An interdisciplinary evaluation of pharmacy on a global medical mission trip
Keywords:
Global Health, Inter-professional Education, Medical Missions, PharmacyAbstract
Objectives: To assess the impact of working with student pharmacists on a global mission trip and examine the perceptions of undergraduate and graduate students with regard to student pharmacists' participation.
Methods: Medical, nursing, and pre-health undergraduate students who participated in an interdisciplinary medical mission trip to Honduras in 2014, 2015, and 2016 completed pre- and post-test surveys to assess study objectives.
Results: Thirty-three (100%) students completed the surveys. Findings revealed non-pharmacy student awareness of pharmacy students’ ability to provide assistance with the international travel clinic improved (p<0.05). Non-pharmacy students strongly agreed that pharmacy students understood the difficulties and nuances of their role as a healthcare professional; enhanced patient care; and medication errors in dosing, potential drug interactions and side effects would be reduced with pharmacy student participation on teams (p<0.05).
Conclusion: Inter-professional medical mission trips provide an opportunity for healthcare students to collaborate and understand the unique roles of healthcare team members.
References
ACPE [Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education]. (2016). Accreditations standards and key elements for the professional program in pharmacy leading to the doctor of pharmacy degree. Chicago, Il.
Acquavita, S.P., Lewis, M.A., Aparicio, E. & Pecukonis, E. (2014). Student perspectives on interprofessional education and experiences. Journal of Allied Health, 43(2), e31-36
Albanese, N.P., Pignato, A.M. & Monte, S.V. (2017). Provider perception of pharmacy services in the patient- centered medical home. Journal of Pharmacy Practice, 30(6), 612–620
Arif, S.A., Dilich, A., Ramel, C. & Strong, S. (2014). Impact of an interprofessional international experience abroad on the attitudes of health care professional students. Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning, 6(5), 639–645
Ateah, C.A., Snow, W., Wener, P., MacDonald, L., Metge, C., Davis, P.,...Anderson, J. (2011). Stereotyping as a barrier to collaboration: Does interprofessional education make a difference? Nurse Education Today, 31(2), 208–213.
Blouin, R.A. & Adams, M.L. (2017). The role of the pharmacist in health care expanding and evolving. North Carolina Medical Journal, 78(3), 165–167
Bridges, D.R., Davidson, R.A., Odegard, P.S., Maki, I.V. & Tomkowiak, J. (2011). Interprofessional collaboration: three best practice models of interprofessional education. Medical Education Online, 16
Clements, J.N., Rager, M.L., & Vescovi, E.M. (2011). The value of pharmacy services on a shortterm medical mission trip: description of services and assessment of team satisfaction. The Annals of Pharmacotherapy, 45(12), 1576–1581
Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. (2017). Standards and required elements for accreditation of physical therapist education programs. 4th ed. Alexandria, VA.
Gilliland, I., Attridge, R.T., Attridge, R.L., Maize, D.F. & McNeill, J. (2016). Building cultural sensitivity and interprofessional collaboration through a study abroad experience. The Journal of Nursing Education, 55(1), 45-48
Hawkes, G., Nunney, I. & Lindqvist, S. (2013). Caring for attitudes as a means of caring for patients--improving medical, pharmacy and nursing students’ attitudes to each other’s professions by engaging them in interprofessional learning. Medical Teacher, 35(7), e1302- 1308
Health Professions Networks Nursing & Midwifery Human Resources for Health. (2010). Framework for Action on Interprofessional Education & Collaborative Practice. WHO, Geneva, Switzerland.
Hean, S., Clark, J.M., Adams, K. & Humphris, D. (2006). Will opposites attract? Similarities and differences in students’ perceptions of the stereotype profiles of other health and social care professional groups. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 20(2), 162–181
Henderson, C.D., Broeseker, A.E., Berry, C.G., Fort, D.N., Thomason, A.R., Cahoon, T.M. & Karlet, M.C. (2013). Interprofessional education sessions involving doctor of pharmacy, bachelor of science in nursing, and nurse anesthetist students. Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning, 5(5), 458–469
Interprofessional Education Collaborative Expert Panel. (2011). Core competencies for interprofessional collaborative practice: Report of an expert panel. Washington, DC.
Lancaster, J.W., Douglass, M.A., Gonyeau, M.J., Wong, A., Woolley, A.B. & Divall, M.V. (2013). Providers’ perceptions of student pharmacists on inpatient general medicine practice experiences. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 77(2), 26
National League for Nursing Board of Governors. (2015). Interprofessional collaboration in education and practice: a living document from the national league for nursing. NLN Visionseries.
Ward, C.T., Nemire, R.E. & Daniel, K.P. (2005). The development and assessment of a medical mission elective course. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 69(3), 50
Zorek, J. & Raehl, C. (2013). Interprofessional education accreditation standards in the USA: a comparative analysis. Journal of
Interprofessional Care, 27(2), 123-130
