Assigning projects to pharmacy learners using the standardized project and learner alignment tool (SPLAT)

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundPharmacy preceptors may encounter challenges like timeline restraints, knowledge gaps, or project complexity when assigning projects to the appropriate level of learner (ie, resident vs student). There is a lack of validated assessment tools for preceptors to evaluate which projects are most appropriate for specific levels of learners.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to assess content validity and ease of use of the Standardized Project and Learner Alignment Tool (SPLAT) as a tool for validating the appropriateness of pharmacy learner level to promote successful project completion.MethodsThe SPLAT was created in 2018 and evaluated retrospectively between April and June 2022. Projects completed by pharmacy learners (residents and students) between July 2020 and June 2022 were included for evaluation with completion of the SPLAT for each project by both the learner and preceptor. The primary end point was the content validity of the rubric assessed by a scale content validity index (S‐CVI). Secondary end points included agreement in scores between preceptors and learners (a surrogate marker of interrater reliability) and ease of use.ResultsA total of 52 matched pair completed forms were returned for analysis. Content validity of the SPLAT was found to have an overall S‐CVI of 0.86, indicating it is valid in determining the appropriate level of pharmacy learner to complete a project. There were no statistically significant differences in the agreement of paired scores between groups (preceptors vs learners) for any level of learner on the rubric. The tool takes about 5 min to complete for both groups. In total, 100% of end users indicated the tool was helpful, 91% of both groups found the tool easy‐to‐use, and 94% would use it again in the future.ConclusionThe SPLAT provides an easy‐to‐use and validated rubric to evaluate the appropriate level of pharmacy learner for various types of projects.