Development and evaluation of a required patient safety course

To develop, implement, and assess a required patient safety course for second-year doctor of pharmacy students.

A patient safety course was developed that included didactic lectures, case studies, in-class activities, and reading assignments. Written examinations and essays were used to evaluate student learning. In addition, a modified minute paper and a pre- and post-intervention student self-assessment survey were used to assess course outcomes.

Results examining the utility of the course teaching format and the relevance of the material in meeting the course outcomes are presented and discussed. The self-assessment course survey indicated major improvements in the students' knowledge and skills, readiness for knowledge application, and commitment to improve patient safety.

The course provided pharmacy students with an increased level of understanding of the principles and concepts of patient safety.