Pharmacology Course Research Articles

Using Quick Response Codes to Increase Students' Participation in Case-Based Learning Courses.

The purpose of this study was to use Quick Response codes to increase engagement in a case-based learning course. A quasi-experiment was conducted, and 103 students enrolled in a pharmacology course participated. The students were divided into high-, medium-, and low-scoring groups, based on their previous semester grades in the pharmacology course. A Chinese-version questionnaire of the Nursing Students' Attitude Toward Quick Response Codes in Case-Based Learning Scale was used. The major findings were as follows: (1) Most participants held positive attitudes toward the use of Quick Response codes in case-based learning courses. It was suggested that participants perceived the use of Quick Response codes to be easy and useful in learning activities. They also demonstrated positive attitudes toward the Quick Response codes and expressed their intention to use this application in the future. (2) After applying Quick Response codes in classroom teaching, students performed better in asking questions and discussions than they did before. The performance of the medium-level students improved significantly.

Development of perceived pharmacological deficits of medical students and alumni supports claim for continuous and more application-oriented education.

Medical students' prescribing competencies are insufficient. So far, surveys focused on final-year students. Knowledge and confidence seem important, but their development during medical studies are unclear. This study investigated whether students perceived deficits in pharmacological knowledge change during medical studies. Alumni were included to look for changes occurring after graduation. Medical students at different stages of their studies were invited to fill in paper-and-pencil (6th-, 8th-, 9th- and 10th-term students) or online questionnaires (final-year students and alumni) regarding their self-assessed deficits in pharmacology. Questionnaires have been developed based on previous interviews with 10th-term students. We differentiated between declarative and application-oriented knowledge. In total, data from 816 participants could be analysed. Self-assessment regarding declarative knowledge changed during medical studies, being more sceptical in terms without pharmacology courses. Of note, self-assessment of application-oriented knowledge remained constantly low throughout, although our pharmacology courses use problem-based learning. Tenth-term students were most sceptical, perhaps influenced by an obligatory, formative, simulation-based, 1-week course, preparing students for their final practical year. Compared to students, alumni were significantly less sceptical regarding application-oriented knowledge. Students' self-assessment of deficits in pharmacological knowledge changes throughout their studies, presumably in association with pharmacology courses. Overall, students are rather sceptical, especially with regard to application-oriented knowledge. Our data further substantiate the European Association for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (EACPT) recommendations to improve pharmacology education throughout the entire medical curriculum, e.g. by providing more training in simulated and clinical environments.

Investigating Factors Affecting Pharmaceutical Care Learning in Clinical Education in the View of Nursing Students in 2016 - 2017

Background: Pharmacological knowledge learning is of great importance to nursing students. The views of nursing graduates in this regard are acknowledged because this will lead to identifying the strengths and weaknesses of educational programs, resources, and trainers. Objectives: Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the factors affecting pharmaceutical care learning in clinical education from the viewpoint of nursing students in 2016 - 2017. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on nursing students (n = 120) recruited through a census method. The data collection tool was a self-administered questionnaire consisting of two parts. The first part was to gather demographic information including age, sex, semester, history of student work, and written score of the pharmacology course, and the second part was related to the areas affecting the learning process including professional competence of the instructor (11 items), teaching ability of the instructor (13 items), interpersonal communications of the instructor (5 items), clinical teaching environment (11 items), course plan (3 items), and learner characteristics (8 items). The collected data from 100 students were analyzed by SPSS16 software using descriptive statistics. Results: 47 (47%) male students participated in the study and most of the participants (59%) were aged 20 - 21 years. From the viewpoint of the students, the variables related to the areas of the clinical instructor, learner characteristics, and educational environment were the first to third factors affecting the pharmacological care learning, in sequence. Conclusions: Paying attention to the characteristics of the instructor, adaptation of clinical environment, characteristics and motivators of the students in gaining experience, and understanding the importance and necessity of learning the knowledge and practice of medicines can facilitate and strengthen the pharmaceutical care learning.

