A cross-sectional study of a simulation-based intravenous workflow and sterile compounding verification activity at...

The use of intravenous workflow management systems (IVWMS) is considered best practice for sterile compounding within hospitals. To support student learning, two schools of pharmacy collaborated to develop a simulated IVWMS activity and accompanying checklist. This initiative aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a stepwise verification approach and to assess students' perceptions of the activity.

Third-year pharmacy students participated in the activity to determine whether each compounded sterile preparation (CSP) should be verified or rejected based on errors identified through electronic inspection. Students were randomized into two groups: Group A had access to the checklist for the first five cases only, whereas Group B had access to the checklist for the final five cases. Upon completion of the activity, students were asked to complete a survey to evaluate their perceptions of the exercise.

Students in both groups answered a median of 7 questions correctly, with Group A (n = 50) scoring 70.6% and Group B (n = 51) 69%. The grade distributions between group A and B, the schools, or the checklist and non-checklist items were similar. Ninety-six students completed the survey with 93.8% indicating the activity enhanced their learning experience and provided a realistic representation of IV workflow processes. Most students thought the checklist was useful during the process (84.4%) and encouraged them to think critically (85.4%).

The checklist did not improve the students' ability to verify CSPs. However, students believed the activity enhanced their learning experience and allowed them to critically think about the verification process.