Original Research
Sunday, October 13, 2024
12:45 PM–02:15 PM
Abstract
Introduction:
The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges in pharmacy education, particularly in experiential learning. As a result, preceptors were forced to make significant changes in how pharmacy students engaged with the healthcare team. While there is limited data published on the specific changes implemented, there is documentation of student perceptions of the changes. There is a notable lack of information, however, on the impact these changes had on documented interventions.
Research Question or Hypothesis: What impact did COVID-19 have on the number/type of clinical interventions and acceptance rate compared to pre- and post-COVID-19?
Study Design: Retrospective quality improvement project.
Methods: Fourth year pharmacy students for three faculty preceptors on a mandatory inpatient general medicine advanced pharmacy practice experiential (APPE) at a large community medical center documented clinical interventions in an online database from May 2018 through April 2024. The database captured information pertaining to APPE block, preceptor, intervention category, description of intervention, potential benefits, outcomes, and references. Data was extracted from the database for each rotation block and combined into the following groupings: pre-COVID-19 (May 2018-March 2020), COVID-19 (May 2020-April 2022), and post-COVID-19 (May 2022-April 2024).
Results: Pre-COVID-19, 59 students documented 1,752 interventions (median 28; range 13-60). During COVID-19, 62 students documented 1,402 interventions (22; 0-52). Post-COVID-19, 60 students documented 1,266 interventions (20; 8-40). Most intervention categories were similar except for patient education: 17.8% pre-COVID-19, 10.4% during COVID-19, and 8.5% post-COVID-19. Recommendations were typically accepted: 53.5% pre-COVID-19, 63.6% during COVID-19, and 62.6% post-COVID-19.
Conclusion: During COVID-19, there was an observed reduction in the number of interventions per student, especially for patient education. This was expected based on conditions such as virtual rotations, absences due to illness, lack of bedside rounding, and inability to enter some patient rooms. Interestingly, post-COVID-19 intervention numbers have not returned to pre-COVID-19 levels. Further analysis is needed to explain this continued downtrend in student interventions.
Presenting Author
Margaret de Voest PharmDFerris State University
Authors
Kari Janes PharmD
Ferris State University College of Pharmacy
Dane Shiltz PharmD
Ferris State University College of Pharmacy