Ability-based Outcomes Research Articles

Development and Initial Evaluation of an Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience Readiness Assessment Plan

Objective. To describe the composition of an advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) readiness assessment plan (APPE-RAP) along with initial findings following retrospective application to a cohort of students.Methods. The APPE-RAP uses existing summative assessment data within the ExamSoft platform on six skills and 12 ability-based outcomes from the pre-APPE curriculum. Thresholds were created to sort students into three readiness categories for skills and knowledge, determine overall readiness, and identify need for curricular review. Students that completed their third professional year in spring 2021 served as the pilot cohort. The APPE-RAP was applied after the cohort progressed to APPEs to analyze appropriateness of categorization and revise the plan before full implementation.Results. The APPE-RAP was applied to 131 students that progressed to APPEs in spring 2021. Overall, 87.9% were APPE ready for all skills and aggregate knowledge. Two skills met criteria for curricular review. Seven students (5.3%) were categorized as red on at least one skill after one remediation attempt. Nine students (7%) were categorized as red on an aggregate knowledge-based ability-based outcomes (ABO) evaluation. Four students (3.1%) did not pass one of their first two experiential rotations. Using a red categorization on aggregate knowledge as a risk indicator identified APPE failure with 94% specificity and a 98% negative predictive value.Conclusion. Existing assessment data may be leveraged to identify assessment targets to help quantify APPE readiness. Further research is warranted to identify additional assessment thresholds that enhance quantification of APPE readiness as well as the impact of focused remediation on attainment of APPE readiness.

Design and Implementation of a Contemporary Health Administration Program for Health Managers.

Background: While there are core competencies required in health administration programs, little is known about how they are taught in health administration programs to support/change practises. This discussion paper describes an educational innovation to design a contemporary Master of Health Administration program to meet the current needs of health managers in Australia based on evidence-based practise.Method: A detailed gap analysis of health managers educational needs was undertaken with various stakeholders to design a contemporary health managers' program. Stakeholders surveyed in the course design included prospective students, international students' agencies, prospective employers, Alumni evaluation, mapping of health managers courses in Australia and faculty feedback. An integrative pedagogical approach was used to implement the program into action.Results: Various themes were emerged from the stakeholder consultations including the importance of basic knowledge of key subjects and the significance of learning new skills such as strategic planning and emotional intelligence in the workplace. The integrative pedagogical approach used is based on adult teaching principles, which were identified by Knowles. The subjects in the new course incorporate several knowledge-based presentations along with interactive activities, including use of general ability-based outcomes to define learning opportunities, case-based and problem-based learning, experiential learning, and comprehensive assessments.Conclusion: The results of this intensive consultation led to the design of a contemporary Master of Health Administration Course that included eight core subjects and multiple options of specialisations for students to choose from. Examples of specialisations include aged care and ageing, health promotion, data for decision making, public health, international development and Health Strategy and decision making.

Implementation and Assessment of a Novel APPE Intersession Course to Assess Near-Terminal Student Competence

Objective. To provide a novel culminating experience that assesses student competence and achievement of five curricular outcomes during the P4 year. Methods. This two-week Intersession course provided faculty assessment of student competence after completing five of seven Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs). Students completed written pre-work assignments generated from real-world experiences from APPEs. Faculty assessed and provided feedback to improve students' competency on curricular outcomes related to four course components: clinical case, drug information, clinical pearl and reflection. After incorporating faculty feedback, students verbally presented to faculty and peers for additional assessment during the in-class portion of the course. Results. There were 149 students who completed the course in 2016; 145 (97%) demonstrated achievement of ability-based outcomes. Using the Kirkpatrick's Evaluation Model, level 1 data (reaction) indicated 93% of students and 100% of faculty believed the course was valuable. Level 2 data (learning) revealed that 80% of students and 85% of faculty agreed/strongly agreed learning occurred. Level 3 data (behavior) demonstrated increased student performance on assessments between pre-work and in-class components. Preliminary level 4 data (results) indicated this course complemented learning from previous courses and met the intended purpose. Conclusion: This novel Intersession course provided structured faculty assessment of student competence during the final experiential year and successfully provided a near-final evaluation of student competence of core curricular ability-based outcomes.

Innovating Pharmacy Curriculum through Backward Design

This paper is a description of a curriculum development process used by a pharmacy school to redesign its Doctor of Pharmacy program to meet the changing demands of the profession and to comply with new accreditation standards. The goal of the redesigned curriculum was to produce “practice-ready” graduates who were able to enter the profession with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in an increasingly team-based, complex, diverse, and evolving field. The school deviated from stand-alone courses with a discipline specific focus to a series of integrated learning experiences. The Backward Design framework was utilized to organize the curriculum revision efforts. The school began by outlining a vision of the profession of pharmacy for the coming decade. Based on that vision, the school determined 10 broad domains in which an entry-level pharmacist should be competent. Each domain was broken down into ability-based outcomes and further into competencies. The competencies were prioritized, mapped, and spiraled across the learning experiences within the curriculum combining the skills and knowledge from multiple areas of pharmacy education, content areas, and practice settings.

