion use by type of substance, there were significant differences by pharmacy employee type (sale use p=0.003; personal use p=0.032; unknown use p\u3c0.001). Implications/Conclusions: Drug diversion is prevalent, as indicated by the 811 cases examined by state boards, and many cases may be unreported. Technicians represent nearly three-fourths of diversions. It is essential that the practice of pharmacy identifies and assesses strategies to reduce drug diversion

STEPS Towards Better Health Care Delivery: A Student-Led Multidisciplinary Approach

STEPS is a collaborative health initiative led by an interdisciplinary team of medical, pharmacy, psychology, and nursing students. STEPS provides preventive health counseling to residents at three Dayton area homeless shelters who often struggle with chronic disease, mental health issues, food and shelter insecurity, and adequate support systems. These factors negatively impact their health and well-being. Thus, STEPS seeks to address these problems by providing interprofessional, preventive health services and connecting participants with resources to further advance their health goals. STEPS offers a unique answer to the question of healthcare access for the underserved—first by bringing together students from multiple professions to collaborate and meet the needs of the Dayton area homeless population. In order to best serve patients, healthcare professionals must collaborate, and this allows early interaction among different professions. Secondly, STEPS focuses on preventive healthcare for vulnerable populations. The residents at homeless facilities often are reactionary to their health, given lack of access to care and other more pressing needs, such as shelter, food, and clothing. All students and faculty who work with STEPS have been trained in motivational interviewing and use these skills as a team to actively listen to needs, desires and fears and enable participants to feel that they have control over their health. STEPS began with 7 students serving one shelter in 2012 and today has over 178 volunteers. Our experience applies to those interested in building successful interdisciplinary teams and learning about the health needs of the local homeless population

Description and Comparison of Drug Diversion in Pharmacies by Pharmacists, Interns, and Pharmacy Technicians

Objective: The purpose of this study is to describe reported drug diversion within the practice of pharmacy. Methods: There is limited research that examines the nature and extent of drug diversion within the practice of pharmacy. If drug diversion is reported, state boards of pharmacy examine cases involving registered pharmacy personnel. To describe the problem of diversion, a sample of state board records were examined. First, states were classified, using U.S. Census classifications, into regions and divisions to provide a representative sample. States that did not have minutes posted online or that did not register technicians were excluded. If more than 1 state remained in a division, then a state was randomly chosen for analysis. Meeting minutes were obtained from May 2008 to May 2013. The following items were obtained for each case of drug diversion: (1) category of pharmacy employee (pharmacist, technician, intern), (2) type of substance (controlled, non-controlled, both); (3) use of diverted substance (sale, personal use, both, unknown); and (4) action taken by the board. An a priori sample size was calculated (alpha = 0.05, effect size = 0.3, n = 253 cases). Descriptive statistics were performed for all data in SPSS v.21, and chi-square tests were used to assess categorical differences. Results: A total of 811 drug diversion cases in 9 states were identified and used. Most cases were involving a pharmacy technician (71.4%), controlled substances only (94.2%), diverted for personal use (46.6%), and resulted in license revocation/surrendering (62.5%). When examining drug diversion use by type of substance, there were significant differences by pharmacy employee type (sale use P = 0.003; personal use P = 0.032; unknown use P\u3c0.001). Conclusion: Drug diversion is prevalent, as indicated by the 811 cases examined by state boards, and many cases may be unreported. Technicians represent nearly three-fourths of diversions. It is essential that the practice of pharmacy identifies and assesses strategies to reduce drug diversion