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Introduction

Preceptor Development: Patient Care Process

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Precepting and the Patient Care Process

This module was developed to guide you, the preceptor, in supporting and assessing your student(s) in the Patient Care Process.
Preceptors are integral to our program

Assess/evaluate the skills and knowledge our students possess
Role model and reinforce skills in real patient care settings

Preceptors providing feedback to the Faculty have power for change.

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Outline

Learning objectives of the patient care process module
Rationale and philosophy of the patient care process module
Patient care process module overview
The patient care process diagram
Expectations of the student and year of study
Written care plans
Feedback versus evaluation
Next steps

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Learning Objectives: Patient Care Process

At the end of this module, participants will be able to:

Understand why and how the Patient Care Process document was developed for student use in the curriculum
Recognize the patient care process and understand how you can help the student effectively apply his/her patient care skills in your clinical practice
Provide feedback and evaluate the student’s patient database, assessment of drug therapy, care plan and documentation for a specific patient
Know how to guide and support the student through the patient care process document in your patient care practice

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The Patient Care Process Rationale

To expose students to various processes, frameworks and terminology at all levels of learning
To facilitate learning in the classroom setting and on experiential rotations

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The Patient Care Process Rationale

Multi-stakeholder input
Various practice settings and clinical practice expertise

Community
Primary Care Network
Hospital - Inpatient
Ambulatory Care
Faculty of Pharmacy

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Patient Care Process Philosophy

Comprehensive process:

Initial patient assessment (medical and medication history)
Assessing and identifying drug-related issues
Developing a pharmacy care plan
Documenting care

The language/terminology is simple and consistent with other health care disciplines
A framework to guide learners and practitioners
Flexible and adaptable to any practice site

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Overview of Module

Each section has the following components:

Setting the stage
Elements of the patient care process being discussed
Feedback and evaluation
Overview of the preceptor role

The sections of the Patient Care Process follow a logical sequence but are designed to allow for independent viewing.

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Overview of Module

Six independent sections:

Introduction
Creating a Patient Database
Assessing Drug Therapy
The Pharmacy Care Plan
Documentation
Conclusion�

All the sections of this module were developed to support the preceptor in facilitating your student in each of these patient care processes.

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Patient Care Process Diagram

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Expectations and Year of Study

Patient Care Process is introduced in the first year; the skill and knowledge continue to build over 4 years

Range of student experience and ability
Align your expectations of the student with their knowledge and skill set
Course activities have been designed to support and guide you and your student

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Written care plans�

Writing down the patient database, patient assessment and care plan is a valuable and integral part of the learning process
Care plans form the basis for clinical documentation
Written care plans allow for peer or preceptor feedback and evaluation

Often, students will say “My preceptor doesn’t write down their care plans, so why do I have to? This is not really done in practice.” While we also know that practicing pharmacists don’t always write down their plans, and make some decisions in their head, preceptors also have experience that students don’t. Additionally, practicing pharmacists do write out their care plans, at least some of the time – for competence assessment and for applying for expanded scope such as Additional Prescribing Authority, or as part of their documentation. Students are learners, and as such, better learn a process, and commit to certain decisions when they write what they are thinking down on paper. This serves to help them learn – an active process – and you to assess and evaluate their knowledge and decision making skills.

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Feedback versus Evaluation�

Feedback is verbal or written whereas evaluation is written.
Feedback:

guides and helps develop the student’s future performance
should occur frequently and regularly throughout clinical placement
should be constructive

Evaluation:

summative; assesses global student performance across specific learning objectives
is usually completed at pre-defined time points such as midpoint and end of clinical placement

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Next Steps

Have a copy of both the Patient Care Process document and the Preceptor Practice Assessment Worksheet handy when viewing and listening to each section
Reflect on your own patient care practice for each section; write down pertinent thoughts on your Preceptor Practice Assessment Worksheet
Use ideas from the presenting preceptors!
Contact us with any questions – Office of Experiential Education, 780-492-5825 or exed@pharmacy.ualberta.ca