Enhancing Student Outcomes Through Service Learning

e21Abstracts / Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy 10 (2014) e1–e64

Results: The total response rate was 76% (84/110).

Most respondents found that the needs of immigrant

customers were not sufficiently assessed at the counter

(n¼ 55, 65%), and that their latest encounter with an

immigrant customer was less satisfactory than a similar

encounter with an ethnic Danish customer (n¼ 48,

57%) (significantly more pharmacists than assistants:

odds ratio, OR, 3.19; 95% confidence interval, CI,

1.27–8.04). Forty-two per cent (n¼ 35) perceived that

immigrant customers put pressure on pharmacy staff

resources, while 27% (n¼ 23) found that the immigrant

customer group make work more interesting. More

pharmacists than assistants agreed on the latter

(OR, 3.43; 95% CI, 1.04–11.33). Within the past 14

days, 86% (n¼ 72) experienced that their advice and

counselling were not understood by immigrant cus-

tomers, whereas 49% (n¼ 41) experienced lack of

understanding by ethnic Danes; and 30% (n¼ 25)

had consciously refrained from counselling an immi-

grant, whereas 19% (n¼ 16) had done so with an

ethnic Dane. Use of under-aged children as interpreters

during the past month was reported by 79% of

respondents. Regarding suggestions on how to improve

encounters with immigrant customers, most respon-

dents listed interventions aimed at patients, general

practitioners and pharmaceutical companies.

Conclusions: Community pharmacy staff report poorer

quality in their encounters with immigrant customers,

including sub-optimal counselling and frequent use of

under-aged children as interpreters. Our study also

reveals differences across personnel groups, which may

be explained by differences in level of education.

Enhancing Student Outcomes Through Service LearningS.C. Westrick, Harrison School of Pharmacy, Auburn

University, Auburn, AL

Contemporary models for teaching pharmacy students

involve real-world applications through service learning.

This study focused on evaluation of student-provided

patient counseling on herpes zoster immunizations.

Specifically, this study evaluated changes in a) student

knowledge in herpes zoster immunizations and b) con-

fidence and attitudes regarding immunization counseling

after their participation in service learning.

Methods: A one-group pre-test, post-test design was

utilized. A total of 136 immunization-certified pharmacy

students participated in a structured patient education

program in community pharmacies in May - August

2013. Each student a) assessed patients’ immunization

status, b) informed patients about the severity of herpes

zoster and vaccine effectiveness, c) made immunization

recommendations, d) assessed patients’ acceptance/decli-

nation decisions, and e) administered the vaccine if

requested. Each student interviewed at least 5 patients

who were 60 year or older. Student knowledge in herpes

zoster vaccine, confidence in providing vaccination

counseling and attitudes toward general immunization

counseling were compared before and after their partic-

ipation in the program.

Results: A total of 122 and 103 students completed the

pre- and post-program questionnaires in May and

August 2013, respectively. Students demonstrated sig-

nificant improvements in knowledge scores in all three

areas: herpes zoster and the vaccine (p ! .01), vaccine

cost and insurance coverage (p!0.01), and vaccine

contraindications and precautions (p!0.01). After

providing patient counseling, students were more confi-

dence in their knowledge (p!0.01) as well as in their

abilities to: a) recruit patients into the education pro-

gram (p!0.01), b) discuss risks and benefits of the

vaccine (p!0.01), and c) answer patients’ questions (p!0.01). However, there was no significant improvement in

students’ attitudes toward general immunization

counseling.

Conclusions: Through participation in service learning,

pharmacy students educated non-vaccinated patients

about herpes zoster and its vaccine. Students’ knowledge

and confidence were improved after participating in the

patient education program.

Evaluating a Quality Improvement InterventionTargeted at the Medicine Supply Service fromAustralian Pharmacies to Residential Aged CareFacilitiesJ.F.M. Gilmartin, J.L. Marriott, S.Y. Hussainy, Centre

for Medicine Use and Safety, Monash University,

Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Australian community pharmacies often supply medi-

cines to residential aged care facilities (RACFs) in dose

administration aids (DAAs). These medicine organisers

may not always accurately reflect current medication

regimens, or medicines may be unsuitably packed ac-

cording to storage requirements. This study evaluated

the impact of an intervention, comprising education and

a toolkit for 45 RACFs and affiliated pharmacies, on the

frequency and severity of these incidents.

Methods: At least three months after the intervention was

introduced, DAA audits were conducted at 45 Victorian

RACFs from September 2012 to January 2013. A phar-

macist checked pharmacy-supplied DAAs against RACF

medicine records and classified identified incidents accord-

ing to their potential risk of causing an adverse event.

Findings were compared to pre-intervention DAA audit

data. Descriptive statistics were calculated using SPSS 19

and statistical significance was determined using the

Pearson’s Chi-squared test. Ethics approval was obtained

from the Human Research Ethics Committees of Monash

University, Ballarat Health Services and St John of God

Healthcare, and Barwon Health.

Results: Of 2,389 DAAs audited from 39 pharmacies for

983 residents, 770 incidents involving 502 DAAs were

identified (21.0% incident rate). The DAA incident rate

significantly increased post-intervention (21.0%),

compared to pre-intervention (11.5%) (p!0.001).