Persons living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and others receiving antiretrovirals are at risk for medication errors during hospitalization and at transitions of care. These errors may result in adverse effects or viral resistance, limiting future treatment options. A range of interventions is described in the literature to decrease the occurrence or duration of medication errors, including review of electronic health records, clinical checklists at care transitions, and daily review of medication lists. To reduce the risk of medication-related errors, antiretroviral stewardship programs (ARVSPs) are needed to enhance patient safety. This call to action, endorsed by the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the HIV Medicine Association, and the American Academy of HIV Medicine, is modeled upon the success of antimicrobial stewardship programs now mandated by the Joint Commission. Herein, we propose definitions of ARVSPs, suggest resources for ARVSP leadership, and provide a summary of published, successful strategies for ARVSP that healthcare facilities may use to develop locally appropriate programs.

Since 2004, concerns and calls for greater quality assurance in experiential education have been published. The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) "Standards 2016" provide limited differentiation across the four required practice experiences, and, as such, schools interpret them differently. Both schools and accreditation site visit teams would benefit from a common set of guidance for the required Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs), so that they can ensure consistency and quality in student experiences across practice sites. To address this need for greater standardization, a taskforce of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Experiential Education (EE) Section conducted a peer-reviewed, consensus-building process, including experiential faculty and staff across multiple colleges and schools of pharmacy, to determine a common set of elements that could be used to bring consistency to the experiences and expectations for student learning in practice. Over a two year period, the taskforce reviewed the relevant literature and then drafted and revised the elements through an iterative process which allowed for established EE consortia and members of the EE section to review the draft and provide input for revision. The resulting essential elements presented here can be used to guide faculty and staff within experiential education programs in their quality assurance processes in ensuring students receive consistent experience as part of their education prior to graduation.

OBJECTIVES:To ascertain the reasons for, benefits of, and barriers to pursuing the American Academy of HIV Medicine (AAHIVM) HIV Pharmacist (AAHIVP) credential. METHODS:A cross-sectional study using an electronic self-administered survey was used. Two separate invitations to participate in online surveys were sent to pharmacists who practice in HIV-related settings: 1 to pharmacists with the AAHIVP credential and 1 to members of key pharmacy organizations and employers without the credential. The surveys assessed demographics, concurrent credentials and certifications, and factors influencing the pursuit of and benefits gained from having the AAHIVP credential (credentialed population) or barriers to pursuing the AAHIVP credential (credentialed and noncredentialed populations). RESULTS:There were 192 participants (survey response rate 38.8%) in the credentialed population and 212 participants in the noncredentialed population. Perceived recognition as an HIV expert from pharmacist (n = 174; 90.6%) and physician (n = 162; 84.4%) peers was the main reason for credentialing; only 20.4% (n = 23/113) of participants' employers reimbursed for the credential. Common reasons for nonpursuit included lack of employer incentive (n = 46; 26.6%) and lack of fee reimbursement (n = 38; 21.9%) in those aware of the credential. However, a majority of these noncredentialed participants reported they would be interested in pursuing credentialing (n = 152; 80.4%). CONCLUSION:AAHIVP credentialing is sought and maintained on the basis of perceived intangible benefits, such as peer recognition, over tangible benefits, such as increased salary and reimbursement by third-party payers. Despite interest, a lack of employer reimbursement is perceived to be a barrier to AAHIVP credentialing among those who have not yet been credentialed.

