Student self-assessment of knowledge and application of legal concepts in a community pharmacy simulation

BackgroundThe Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) lists the topic of pharmacists’ responsibilities and limits under the law as an area essential to the development of pharmacists. The use of active learning techniques such as role-play and simulation in pharmacy education is encouraged; however, these have rarely been used to reinforce students’ knowledge and application of legal concepts.ObjectivesTo assess students’ confidence in knowledge and application of pharmacy laws; their ability to properly supervise support staff and to evaluate the influence of inattentive behavior upon pharmacy practice responsibilities.MethodsStudents role-played as pharmacists, technicians, and interns in a series of ten-minute community pharmacy simulations. Pharmacists oversaw typical operations and were presented with situations that challenged their knowledge of pharmacy law while background activities competed for their attention. Students completed pre- and post-assessments on their confidence in knowledge of legal requirements and their ability to recognize violations. Students in the pharmacist role completed an additional questionnaire concerning simulation events. All students completed a reflective writing assignment. Faculty observers evaluated student performance.ResultsPositive and negative changes from baseline occurred in students’ confidence of knowledge and recognizing violations. Students’ awareness of the impact of inattentive behavior upon pharmacy practice increased. Students’ ratings of their attention to detail and ability to multi-task decreased.ConclusionThe assessment methods in this study provided students insight into their strengths and weaknesses regarding knowledge and application of legal concepts in pharmacy. This information gives students an opportunity to address deficient knowledge areas before entering pharmacy practice.