Simulation-based learning to teach blood pressure assessment to doctor of pharmacy students

Abstract

Objective: To assess the effect of simulation-based learning on doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) students' ability to perform accurate blood pressure assessments and to measure student satisfaction with this novel teaching method.

Methods: Didactic lectures on blood pressure assessment were combined with practical sessions using a high-fidelity computerized patient simulator. Before and after the simulation sessions, students completed a written objective examination to assess knowledge and completed a survey instrument to determine their attitudes regarding the learning experience. Individual clinical skills were assessed using the patient simulator.

Results: Ninety-five students completed the study. Significant improvement was seen in students' knowledge and their ability to accurately determine blood pressure following simulation sessions. Survey responses indicated that students felt confident that simulation-based learning would improve their ability to perform accurate blood pressure assessments.

Conclusion: Pharmacy students showed significant improvement in clinical skills performance and in their knowledge of the pharmacotherapy of hypertension. Students expressed high levels of satisfaction with this type of learning experience.

Figures

Figure 1

The facilitator discusses pharmacy students' performance immediately after their participation in a simulation-based learning session using a patient mannequin.

Figure 2

Presimulation and postsimulation survey results of students participating in simulation-based learning using a patient mannequin. (Question 1: How confident are you in your ability to perform a blood pressure assessment? Question 2: Do you feel that patient simulation of blood pressure monitoring will increase your ability to perform a blood pressure assessment on a patient? Question 3: Do you feel that it is a pharmacist's responsibility to perform blood pressure assessments for their patients? Question 4: Do you feel that a didactic lecture on measuring blood pressure will improve your ability to perform a blood pressure assessment?)