PURPOSE:Using the Delphi process, a panel of experienced preceptors achieved consensus on best practices to increase preceptor efficiency and effectiveness. METHODS:The Delphi panelists completed 3 survey rounds and a face-to-face meeting. Survey questions covered several topics, including preparation of students for rotations, preceptor efficiency and effectiveness, potential resident contributions to precepting, methods of developing critical-thinking skills and providing assessment and feedback, precepting time metrics, and barriers to preceptor effectiveness. Panel consensus was defined as agreement of ≥80%. RESULTS:Fifteen of 36 invited preceptors (42%) completed all 3 survey rounds. The expert panel reached consensus on 6 essentials for effective rotations, 8 precepting contributions that could be made by appropriately trained residents, precepting barriers, 4 strategies for teaching critical thinking, and 5 valuable characteristics of the One Minute Preceptor model. Panelists reported on time spent with students presenting new patient cases (median, 10 minutes per case), time devoted to assessment of students' clinical performance (median, 22 minutes per student weekly), and time dedicated to student professional development (median, 20 minutes per student weekly). CONCLUSION:Important strategies for preceptors identified by the panel included (1) a thorough orientation to logistics, expectations, and scheduling of activities, (2) using appropriately trained residents in student training, (3) providing opportunities for critical thinking and therapeutic decision-making, (4) giving frequent, quality feedback on clinical activities, and (5) giving feedback to learners on a regular basis.

The goal of a professional program at a school or college of pharmacy is to produce competent and professional pharmacy practitioners. In 2009, The American College of Clinical Pharmacy published a white paper to assist in the teaching of professionalism in schools/colleges of pharmacy to include traits such as responsibility, commitment to excellence, respect for others, honesty and integrity, and care with compassion. In February 2015, the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education released their updated accreditation standards (Standards 2016) which introduced the concept of co-curricular activities (Standard 12.3): experiences that complement, augment, and/or advance what is learned in the formal didactic and experiential curriculum. This article details the Professional Development Curriculum at Western University of Health Sciences (WesternU) College of Pharmacy as a potential educational model that promotes professionalism through mandating co-curricular activities for student pharmacists.

Objective: We sought to identify barriers and possible solutions for community hospitals providing Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences (IPPE).Methods: A survey was developed and made available online to a segment of members of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy. Responses were collected anonymously.Results of the survey were assessed using descriptive statistics. Results: A total of 45 individuals who self-identified as being employed in acute care hospitals or hospital systems currently hosting IPPE students responded to the survey, with 35 of these individuals completing the entire survey. Pharmacy department staff-, school-, and student-related burdens and barriers were identified, and successful approaches to providing IPPE were described. It is unknown how many members receiving the survey practice in acute care community hospital settings, so the true response rate for this survey is unknown, and the responses to this survey cannot be generalized.Conclusions: Informed planning and preceptor support for IPPE may enhance the quality of learning activities available to students and decrease the burden of providing IPPE for hospital-based preceptors. This survey provides preliminary information that may be built upon; a subsequent quantitative study is needed to glean generalizable information on this topic. (C) 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Objectives. To evaluate the impact of student pharmacists delivering medication therapy management (MTM) services during an elective advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE). Methods. Student pharmacists provided MTM services at community pharmacy APPE sites, documented their recommendations, and then made follow-up telephone calls to patients to determine the impact of the MTM provided. Students were surveyed about the MTM experience. Results. Forty-seven students provided MTM services to 509 patients over 2 years and identified 704 drug-related problems (average of 1.4 problems per patient). About 53% of patients relayed the recommendations to their physician and 205 (75%) physicians accepted the recommendations. Eighty-eight percent of patients reported feeling better about their medications after receiving MTM services. A majority of the students perceived their provision of MTM services as valuable to their patients. Conclusions. Providing MTM services to patients in a pharmacy practice setting allowed student pharmacists to apply skills learned in the doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) curriculum.

OBJECTIVES:To evaluate the impact of student pharmacists delivering medication therapy management (MTM) services during an elective advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE).METHODS:Student pharmacists provided MTM services at community pharmacy APPE sites, documented their recommendations, and then made follow-up telephone calls to patients to determine the impact of the MTM provided. Students were surveyed about the MTM experience.RESULTS:Forty-seven students provided MTM services to 509 patients over 2 years and identified 704 drug-related problems (average of 1.4 problems per patient). About 53% of patients relayed the recommendations to their physician and 205 (75%) physicians accepted the recommendations. Eighty-eight percent of patients reported feeling better about their medications after receiving MTM services. A majority of the students perceived their provision of MTM services as valuable to their patients.CONCLUSIONS:Providing MTM services to patients in a pharmacy practice setting allowed student pharmacists to apply skills learned in the doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) curriculum.