Kelly L. Scolaro

Assessment and recommendations of compounding education in AACP member institutions.

In August 2009, the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Council of Sections established a Task Force to assess the current status of compounding education at its member institutions and to provide recommendations for future direction. The Task Force conducted a survey in late June 2010 of faculty members enrolled in the AACP Pharmaceutics and Pharmacy Practice sections to gain qualitative information of the current state of compounding education. The survey results were then organized around eight curricular topics for which the Task Force members provided interpretations and recommendations. A final report was sent to the AACP Council of Sections on February 15, 2011. This publication provides the information contained in that final report to the professional community.

Institutional Strategies to Achieve Diversity and Inclusion in Pharmacy Education

Objective. To evaluate the impact of institutional initiatives to enhance recruitment of minority students as a strategy to increase diversity and inclusion. Methods. The Office of Recruitment, Development, and Diversity Initiatives (ORDDI) was established and several initiatives were developed within the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy to promote student diversity and engagement. Applicant demographics and admission data were tracked from 2007-2012 to assess program performance and effectiveness. Results. Over the 6-year period, 812 recruitment events were facilitated. Twenty-nine percent of the students admitted from 2007-2012 participated in 1 or more ORDDI recruitment programs prior to admission. Forty-two percent of this cohort were minorities. The overall average minority profile of students increased from 19% to 25% after establishing the ORDDI. Conclusions. To achieve student diversity and inclusion, a multifaceted effort is required, involving a continuum of institutional strategies, including innovative practice models and high impact programs.

A Spanish Language Module in a First-Year Pharmaceutical Care Laboratory Course

Objective. To assess the impact of incorporating Spanish language lectures and activities in a required Pharmaceutical Care Laboratory course on first-year doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) students’ perceptions of and comfort level with Spanish-speaking patients and basic knowledge of Spanish pharmacy terms. Design. The 6-week module consisted of attendance at a 1-hour lecture on medical Spanish and Hispanic culture, and completion of 4 small-group activities: drug and product information, patient information, counseling and side effects, and a written scenario that involved filling a prescription for and counseling a Spanish-speaking patient. Assessment. All students enrolled in the Pharmaceutical Care Laboratory course in fall 2008 (153) and fall 2009 (152) completed a pre- and post-intervention questionnaire (100% response rate). Less than 4% of students considered themselves fluent in Spanish prior to participating in the Spanish language module. Students agreed or strongly agreed that it was important for pharmacists to be able to translate common pharmacy label instructions from English to Spanish (89.8%) and Spanish to English (73.8%). Student-reported confidence in their ability to pronounce common pharmacy and medical terms in Spanish significantly increased, as did their ability to correctly interpret pharmacy label instructions. Conclusions. While incorporation of a Spanish language module in a first-year Pharmaceutical Care Laboratory course did not result in students achieving fluency in Spanish, it was a beneficial method of exposing students to Spanish language and culture.

Limited Predictive Utility of Admissions Scores and Objective Structured Clinical Examinations for APPE Performance

Objective. To examine the relationship between admissions, objective structured clinical examination (OSCE), and advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) scores. Methods. Admissions, OSCE, and APPE scores were collected for students who graduated from the doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program in spring of 2012 and spring of 2013 (n=289). Pearson correlation was used to examine relationships between variables, and independent t test was used to compare mean scores between groups. Results. All relationships among admissions data (undergraduate grade point average, composite PCAT scores, and interview scores) and OSCE and APPE scores were weak, with the strongest association found between the final OSCE and ambulatory care APPEs. Students with low scores on the final OSCE performed lower than others on the acute care, ambulatory care, and community APPEs. Conclusion. This study highlights the complexities of assessing student development of noncognitive professional skills over the course of a curriculum.

Otc product: plan B emergency contraception.

This article provides the key information for the over the counter (OTC) emergency contraception product Plan B. It includes information regarding: manufacturer active ingredient indication availability safety efficacy mechanism of action and patient information.

Medication management in North Carolina elementary schools: Are pharmacists involved?

OBJECTIVE To determine the extent of pharmacist use in medication management, roles of school nurses, and use of other health care providers at elementary schools in North Carolina. METHODS Prospective survey of 153 (130 public and 23 private) elementary schools in four counties of North Carolina. A 21-question survey was e-mailed to the head administrator of each school (e.g., principal, headmaster) containing a Qualtrics survey link. Questions were designed to elicit information on school policies and procedures for medication management and use of health care providers, including pharmacists, in the schools. Responses were collected during a 2-month period. RESULTS Representatives from 29 schools participated in the survey (19% response rate). All 29 schools reported having a school policy regarding medication administration during school hours. Of those, 27 schools reported consulting with nurses on their policies. Only 1 of 27 respondents reported consulting with pharmacists on medication management policies. The majority of the respondents (93.1%) stated that administrative staff was responsible for medication administration at the schools. CONCLUSION Use of pharmacists in creating and reviewing policies for schools and actual medication management at schools was extremely low. The findings in this study reinforce the findings in previous studies that pharmacists are not being used and are not a major presence in elementary school health.