Providing quality improvement training in an advanced pharmacy practice experience elective. 2021

Pamela Mathura, and Dillon H Lee, and Ann Thompson, and Natalie McMurtry, and Narmin Kassam
Alberta Health Services, and University of Alberta Department of Medicine, 8440 112 Street, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada. Electronic address: mathura@ualberta.ca.

Quality Improvement (QI) science is a burgeoning component of healthcare systems and the practice of pharmacy. There is limited published literature on the implementation of QI training in undergraduate pharmacy education. We describe the development and implementation of QI training in an experiential course. A QI curriculum was developed for an existing eight-week pharmacy practice elective experience for year four pharmacy students. The curriculum was divided into two, four-week blocks, combining didactic instruction and applied learning activities. A partnership between university departments and a local health organization provided a QI preceptor along with an interdisciplinary clinical team in an acute care setting to improve clinical services. Six students have completed the elective along with completing three QI projects. The Kirkpatrick 4 level model guided course evaluation. A curriculum strength was no additional cost or educational burden on the faculty of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences. Students recognized benefit from (1) course flexibility and independence to learn, (2) clear expectations and weekly guidance from the preceptor, (3) alignment of weekly readings and real-time application of QI concepts, and (4) the Institute for Healthcare Improvement education modules. Reducing the number of assigned tasks per week and improving availability of the clinical QI team to support student learning were identified as areas for improvement. This elective course demonstrated a starting point from which QI education can be formally included in pharmacy undergraduate education.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D010604 Pharmacy The practice of compounding and dispensing medicinal preparations. Forensic Pharmacy,Pharmacy Practice Patterns,Forensic Pharmacies,Pattern, Pharmacy Practice,Patterns, Pharmacy Practice,Pharmacies, Forensic,Pharmacy Practice Pattern,Pharmacy, Forensic,Practice Pattern, Pharmacy,Practice Patterns, Pharmacy
D003479 Curriculum A course of study offered by an educational institution. Curricula,Short-Term Courses,Course, Short-Term,Courses, Short-Term,Short Term Courses,Short-Term Course
D004512 Education, Pharmacy Formal instruction, learning, or training in the preparation, dispensing, and proper utilization of drugs in the field of medicine. Pharmacy Education,Education, Pharmaceutic,Education, Pharmaceutical,Pharmaceutic Education,Pharmaceutical Education
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013339 Students, Pharmacy Individuals enrolled in a school of pharmacy or a formal educational program leading to a degree in pharmacy. Pharmacy Student,Pharmacy Students,Student, Pharmacy
D058996 Quality Improvement The attainment or process of attaining a new level of performance or quality. Improvement, Quality,Improvements, Quality,Quality Improvements

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