Integration of Medication-Assisted Treatment Information for Opioid Use Disorders Into a Graduate Nursing Curriculum.

The United States is in the midst of an unprecedented public health crisis, with annual morbidity and mortality data related to opioid use consistently increasing and appearing more worrisome. To mitigate such consequences, it is critical that those with opioid use disorders are provided with and have access to evidence-based treatment modalities. The project utilized a course scaffolding approach to integrate a comprehensive substance use framework into an advanced practice nursing curriculum, with an emphasis on medication-assisted treatment as part of an advanced pharmacology course required for licensure. Students' knowledge assessment increased significantly, from an average of 2.82 to 3.78 out of 5 items, t(217) = -10.31, p < .01. Educators and academic administrators must be steadfast in their resolve to include substance use, and specifically opioid use, education into all areas and levels of nursing study.

Incorporation of a Mobile Application in an Online Advanced Pharmacology Course.

Incorporation of a Mobile Application in an Online Advanced Pharmacology Course.

Developing confidence in basic prescribing skills during medical school: a longitudinal questionnaire study investigating the effects of a modified clinical pharmacology course

PurposeTo investigate if increased focus on pharmacotherapy during medical school can increase students’ confidence in basic prescribing skills, that is, performing medication reviews and writing medication discharge summaries.MethodsIn 2016, the clinical pharmacology course in medical school in Gothenburg, Sweden, was modified to facilitate the students’ acquisition of prescribing skills, with (i) clarified learning outcomes; (ii) supply of a list of common drugs for self-completion; (iii) instructions to practice medication reviews/discharge summaries during the ward-based education; and (iv) a concluding compulsory seminar where the students were to present prescribing-related experiences from their ward-based attendance. Questionnaires were administered to students participating in the course before (2016; n = 101) and after (2017; n = 137) implementation of the modifications. Students were asked to grade their agreement from 1 (totally disagree) to 5 (totally agree) on statements related to their perceived confidence in basic prescribing skills.ResultsIn all, 195 students returned the questionnaire (response rate 82%; median age 24 years; 68% female). Confidence was rated higher after the modifications were implemented, both regarding medication reviews and medication discharge summaries, after vs. before 3.6 ± 1.2 vs. 3.2 ± 1.0 (P = 0.024), and 4.3 ± 0.9 vs. 3.9 ± 1.1 (P = 0.008), respectively. The adjusted odds for being confident in performing these tasks were 1.49/1.36 times greater after the course modifications (P = 0.047/0.019). Perceived confidence in performing medication reviews/summary reports was positively correlated with numbers performed (P < 0.0001).ConclusionsModifications of the clinical pharmacology course during medical school, focusing on students’ training in pharmacotherapy, was associated with increased confidence of this core skill for a physician.

A redesigned pharmacology series increases students' satisfaction and is associated with improved performance in therapeutics

ObjectiveIn this study we describe the redesign, implementation and evaluation of a three‐quarter pharmacology course within a Pharm.D. curriculum.MethodsThis retrospective study examined the pre and post implementation of a redesigned three‐course pharmacology curriculum for second‐year pharmacy students. Course evaluations and examination scores were analyzed from four different cohorts of students (Class of 2014 to Class of 2017).Qualitative analysis of the course evaluations identified key areas of weakness to help the new course director implement changes to the entire pharmacology curriculum starting with the Class of 2014. Descriptive statistics, qualitative analysis, and correlation analysis were used to evaluate outcomes of the new course.ResultsQualitative analysis of 155 second‐year pharmacy student evaluations from the Class of 2014 identified lack of integration and coordination within the three‐course pharmacology sequence. Poor exam quality and the absence of active teaching methods were the most frequently described shortcomings of the pharmacology curriculum. In response to this analysis, exam question flaws were eliminated and active teaching modalities were introduced. Also, the new director took over more lectures to reduce the number of different guest lecturers teaching in the course. Immediately following these changes, the course evaluations dramatically improved and continued to improve over the following three years (One‐Way ANOVA with Bonferroni post‐test, p&lt; 0.05). Significant correlations were identified between course evaluations and the number of lecturers taught by the new course director as well as the number of active teaching methods (Pearson Correlation coefficient, p&lt;0.05). Students' performance in the years following the redesign correlated better with their performance in the third‐year Therapeutics course providing evidence for improved exam validity (Pearson Correlation coefficient, p&lt;0.05).ConclusionA rigorous redesign of a large pharmacology course resulted in increased students' satisfaction and an improved association with exam performance in the Therapeutics course. This study highlights the importance of a well‐designed pharmacology course for continued success in core courses in the PharmD curriculum.Support or Funding InformationN/AThis abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

