Student Pharmacists during the Pandemic: Development of a COVID-19 Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (COVKAP) Survey

The Role of Consumerism in Pharmacy Education

The notion of consumerism and that students are customers of pharmacy colleges was explored by proponents and opponents of the idea. First, a working definition of a "customer" in pharmacy education is pondered with respect to the roles and responsibilities of students and schools/colleges of pharmacy. Second, the pros and cons of "student-centered" education are considered in the light of students and their families being consumers of the educational experience. Third, the duality of student-centered education is discussed including student engagement/disengagement in their learning, professional/unprofessional behaviors, and shared/individual responsibilities. Lastly, learning and teaching environment dynamics are discerned when higher education becomes more student-centric and how that may affect the overall outcome of the student and the goals of pharmacy educational programs.

Pharmacy Students' and Pharmacist Preceptors' Perceptions of the Hospital Rotation Experience during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic brought significant disruptions to pharmacy experiential education. To ensure the safety of students and staff, university and rotation site educators needed to make changes rapidly to adapt to the dynamic environment.

Objectives

To explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pharmacy students and their preceptors during experiential rotations and to identify any barriers to learning that arose and opportunities for improvement.

Methods

Two online questionnaires were developed to explore the perceptions of pharmacy students and preceptors during experiential rotations. The following topics were examined: support for rotations by the hospital and the university, perceived safety, accessibility of resources, interpersonal interactions, professional development, assessment and evaluation, and overall impressions. All Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience students from the University of Toronto who completed 1 or more rotations at North York General Hospital during the 2020/21 academic year and their preceptors were invited to participate.

Results

Sixteen and 25 questionnaires were completed by students and preceptors, respectively. Both groups agreed that they were adequately prepared for the rotations and felt safe. There was a decrease in interpersonal interactions, while the use of virtual communication tools increased. Lessons learned included the need for timely communications and access to resources for learners and preceptors, contingency plans for staff shortages and outbreaks, and workspace assessments.

Conclusions

During the COVID-19 pandemic, implementation of experiential rotations was associated with many challenges, but pharmacy learners and preceptors believed the overall experience was not significantly affected.

Resilient Coping is More Important Than Previous Virtual Learning Experience: Predicting Pharmacy Student Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic precipitated a swift transition to online learning in medical and health sciences. This study investigated the associations of previous experience with online learning, current confidence with online learning, and resilient coping skills with perceived stress reported by pharmacy students during the emergency transition to online learning.

Methods

Undergraduate pharmacy students (N=113, response rate = 41%) completed an online, self-report, cross-sectional survey during April-June 2020. Measures included Likert items measuring prior experience and current comfort levels with online learning, the Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS), and the Perceived Stress Scale 10-Item Version (PSS-10). Experience, comfort with online learning, reported scores, and internal consistency for the BRCS and PSS-10 were summarized. A linear regression model examined the associations of prior experience with online education, gender, and resilient coping with perceived stress.

Results

Of the 113 respondents (78% female, mean age 22.3 years), > 50% had only occasional prior experience with online learning, coursework, and examinations, but 63% expressed confidence with online learning. Mean PSS-10 and BRCS scores were 23.8 and 13.3, respectively, and both scales demonstrated good internal consistency (α > 0.80). BRCS score was the single predictor of the PSS-10 score (r² = 0.18, p < 0.001). Female gender was not a significant predictor (p = 0.11). A multiple regression model explained moderate variation in perceived stress (adjusted R² = 0.19).

Conclusion

PSS-10 and BRCS scores indicated moderate levels of stress and coping skills among students during online teaching. Most students had some prior exposure to online learning, coursework, and examinations. Higher resiliency scores, but not prior online learning experience, predicted lower perceived stress.

