Adaptive and longitudinal pharmaceutical care instruction using an interactive voice response/text-to-speech system

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Education
• Health Professions Education

Background:

• Traditional pharmaceutical care education may not fully replicate the complexities of patient interaction.
• There is a need for innovative pedagogical approaches to enhance practical skills in pharmaceutical care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and implement a course structure that closely simulates the real-world provision of pharmaceutical care.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of an interactive system in a pharmaceutical care laboratory setting.

Main Methods:

• Development of an interactive voice response/text-to-speech system for patient data acquisition.
• Utilizing the system for students to collect data, review progress notes, and manage care plans for virtual patients.
• Incorporating laboratory time for evaluating patient progress and addressing drug-related problems.

Main Results:

• Student performance was assessed through recorded communications, completed care plans, and a competency-based examination.
• Peer and course evaluations were conducted to gauge student and faculty perceptions.
• The system facilitated interactive learning and challenged students in a simulated practice environment.

Conclusions:

• The implemented course structure successfully simulated the actual provision of pharmaceutical care.
• Student evaluations confirmed the achievement of the objective to create a more realistic learning experience.
• This innovative approach fostered interactive learning and enhanced student preparedness for pharmaceutical practice.