A comparative assessment of the impact of computer assisted learning of knowledge and skill based competencies among undergraduate students in a medical college in South India

Background: Pharmacology has always been one subject ultimatum and a cornerstone in building up competency, based on applied therapeutics among medical graduates in prescribing and practicing skills. A focus on an integrated strategical approach towards teaching pharmacology for better proficiency in achieving clinical skills is mandatory. Thus, this study has been done to assess the impact and retainment of overall knowledge gained on various domains, based on a revised method of teaching in pharmacology.Methods: An observational, questionnaire based comparative study was done in a medical college, in Chennai. The study included two group of students, one who have completed their pharmacology course based on the revised pattern of teaching with a comparative group of students who have not been exposed to the revised pattern of teaching. A feedback survey was also done.Results: The study results indicated that the average scoring based on the questionnaire was 84% with the students who have been exposed to revised pattern of teaching in comparison to the average scoring of 70% with the students who have not been exposed to the new pattern of teaching. The average scoring of the students who were found to agree to several questions on the new method of teaching was 74% and 22% of the students were found to disagree. 4% of students were non responders.Conclusions: The ultimate improvement in the outcome of health care education can be achieved through appropriate skill building through a simple strategical modification of the regular teaching pattern with an integrated approach involving pharmacologists and clinicians. A refresher course in pharmacology in the final year curriculum and CRRI involving pharmacologists is mandatory.

Pilot study to evaluate the assessment methods of the basic pharmacology course at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Latvia

Pilot study to evaluate the assessment methods of the basic pharmacology course at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Latvia

A pilot program to introduce Interprofessional Education in a Dental Pharmacology Course

A pilot program to introduce Interprofessional Education in a Dental Pharmacology Course

Influence of pharmacological education on perceptions, attitudes and use of dietary supplements by medical students

sBackgroundThe ready availability and use of dietary supplements (DS) by the public means that healthcare professionals require education in this area. In the Republic of Serbia, education related to use of DS is included in undergraduate medical training and it is therefore important to assess the effectiveness of this education. The aim of our survey was to investigate the influence of pharmacological education on the use, attitudes and perceptions of risks associated with DS among medical students.MethodsMedical students at the University of Kosovska Mitrovica participated in the survey. Three hundred eighty questionnaires were distributed, yielding a response rate of 89% (n = 334). Data were categorized by year of study, completion of a one-year course in pharmacology and having passed the final exam. The results were compared between 192 (58%) medical students educated in pharmacology (MSEP) and 142 (42%) medical students not educated in pharmacology (MSNEP). The questionnaire was divided into 4 parts: socio-demographic and lifestyle/behavioral characteristics, use of DS, attitudes about efficacy, safety and perception of risk due to DS use. Chi-square test, Student’s t-test, and Mann-Whitney U test were used for statistical analysis.ResultsAbout 53% of respondents used some form of DS. Attitudes regarding the safety of DS consumption showed a difference between the groups. MSEP were more likely to agree that DS have the potential to cause adverse reactions (Likert scale mean 4.1 vs. 3.5, p < 0.001) as well as interactions with conventional drugs (Likert scale mean 4.2 vs. 3.2, p < 0.001) than MSNEP. Finally, MSEP ranked St. John’s wort and ginkgo as the most dangerous DS, but creatine and vitamin C were both ranked as relatively safe. Conversely, MSNEP considered ginkgo and vitamin C the most harmful DS, claiming that omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D had the least hazardous side effects.ConclusionOur results showed that pharmacological education gives young medical students a better understanding of the risks of DS-drug interactions and potential adverse effects. However, their overall attitudes and perception of risk indicate the need for further education.