Motivating influences and ability-based outcomes of dental hygiene baccalaureate education in Canada.

There is a scarcity of studies on Canadian baccalaureate dental hygienists. As discussions about baccalaureate education for dental hygiene continue on a national level, examining outcomes of earning a dental hygiene degree is paramount. To investigate the motivating reasons and ability-based outcomes of earning a Bachelor of Dental Science in Dental Hygiene (BDSc) degree from the University of British Columbia (UBC), Canada. UBC dental hygiene entry-to-practice (ETP) and degree-completion (DC) graduates (n=116; 32%) from 1994 to 2016 participated in an online mixed-methods survey. Survey questions explored motivating reasons for pursuing dental hygiene degree education and abilities gained during their degree. Primary reasons for pursuing a degree were personal satisfaction (82%), increasing knowledge base (82%), increasing employment opportunities (78%), status/recognition of a degree (76%), accessing graduate education (68%) and improving critical thinking abilities (61%). For DC graduates, abilities strengthened included enhanced skills for appraising research (92%), enhanced critical thinking and problem-solving skills (90%), enhanced skills for retrieving scientific information (88%) and increased value for lifelong learning (84%). Enhanced abilities positively influenced client care in the areas of evidence-based decision-making, communicating information to clients, and collaborating with other professionals. Overall, 93% of respondents believe a baccalaureate degree should be the ETP credential for dental hygiene because it enhances critical thinking and better prepares graduates for diverse roles in society with more complex populations. The results highlight the impact of baccalaureate education on dental hygiene practice in Canada.

CAPE Outcomes 2013: Building on Two Decades of Advances to Guide the Future of Pharmacy Education

CAPE Outcomes 2013: Building on Two Decades of Advances to Guide the Future of Pharmacy Education

Integration of Pharmacy Students Within a Level II Trauma Center

To integrate fourth-year doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) students within a level II trauma center team to improve their patient care and professional communication skills. PharmD students completed 2 consecutive 4-week internal medicine APPEs during the course of their fourth year, which included approximately 5 weeks working on an interprofessional trauma team. During patient rounds with the interprofessional trauma team, students provided patient care in a stepwise approach, drug information responses, patient counseling, and other services requested by team members. Ability-based outcomes (ABOs) assessment, faculty evaluations, and student self-assessment were conducted in the following areas: effective communication, drug therapy assessment and decision making, critical thinking and problem solving, and drug information retrieval. Students' mean score in these areas was 3.8 on a 5-point scale. Areas in which students needed improvement included: providing recommendations in a timely manner, self-confidence, identifying opportunity to verbally communicate with other team members, and addressing insecurities when answering drug information questions posed by the team. Integrating fourth-year PharmD students within a trauma and acute surgery team and use of ABO assessment allowed for identification of areas of the curriculum in which improvements were needed, resulting in a more targeted approach earlier in the curriculum to improve students' abilities to provide appropriate and effective patient care in an interprofessional setting.

A Course Introducing the Principles of Pharmaceutical Care

To develop, implement, and assess a course that introduces students to the process and application of pharmaceutical care. The course was offered to students in the third semester of the PharmD curriculum. The course's ability outcomes were to integrate and apply scientific and therapeutic knowledge in the delivery of evidence-based pharmaceutical care, and to develop the skills of a professional, lifelong learner. The students successfully applied the information learned in this course to the practice of pharmaceutical care. The 3 components of the course that appeared to be the most challenging were identifying drug-therapy problems, creating compound goals, and creating a care plan. This course was effective in meeting ability-based outcomes. The assessment data helped the instructors determine what changes should be made to increase the course's success when it is offered again.

Electronic Reflective Student Portfolios to Demonstrate Achievement of Ability-based Outcomes During Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences

To demonstrate achievement of ability-based outcomes through a structured review of electronic student portfolios in an advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) program. One hundred thirty-eight students produced electronic portfolios containing select work products from APPEs, including a self-assessment reflective essay that demonstrated achievement of course manual-specified ability-based outcomes. Through portfolio submissions, all students demonstrated the achievement of ability-based outcomes for providing pharmaceutical care, evaluating the literature, and managing the medication use system with patient case reports most frequently submitted. The rubric review of self-reflective essays addressed student learning through APPEs and continuing professional development plans. The electronic portfolio with reflective essay proved to be a useful vehicle to demonstrate achievement of ability-based outcomes.

