(278) Learning From Medication Errors: Impact of an Elective Course on How Students Approach Medication Safety

Objective : The elective course ‘Medication Safety and Humanity’ presents a novel pedagogic approach for P2 students to enhance their level of professional awareness. It specifically focuses on the overall consequences of medication errors prior to their Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE) and Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPE). This course aims to supplement the ‘Just Culture’ concept promoted in health-systems. It provides a combination of hands-on assignments and presentations from interdisciplinary lecturers who share their real-world experiences relevant to the direct results of medication errors in clinical practice.

Methods: An anonymous 16-item survey was distributed to all students who had taken this elective course between 2021-2023 (n=80). The survey’s purpose was to evaluate the resulting professional impact of interactive learning activities on medication safety among students. Participation in the study was voluntary and no incentives were offered. This study was deemed quality improvement.

Results: The response rate for the survey was 65% (n=52/80). All respondents (n=52) felt that they had a better understanding of, and different appreciation for, medication safety after completing the course. 88.5% (n=46/52) felt that this course had impacted how they approach medication safety issues in practice. Of note, 89.7% (n=26/29) of students who witnessed a medication error in their work environment acknowledged the course impacted the way they evaluated or reacted to an error. Additionally, 71.4% (n=10/14) of P4s used their medication safety knowledge during APPE.

Conclusions: An elective course dedicated to medication safety can effectively prepare students before beginning practical training. The responses regarding the impact of the course were overwhelmingly positive and suggest that it can influence how students consider medication safety at work or during APPE.