Drug Prescription Knowledge and Practices among Dental Students and Interns Enrolled in Selected Yemeni Universities

Objective: To assess the drug prescription knowledge among dental students and interns in public and private Yemeni universities.&#x0D; Methods: A descriptive, observational study of drug prescription knowledge and practices was conducted through the distribution of self-administrated questionnaires to a total of 464 dental students and interns enrolled in four universities in Yemen in 2015. The study investigated the factors to be considered before drug prescribing, indications for prescribing antibiotics in dental situations, common antibiotics and analgesics prescribed, difficulties in writing a prescription and knowledge of the World Health Organization’s Guide to Good Prescribing. Findings were presented as descriptive statistics of frequencies and percentages, and differences and associations were tested at P-values &lt;0.05.&#x0D; Results: The majority of respondents were females (65.9%; 304/464), being enrolled in public universities (54.1%; 251/464) and from the fifth level of study (54.9%; 251/464). The mean respondents’ age was 23.0 ±1.3 years (range: 22–32). Presence of systemic diseases (75.0%), pregnancy status (72.2%) and presence of allergies (68.8%) were the factors most frequently considered by the respondents prior to drug prescribing. On the other hand, presence of abscesses was the most frequent reason for prescribing antibiotics (36.6%). Amoxicillin was the most frequently prescribed antibiotic (74.1%), while paracetamol (58.2%) and ibuprofen (47.0%) were the most frequently prescribed analgesics. Not knowing the brand names of prescribed drugs and wrongly filled prescriptions were the most frequent errors in writing prescriptions, being reported by 79.3% and 55.3% of respondents, respectively. Regarding the factors associated with common prescribing errors, female students had significantly more errors than their male counterparts regarding the posology and knowledge of brand names. In addition, fifth-level students reported significantly fewer errors in writing a drug prescription than fourth-level students, and the interns showed fewer errors than their undergraduate colleagues. Moreover, students from public universities reported significantly more errors in knowing brand names and duration of treatment than private university students.&#x0D; Conclusions: Dental students enrolled at the fourth and fifth levels as well as in the internship year of dentistry have insufficient knowledge and skills in prescribing drugs used in the dental field because of the perceived gaps in clinical pharmacology courses during their study. Revising the timing and content of pharmacology courses in dental curricula is required in light of the positive aspects of those from the dental faculties worldwide, emphasizing on drug prescribing skills and preparing dental students well before the clinical levels of the study program.

Drug Prescription Knowledge and Practices among Dental Students and Interns Enrolled in Selected Yemeni Universities

Objective: To assess the drug prescription knowledge among dental students and interns in public and private Yemeni universities.&#x0D; Methods: A descriptive, observational study of drug prescription knowledge and practices was conducted through the distribution of self-administrated questionnaires to a total of 464 dental students and interns enrolled in four universities in Yemen in 2015. The study investigated the factors to be considered before drug prescribing, indications for prescribing antibiotics in dental situations, common antibiotics and analgesics prescribed, difficulties in writing a prescription and knowledge of the World Health Organization’s Guide to Good Prescribing. Findings were presented as descriptive statistics of frequencies and percentages, and differences and associations were tested at P-values &lt;0.05.&#x0D; Results: The majority of respondents were females (65.9%; 304/464), being enrolled in public universities (54.1%; 251/464) and from the fifth level of study (54.9%; 251/464). The mean respondents’ age was 23.0 ±1.3 years (range: 22–32). Presence of systemic diseases (75.0%), pregnancy status (72.2%) and presence of allergies (68.8%) were the factors most frequently considered by the respondents prior to drug prescribing. On the other hand, presence of abscesses was the most frequent reason for prescribing antibiotics (36.6%). Amoxicillin was the most frequently prescribed antibiotic (74.1%), while paracetamol (58.2%) and ibuprofen (47.0%) were the most frequently prescribed analgesics. Not knowing the brand names of prescribed drugs and wrongly filled prescriptions were the most frequent errors in writing prescriptions, being reported by 79.3% and 55.3% of respondents, respectively. Regarding the factors associated with common prescribing errors, female students had significantly more errors than their male counterparts regarding the posology and knowledge of brand names. In addition, fifth-level students reported significantly fewer errors in writing a drug prescription than fourth-level students, and the interns showed fewer errors than their undergraduate colleagues. Moreover, students from public universities reported significantly more errors in knowing brand names and duration of treatment than private university students.&#x0D; Conclusions: Dental students enrolled at the fourth and fifth levels as well as in the internship year of dentistry have insufficient knowledge and skills in prescribing drugs used in the dental field because of the perceived gaps in clinical pharmacology courses during their study. Revising the timing and content of pharmacology courses in dental curricula is required in light of the positive aspects of those from the dental faculties worldwide, emphasizing on drug prescribing skills and preparing dental students well before the clinical levels of the study program.