Development of a Reliable, Valid Annual Skills Mastery Assessment Examination

To develop a methodology for a reliable, valid annual skills mastery assessment examination to provide formative student feedback, inform curricular review, and comply with the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) Standards 2007. A sample of program-level ability-based outcomes skills were chosen for the examination. Test items were written, underwent quality control, and were scored for level of difficulty. Versions of the examination for first-, second-, third-, and fourth-year pharmacy students were developed and administered, the results were analyzed, reliability and validity were evaluated, and reports were generated. Item-writing guidelines, quality control procedures, and examination production steps were codified to create a criterion-referenced examination. Students and faculty advisors received detailed score reports and results were used to guide student performance and stimulate a review of curricular outcomes. Content, criterion, and construct validity were analyzed as defined in the literature for the intended use of this assessment tool. Data suggest the Annual Skills Mastery Assessment (ASMA) examination is both reliable and valid. Students and faculty members were surveyed regarding the usefulness of the examination. Results indicate general satisfaction with the assessment program. A reasonably reliable, reasonably valid multiple-choice annual skills mastery assessment for selected outcomes statements providing formative feedback and informed curricular review was developed.

Writing PharmD Program-Level, Ability-Based Outcomes: Key Elements for Success

A set of PharmD program curricular outcomes form the foundation of a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) curriculum and are critical to the development of both the structure/courses of the curriculum and the assessment plan for the program. A goal for developing these outcomes is to craft a set of clear, concise, assessable statements that accurately reflect competencies of the generalist entry-level pharmacist or graduate of the first-professional doctor of pharmacy degree. This article will provide a review of one specific type of outcome, ability-based outcomes, and present a case study of how one college revised their PharmD program-level outcomes. A discussion of key elements for the successful adoption of these outcomes is also presented.

Curricular Mapping: Process and Product

Curricular maps can be used to link ability-based outcomes (ABOs) and content to courses in PharmD curricula as one component of an overall assessment plan. Curricular maps can also be used to meet some of the requirements delineated by Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, Standards 2007. Five steps can be followed to help ensure the successful production of a curricular map that both meets accreditation requirements and helps to inform curricular improvements. A case study is presented detailing how one college implemented a curricular mapping process that was subsequently used as data to inform curricular revisions.

Evaluation, Assessment, and Outcomes in Pharmacy Education: The 2007 AACP Institute

Evaluation, Assessment, and Outcomes in Pharmacy Education: The 2007 AACP Institute

Educating Students for Practice: Educational Outcomes and Community Experience

The education of pharmacists in the United States integrates classroom and experiential learning. Two organizations played a key role in determining the current education of pharmacy students. They are the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education and the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. The curriculum offered today provides opportunities for students to learn and achieve ability-based outcomes in both didactic and experiential courses. This review of pharmacy education focuses generally on the national leadership of pharmacy education both past and present and specifically on outcomes of practice that students are expected to achieve. Included in the discussion are recommendations for how preceptors in a community practice model can build on the college curriculum by recognizing and incorporating ability-based outcomes into their activities of the introductory and advanced practice courses.

Letters

Letters

Designing an Assessment for an Abilities-Based Curriculum

Objectives. Our program adopted an abilities-based curriculum and established 12 terminal educational ability-based outcomes. We developed performance-based assessments to measure students' ability to accomplish the program's outcomes. Methods. Faculty teams defined expected outcomes and tasks for each of the 12 ability-based outcomes for the P1 and P2 years in the curriculum. These expected outcomes and tasks then became the basis for cases used in designing the performance-based assessments. Faculty members drafted 12 cases for each year and the corresponding performance criteria used in grading. All cases were validated by a national review panel. The cases were then converted into computer-based simulations for programmatic assessment at the end of the 2003 school year. All P1 and P2 students participated in the assessments. Two faculty members graded all cases. The interrater reliability between the 2 graders and the internal consistency of the assessment were measured. Results. The overall interrate...

Integration of Pharmacotherapy Poster Presentations into the Advanced Practice Experience

ABSTRACTThis article describes the incorporation of poster presentations into the pharmacy curriculum at the Harrison School of Pharmacy. A poster presentation assignment was incorporated into the Advanced Practice Experiences (APE) as a way to have students identify therapeutic issues relevant to pharmacy practice, evaluate bio-medical literature, and professionally communicate information in a written and oral format. Student performance indicators included observation-based assessment with mean scores for years 1–3 of 92%, 93%, and 93%, respectively. Faculty rated students highest with regard to dimensions of professionalism (94–100%) and lowest with respect to biomedical literature analysis (83–93%). Student and faculty perceptions regarding the achievement of specific ability-based outcomes were measured through surveys. Overall, 80% of students during the 3 years agreed that poster presentations were useful to their future professional careers. Modifications focusing on the grading process, communic...

Standardized Patients: An Ability-Based Outcomes Assessment for the Evaluation of Clinical Skills in Traditional and Nontraditional Education

Standardized Patients: An Ability-Based Outcomes Assessment for the Evaluation of Clinical Skills in Traditional and Nontraditional Education