Impact of social media use on reading levels in third-year student pharmacists.

INTRODUCTION: The majority of Americans report using social media, but there is limited research describing impact of social media on academic performance and reading. Our objectives were to describe the association between social media use and reading levels of third-year student pharmacists (P3), describe the association between reading level and pharmacy school admissions data, and assess texts used in the curriculum for readability. METHODS: This was a prospective, cohort study. Reading level was determined by a standardized test. Social media data were collected via questionnaire. Admissions data were obtained from the admissions office. Readability of texts was assessed using readability software. RESULTS: Eighty-nine student pharmacists completed the study. The average reading level was 16.4. Students reported using social media for an average of 126 min daily. Students reported using an average of four social media sites and spending 88 min weekly on extracurricular reading. Negligible linear correlations were found between reading level and time spent on social media (ρ = 0.063), number of sites used (ρ =0.062), and time spent on extracurricular reading (ρ= 0.130). A moderate correlation (ρ = 0.524) was found between reading level and Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) score. The average readability of guidelines and textbook chapters were 18.1 ±â€¯1.0 and 20.4 ±â€¯0.3, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In P3 students, reading level was not associated with social media use. However, PCAT scores were positively associated with reading level. Furthermore, the readability of assigned texts exceeded the average reading level of the students.

International practice experiences in pharmacy education.

OBJECTIVES: To identify reasons for inclusion of international practice experiences in pharmacy curricula and to understand the related structure, benefits, and challenges related to the programs. METHODS: A convenience sample of 20 colleges and schools of pharmacy in the United States with international pharmacy education programs was used. Telephone interviews were conducted by 2 study investigators. RESULTS: University values and strategic planning were among key driving forces in the development of programs. Global awareness and cultural competency requirements added impetus to program development. Participants' advice for creating an international practice experience program included an emphasis on the value of working with university health professions programs and established travel programs. CONCLUSION: Despite challenges, colleges and schools of pharmacy value the importance of international pharmacy education for pharmacy students as it increases global awareness of health needs and cultural competencies.

Assessment of critical thinking in pharmacy students.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether changes occur over 1 academic year in pharmacy students' critical thinking skills and disposition to think critically. METHODS: First, second, third, and fourth-year pharmacy students completed the California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST) and the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI) at the beginning and end of 1 academic year. RESULTS: One hundred thirty-seven students completed the study. No significant changes occurred over the year in total scores on either instrument. However, scores in 3 of 12 subscale scores changed significantly and several significant correlations were found. CONCLUSION: Pharmacy students' scores on 2 critical thinking instruments showed no major improvements over 1 academic year but most scores were above average. Some areas of possible weakness were identified. Additional studies comparing scores over a longer period of time (eg, admission to graduation) are needed.

Effect of pharmacists on medication errors in an emergency department.

PURPOSE: The frequency of medication errors in an emergency department (ED) before and after an ED pharmacist was assigned to check medication orders was studied. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted for any patient admitted to the ED of a large rural hospital between November 6, 2005, and December 6, 2005 (control group), or between November 6, 2006, and December 6, 2006 (intervention group). For the control group, no pharmacist was present in the ED to check drug orders; for the intervention group, a pharmacist was present. Potential errors in medication orders were identified and validated. RESULTS: A total of 490 medication orders written for 198 patients were evaluated for errors. The control group (n = 94) and the intervention group (n = 104) did not differ significantly with respect to age, sex, race, or number of medication orders. A total of 37 and 14 medication errors were identified for the control and intervention groups, respectively. The rate of errors was 16.09 per 100 medication orders for the control group compared with 5.38 per 100 orders for the intervention group, a 66.6% difference (p = 0.0001). The ED pharmacists made 183 recommendations, of which 98.6% were accepted. CONCLUSION: The rate of medication errors in the ED decreased significantly when pharmacists prospectively reviewed ED medication orders.

Pharmacy students' reading ability and the readability of required reading materials.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the reading level of third-professional year doctor of pharmacy students and whether a significant correlation existed between Nelson-Denny Reading Test (NDRT) grade equivalence scores and the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) percentile scores, and to determine the reading level of selected course materials. METHODS: The NDRT was administered to third-professional year (P3) pharmacy students. Scores from the NDRT were compared to the percentile rankings of the students' PCAT scores to determine whether significant correlations existed. Chapters from a pharmacy textbook and published medical guidelines were assessed using the Gunning FOG readability formula. RESULTS: Based upon the NDRT, the average reading grade level for pharmacy students was 16.5 years. There was a strong correlation between the vocabulary scores from the NDRT and the PCAT verbal percentile (rho = 0.776, p < 0.001). The average readability grade level of the materials assessed was 18.0 years for the textbook and 19.2 years for the medical guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: The verbal PCAT percentiles strongly correlate with the vocabulary grade equivalence scores on the NDRT. A moderate correlation was found between the composite PCAT percentiles and NDRT total grade equivalence scores. There was also a disparity between the average reading level of the students and that of the reading samples that were assessed.