Professor Thue W. Schwartz is the BCPT Nordic Prize Winner 2017 in Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology.

Professor Thue W. Schwartz is the BCPT Nordic Prize Winner 2017 in Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology.

Interprofessional education in pharmacology using high-fidelity simulation

BackgroundThis study examined the feasibility of an interprofessional high-fidelity pharmacology simulation and its impact on pharmacy and nursing students’ perceptions of interprofessionalism and pharmacology knowledge. Interprofessional education activityPharmacy and nursing students participated in a pharmacology simulation using a high-fidelity patient simulator. Faculty-facilitated debriefing included discussion of the case and collaboration. To determine the impact of the activity on students’ perceptions of interprofessionalism and their ability to apply pharmacology knowledge, surveys were administered to students before and after the simulation. Attitudes Toward Health Care Teams scale (ATHCT) scores improved from 4.55 to 4.72 on a scale of 1–6 (p = 0.005). Almost all (over 90%) of the students stated their pharmacology knowledge and their ability to apply that knowledge improved following the simulation. DiscussionA simulation in pharmacology is feasible and favorably affected students’ interprofessionalism and pharmacology knowledge perceptions. ImplicationsPharmacology is a core science course required by multiple health professions in early program curricula, making it favorable for incorporation of interprofessional learning experiences. However, reports of high-fidelity interprofessional simulation in pharmacology courses are limited. This manuscript contributes to the literature in the field of interprofessional education by demonstrating that an interprofessional simulation in pharmacology is feasible and can favorably affect students’ perceptions of interprofessionalism. This manuscript provides an example of a pharmacology interprofessional simulation that faculty in other programs can use to build similar educational activities.

Pharmacology Goes Concept-Based: Course Design, Implementation, and Evaluation.

Although concept-based curricula are frequently discussed in the nursing education literature, little information exists to guide the development of a concept-based pharmacology course. Traditionally, nursing pharmacology courses are taught with an emphasis on drug class where a prototype drug serves as an exemplar. When transitioning pharmacology to a concept-based course, special considerations are in order. How can educators successfully integrate essential pharmacological content into a curriculum structured around nursing concepts? This article presents one approach to the design and implementation of a concept-based undergraduate pharmacology course. Planning methods, supportive teaching strategies, and course evaluation procedures are discussed.

Improving Dental Students' Long-Term Retention of Pharmacy Knowledge with "Medication Minutes".

