Integrating standardized patient safety and quality competencies in pharmacy curriculum: Evaluation of the impact on student development and professional identity

Introduction

Improving patient safety and quality of care is a national healthcare priority. While changes in healthcare systems help to address some concerns in this area, the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of healthcare professionals play a role as well. Health professions education programs have a responsibility to ensure comprehensive patient safety and quality training.

Objectives

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of integrating standardized safety and quality competencies from an evidence-based framework in a patient safety and quality course within a Doctor of Pharmacy program.

Methods

A gap analysis was conducted using guidelines from the Canadian Patient Safety Institute (CPSI) to explore curricular coverage of the included concepts and competencies. The course was designed to address key competencies not addressed elsewhere in the curriculum. An adapted self-assessment survey tool was administered at the end of the course for students to retrospectively assess changes in perceived skills and attitudes. Mean retrospective pre- and post-scores were compared using the paired sample t-tests and Cohen d as a measure of effect size. Responses to an open-ended question regarding how students could impact patient safety were qualitatively analyzed for emergent themes. Student performance on the course final exam was analyzed using descriptive statistics to assess knowledge.

Results

Sixty-three students (80.8%) completed the survey and were included in the analysis. A statistically significant change was observed in 18 of the 24 self-assessment items, with effect sizes in the modest to moderate range. Key themes emerged regarding student professional identity development including error prevention, error management, reporting culture, learning culture, just culture, and teamwork. The mean individual student score on the final examination was 87.67% ± 4.87%.

Conclusion

Findings suggest the new course using the CPSI framework had a positive impact on student knowledge, perceived skills, and attitudes in the area of patient safety.