Educational Effects of Simulation and Non-Simulation Training in Airway Management according to Levels of the Kirkpatrick Model: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis

There is insufficient validation of the effectiveness of simulation-based training (Sim) or non-simulation-based training (non-Sim) for teaching airway management to healthcare professionals within the literature. We thus conducted a network meta-analysis comparing the effectiveness of Sim, non-Sim, and no educational intervention (NI) for airway management. The primary endpoints were knowledge scores (KnS) and behavioral performance scores (BpS) corresponding to assessments at levels 2 and 3 of the Kirkpatrick model, respectively. Effect sizes were expressed as standardized mean differences (Std. MD) and 95% credible intervals (CrIs). Regarding KnS, the educational effects of Sim and non-Sim were significantly improved compared to those of NI (Std. MD [95% CI]: 1.110 [0.903–1.316] and 0.819 [0.209–1.429], respectively); there was no significant difference between Sim and non-Sim. The educational effect of Sim in BpS was significantly improved compared to that of non-Sim and NI (0.850 [0.015–1.691] and 0.660 [0.241–1.076]); there were no differences between non-Sim and NI. Surface under the cumulative rank curve values demonstrated that Sim ranked highest in efficacy for KnS and BpS. This study provides valuable information regarding the educational efficacy of Sim and non-Sim in airway management. Larger randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these findings.

COVID-19-Driven Improvements and Innovations in Pharmacy Education: A Scoping Review

The COVID-19 pandemic led to many colleges of pharmacy having to make major changes relating to their infrastructure and delivery of their curriculum within a very short time frame, including the transition of many components to an online setting. This scoping review sought to summarize what is known about the impact of COVID-19 on pharmacy education and the effectiveness of adaptation strategies which were put in place. PubMed, Web of Science, OVID Medline, and MedEdPortal were searched to identify pharmacy education-related articles published since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. For article inclusion, the following criteria had to be met: described original research, related directly to PharmD or PharmBS education, related to the impact of COVID-19 on pharmacy education, and was available in English. Out of a total of 813 articles, 50 primary research articles were selected for inclusion. Our review of these identified four domains relating to the impact of COVID-19 on pharmacy education and/or effectiveness of adaptation strategies: (1) lab-based courses and activities (including interprofessional education activities), (2) experiential education, (3) didactic education, and (4) student well-being. The key research findings are summarized and discussed. While the COVID-19 pandemic has clearly brought many challenges to pharmacy education, it has also led to key improvements and innovations.

Evaluating Students' COVID-19 Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (COVKAP) during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic led to significant disruption in students’ lives through lockdowns, restricted movement, remote instruction, and mixed information. Therefore, this study aimed to capture the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of student pharmacists during 2020–2021. A 43-item COVID-19 Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (COVKAP) survey previously developed was administered at four schools of pharmacy across the U.S. during Fall 2020 and Spring 2021. A total of 418 responses were analyzed from graduating classes of 2021–2024. There were no significant differences in correct COVID-19 knowledge responses across the four graduating years. Respondents’ attitudes around COVID-19 were homogenous with the exception for their belief in their preparedness to administer COVID-19 vaccines. Respondents reported wearing masks daily (76.8%), infrequently visiting restaurants (82.1%), practicing social distancing daily (45.7%), and referring to medical journals for information (72%). In conclusion, during the pandemic, student pharmacists experienced significant changes in their academic lives. Their knowledge and subsequent attitudes and practices were consistent with the state of evidence during Fall 2020 and Spring 2021. Subsequently, as newer information has emerged, the authors suggest that the COVKAP survey may be modified and administered frequently to address student needs and concerns as the pandemic evolves.

Perceptions of Pharmacy Students on the E-Learning Strategies Adopted during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

E-learning strategies were globally adopted by academies because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The characterization of students' perception of online learning is fundamental to design appropriate models for pharmacy curricula. The study aim was to carry out a systematic review about the perception of pharmacy students on the e-learning strategies adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist was followed. PICOS criteria were applied. Five databases were screened: PubMed, Cochrane Library, DOAJ-Directory of Open Access Journals, SciELO-Scientific Electronic Library Online and b-on-Online Library of knowledge (Biblioteca do conhecimento online).

KEYWORDS

"pharmacy and (distant or remote or e-learning or online or zoom or education or training or digital) and (COVID or SARS and (student or undergraduate) and (opinion or satisfaction or perception or attitude)".

RESULTS

23 out of 176 papers were selected (28 duplicated and 125 excluded). Selected papers were classified, as follows: studies exclusively involving pharmacy students (n = 8); studies simultaneously involving pharmacy students and other healthcare students (n = 6); and studies related to the involvement of pharmacy students in specific courses (n = 9).

CONCLUSIONS

In general, the perception of pharmacy students on e-learning strategies adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic was positive. However, an expressive proportion of undergraduates reported negative issues about online education, which seems to support the necessity of optimizing e-learning strategies in the future.