Improving student knowledge in medication management through an advanced pharmacy practice experience

Abstract

Objectives: To assess the impact of an advanced pharmacy practice rotation on student therapeutic knowledge, confidence in performing medication therapy management (MTM), and ability to use MTM documentation platforms.

Design: Pretest/post-test quasi-experiment.

Setting: This study was conducted at the InterNational Center for Advanced Pharmacy Services (INCAPS), a licensed pharmacy that provides MTM services to geriatric patients in Louisville, Kentucky.

Patients, participants: This research evaluated 37 advanced pharmacy practice students who participated in the five-week learning rotation at INCAPS between October 1, 2011, and June 30, 2012.

Interventions: Thirty-seven students were tested before (pretest) beginning the rotation. During the rotation, students performed daily MTM consultations and participated in weekly topic discussions pertaining to relevant areas of chronic disease management and geriatric pharmacotherapy. Following the five-week rotation, a post-test was administered to these 37 students to analyze the changes in their knowledge.

Main outcome measures: The primary outcome measure was the test score for the assessment of chronic disease management and geriatric pharmacotherapy.

Results: Compared with baseline, post-test scores showed a statistically significant improvement in the areas that were assessed-osteoporosis, hypertension, diabetes, asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and inappropriate medication use in the elderly. A post-rotation survey also reflected positive improvements in student confidence when performing MTM consults for geriatric patients.

Conclusions: The five-week MTM-focused rotation at INCAPS with weekly topic discussions and daily MTM consults showed a positive impact on students' ability to manage medication therapy for chronically ill and geriatric patients.