Building professional skills in the undergraduate Pharmacy curriculum using a graduated descriptor tool to assess practice skill development ALTC Project PP8-923

Leigh McKauge (UQ); Ieva Stupans (UniSA) ; Susanne Owen (UniSA);

Greg Ryan (USyd) ; Jim Woulfe (USyd)

Background Graduated CompetencyDescriptors Project

Australian Learning & Teaching Council (ALTC) funded project

• Based on recommendations of earlier (Stage 1) project1

• Three elements:

1. Creation of pharmacy experiential learning database (PELD

2. Development of graduated competency descriptors

3. Identification of placement quality indicators

1 ALTC ‘Experiential Placements in Pharmacy’ (2007) report http://www.apsa-online.org/papers

.  

1. Two initial national workshops with various stakeholder groups;

2. Draft competency graduated descriptors tool developed re early and late placement: level of support; time taken for tasks; degree of client focus; clinical problem-solving.

3. National consultations: 207 participants (36 groups; 12 individuals) in states/territories: students, preceptors/professional/registration and academic groups;

4. Progressive amendment and evolution of tool;

5. Completion of survey questionnaire re early & late placement level of support expectations;

6. Further refinement of tool, development of guidelines & preparatory learning training pack;

7. Trialling & finalisation of competency graduated descriptors tool.

Graduated DescriptorsWhat are graduated descriptors?Word description of what a student “looks like” with respect to a holistic view of competenciesThese word pictures are set at two levels, introductory and advanced (Early Placement………Late Placement)

Why did we want to develop graduated descriptors?•Potential for use in authentic assessment for university to assess students on clinical placements•More importantly to allow students

• to self assess and gauge progress•to enable a structured dialogue between student and student supervisor (pharmacist) about what students may wish to achieve at particular practice site

What do they look like ?One of eight functional areas in pharmacy competency standards. . .

ResultsNational Consultation:•All stakeholder interactions and feedback were positive with constructive responses

Trial of the graduated competency descriptors in a block 4 week placement in community pharmacy:

Student survey response (n = 45; RR = 54%)•Aspects of the Graduated Descriptor Tool which were of clear value to the majority of students:

• Easy to use;

• Focus on Pharmacy competencies useful

• Useful for self-assessment against competencies.

• Aspects of the Graduated Descriptor Tool where students reported no clear value:

• Training provided for the tool was useful;

• Training did not facilitate explanation to the Preceptor;

• Did not support discussions with the Preceptor;

• Did not provide additional feedback from the Preceptor;

• Did not provide support for student learning.

Preceptor survey response (n =30; RR = 36% )

•All aspects of the Graduated Descriptor Tool were reported to be of clear value for student learning

ConclusionResearch is situated in pharmacy education, but is applicable to other health education contexts particularly as a greater alignment across health professions is required with competency to practice being paramount.

DiscussionPharmacy competency is not on university graduation but is a requirement of registration after additional internship year.

Graduated Descriptor Tool allows for undergraduate students to evaluate practice skill acquisition prior to internship year and plan required professional development.

Reasons for some ambivalence in student opinions on the Graduated Descriptor Tool:

• Small sample size - further trials currently being undertaken;

• Training was reading electronic instructions – lecture/tutorial training being developed to assist student;

• Preceptor materials needed to assist in the understanding and application of the tool in practice.

Student comments on learning support at odds with their positive stance on the usefulness of the competency approach.

Preceptors reported positive responses for Graduate Descriptor Tool.

Further data is required to elucidate these differences.

Summary of competency descriptors

Basis of judgment Developing ability