Validation of a survey instrument to evaluate students' learning during community-based advanced pharmacy practice experiences.
OBJECTIVE
To develop and validate a preceptor/student self-report survey instrument to distinguish between different advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) models based on pharmaceutical care competencies.


METHODS
The survey instrument's psychometric properties and differential impacts of 3 community-based APPE models were evaluated retrospectively.


RESULTS
Five dimensions characterized APPE learning: importance of 14 pharmaceutical care competencies; agreement with pharmaceutical care procedures in practice; gains in perceived pharmaceutical care abilities; and learning climate and preceptor support. Most of the survey instrument scales detected student/preceptor differences as well as differences in APPE model structures. A streamlined, 30-item short form was validated against the full 78-item survey instrument.


CONCLUSIONS
This study confirms that APPE learning can be quantified to: (1) identify high-risk students, (2) train new or continuing preceptors, (3) promote skills-training for select pharmaceutical care competencies, (4) add clarity and structure to APPE learning objectives, and (5) provide students and preceptors with common frameworks for negotiating the APPE experience.
Kassam
Rosemin
R
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of British Columbia, 2146 East Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3. rokassam@interchange.ubc.ca
Collins
John B
JB
D003157:Community Pharmacy Services; D003162:Competency-Based Education / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D003625:Data Collection; D004512:Education, Pharmacy / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D017145:Models, Educational; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011231:Preceptorship / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012650:Self Disclosure; D013339:Students, Pharmacy