A teamwork OSCE station - Encompassing shared decision making between a doctor, pharmacist and patient

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Education
• Interprofessional Education (IPE)
• Healthcare Simulation

Background:

• Teamwork and interprofessional education (IPE) are crucial components of pharmacy curricula.
• Incorporating patients into shared decision-making represents a patient-centered approach to care.
• Traditional assessment of teamwork often relies on peer evaluations in group settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate a teamwork Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) station for final-year pharmacy students.
• To assess students' collaborative skills and their ability to justify clinical recommendations within a team setting.
• To gather perceptions from students, simulated patients, and simulated doctors regarding the OSCE's effectiveness.

Main Methods:

• A teamwork OSCE station was piloted in two countries with final-year pharmacy students in 2022.
• Students encountered clinical scenarios requiring collaboration with a simulated doctor and patient.
• Assessment focused on collaborative skills, justification of evidence-based recommendations, and managing therapeutic resistance. Perception data were collected from participants.

Main Results:

• The overall mean score across six OSCE cases was 79.1%.
• Students demonstrated challenges in engaging in two-way conversations, often presenting recommendations without seeking confirmation.
• Simulated patients valued the emphasis on their role in decision-making, while simulated doctors appreciated the assessment of clinical justification.
• 86.2% of students found the OSCE adequately assessed their teamwork skills.

Conclusions:

• The teamwork OSCE station is a valuable tool for assessing shared decision-making competencies in pharmacy students.
• There is a need for enhanced training to improve students' ability to conduct two-way conversations in clinical practice.
• Simulation provides a realistic environment for evaluating essential teamwork and communication skills in pharmacy education.