Evaluation of a sepsis teaching rounds simulation for pharmacy students

The goal of this prospective, observational cohort study was to determine if simulated interdisciplinary teaching rounds improved student perceptions of confidence and attitudes towards working as part of a team. The secondary objective of this study was to investigate changes in student knowledge of the management of sepsis.

Students participated in a traditional sepsis lecture followed by a simulated interdisciplinary rounding experience. Confidence and collaborative attitudes were assessed using a 5-point Likert scale (1=strongly disagree, 5=strongly agree). Changes in knowledge were measured using multiple choice questions. Students completed these tools at three points in time: pre-lecture, post-lecture, and post-simulation.

Student confidence and attitudes related to interdisciplinary rounds improved following the simulation (2 of 4 items, p=0.003; 2 of 5 items, p<0.05). Also, most students agreed or strongly-agreed that the simulation reinforced knowledge gained from lecture (94.7%), that lecture followed by a simulation was the most effective way to learn about sepsis (94.7%), and that the simulation helped reinforce critical-thinking skills (94.7%). Knowledge improved between the didactic lecture and the simulation, but these differences were not found to be statistically significant.

A simulated interdisciplinary rounding experience may increase student confidence during teaching rounds and improve attitudes towards working alongside other healthcare professionals. Incorporating rounding simulations into pharmacy curricula may be beneficial towards student success on rounds.