A major challenge in foundational science courses in dental curricula is the application of information from the classroom to a clinical setting. To bridge this gap, the aim of this study was to increase students' learning in a foundational pharmacology course through increasing clinical relevance and using formative assessment. Second-year dental students in an introductory pharmacology course were presented material in a traditional basic science lecture format and in brief examples of pharmacy-generated clinical content (Medication Minutes). Short-term retention was assessed with a series of five post-class session, non-graded quizzes, each containing four questions: two knowledge-based (one from basic science material and one Medication Minute) and two application-based (one from basic science material and one Medication Minute). Ten knowledge-based (basic science material) questions and ten application-based (Medication Minutes) questions were included on exams throughout the semester. The primary outcome was to measure long-term retention using performance on these questions on an assessment the following semester. Additionally, the impact of student engagement on examination performance was evaluated based on the number of quizzes each student completed. Students who completed three or more quizzes (n=43, 53%) were designated as "highly engaged," while students who completed less than three quizzes (n=36, 44%) were defined as "less engaged." Two students (3%) were excluded for not completing the long-term assessment or not consenting to the study. On short-term retention measures, the students performed better on the Medication Minute (M=0.76) than basic science (M=0.58) (p<0.001) material; however, on the in-semester examinations, there was no difference in performance. On long-term retention measures, the students performed better on Medication Minute material (M=0.64) than basic science material (M=0.33) (p<0.001); this was true for both highly engaged and less-engaged students. These results suggest that teaching pharmacology in a clinical context yielded better long-term retention than teaching with a non-clinical focus.

Impact of Simulation-Enhanced Pharmacology Education in Prelicensure Nursing Education.

Student and novice nurses are susceptible to committing medication errors related to lack of experience. To address medication safety, a quasi-experimental design (N = 120) was used to test the effect of adding simulation to an undergraduate nursing pharmacology course on students' confidence and competence, medication adverse events, and observed medication administration practices. Students who received simulation-enhanced pharmacology demonstrated important improvements in medication administration safety. Implementing simulation in nursing pharmacology curriculum is consistent with recommendations to implement Quality and Safety Education for Nurses competencies into nursing education.

Pharmacology Curriculum and Teaching Methods: A Comparative Study Between Two Nursing Programs in A Nepalese College

Introduction: Pharmacology is one of the basic science subjects included in graduate nursing programs (B. Sc Nursing and Bachelor of Science in Nursing) under Tribhuvan University. Both these programs are being run at our institute. This article describes the evaluation of pharmacology course and teaching methodology at our institute by B. Sc Nursing (B. Sc) and Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BNS) students and also compares students’ views between these two nursing programs to facilitate pedagogical learning. Methods: At the end of the course of 2071-2072 BS academic year of first year nursing students of B. Sc and BNS programs, a structured teaching evaluation questionnaire was designed to obtain students’ view on pharmacology curriculum and lectures. Yates corrected Chi square test was applied whenever necessary and p value considered significant at less than or equal to 0.05.Results: Only 37% B. Sc and 60% BNS students responded that the lecture content was in accordance with the curriculum. Only 52% BNS and 97% B. Sc students found the course content to be relevant and useful. 68% BNS students responded that they have felt a lot improvement in their understanding of pharmacology subject as compared to just 23% of B. Sc students. Majority of the students preferred the LCD mode of presentation.Conclusion: There were minor differences found between opinions of two sets of students. Major need for improvement areas suggested in curriculum were course content not being clear and the objectives being ill defined. Similarly, in relation to facilitator, they have recommended to improve voice clarity.

Nurse prescribing in Spain: The law and the curriculum.

In this cross-sectional study, we explored course content related to pharmacology and/or healthcare products and supplies in all nursing degree programs in Spain. Changes in nurse-prescribing legislation in Spain require that nurses take a certification course before prescribing over-the-counter products and medications. Using a cross-sectional descriptive study, between July and September 2014, the degree programs of all centers that offer a degree in nursing in Spain were examined, selecting those with course information available online. All centers offered at least one pharmacology course. One-third of the required courses had content related to pharmacology and healthcare products/supplies. The analysis showed that the course content and training received during the current nursing degree program provides the knowledge and skills needed to prescribe healthcare products/supplies and medications that do not now require a doctor's prescription, without the need for additional training and certification. It is essential that government regulation of nursing education be aligned with nursing competencies, curriculum standards, clinical practice, and evidence-based research to provide the maximum level of confidence for nursing professionals and their patients.