Knowledge Exchange Between Experiential Learning and Classroom Teaching of Pharmacy Students on Medication Safety

• In Event: Roundtable Session 26
  In Roundtable Session: Knowledge in Professional Development

Abstract

Medication Safety Self-Assessment® (MSSA) (http://www.ismp-canada.org/amssa/index.htm) is a questionnaire used to assess medication safety in community pharmacies. Undergraduate pharmacy students were introduced to MSSA in class. During the following co-op term, with the employers’ consent, students conducted MSSA at their community work placements. Aggregate MSSA results of 14 community pharmacies were then presented to students in class. Students worked in teams and offered quality improvement recommendations to these 14 sites. Pharmacy students were able to adopt existing knowledge in medication safety to their workplace through self-reflection and in-class discussion of the MSSA results. Pharmacy co-op students can serve as liaison between the academic and “real” world by offering state-of-the-art knowledge exchange between the school and their employers.

Authors

• Certina Ho, OISE/University of Toronto

• Patricia Hung, University of Waterloo

• Brett Morphy, University of Waterloo

• Nancy Waite, University of Waterloo