Pharmacy students as educators: An interprofessional approach to insulin management education

Student pharmacists may increase the knowledge and comfort level of student nurses and student physicians through peer-assisted teaching (PAT) on insulin management for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Fourth-year student pharmacists completing their primary care rotation provided instruction to third-year student nurses and third-year student physicians on the selection, dosing, administration, and counseling of insulin products in type 2 diabetes. Learners were asked to complete a pre- and post-survey to determine comfort level and knowledge before and after the educational experience.

A total of 200 student nurses and student physicians were included in the analysis. All but two questions from the pre- to post-survey resulted in a statistically significant increase in the number of respondents who agreed or strongly agreed with the statements. In both the pre- and post-survey, >90% of participants agreed or strongly agreed that pharmacists add value to the medical team. An overwhelming majority of students indicated that this learning experience would assist them with making clinical decisions regarding insulin therapy for patients with type 2 diabetes during clinical rotations.

The education provided by student pharmacists improved knowledge and confidence in selecting, dosing, administering, and counseling on insulin products, but not with adjusting therapy. Although the student nurses and student physicians valued pharmacy prior to the study, their willingness to reach out to pharmacists increased. This study demonstrates the usefulness of PAT for collaboration between healthcare professional students for improved knowledge and confidence to ultimately enhance patient-centered care.