Virtual site visits - an emerging option for experiential quality assurance.

Experiential education Experiential learning Preceptors Quality assurance Virtual communication

Journal

Currents in pharmacy teaching & learning
ISSN: 1877-1300
Titre abrégé: Curr Pharm Teach Learn
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 101560815

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
05 Jan 2024
Historique:
received: 20 12 2022
revised: 21 09 2023
accepted: 18 12 2023
medline: 7 1 2024
pubmed: 7 1 2024
entrez: 6 1 2024
Statut: aheadofprint

Résumé

Site visits are a valuable tool for experiential quality assurance. There is sparse literature regarding the use of a virtual modality for completion of site visits. This manuscript describes the experience of using of onsite and virtual site visits, including benefits and limitations of each approach, by two pharmacy experiential programs. Each experiential program utilizes both virtual and onsite visits to assess site quality, provide preceptor development, and connect with sites and preceptors. Information gathered and documentation processes are similar for both institutions for both visit modalities. The two pharmacy institutions differ in size, geographical location, number of experiential sites, and experiential department structure. Based on site evaluator feedback from the two institutions, both visit modalities achieved the goals of evaluating sites for quality, fostering relationships with preceptors, and affording opportunities to provide preceptor development. Positive features of virtual site visits were increased flexibility with scheduling, expanded participation and engagement, increased efficiency, and decreased cost. Drawbacks noted with virtual site visits were challenges touring the site, decreased ability to observe group dynamics and culture, and participant multi-tasking. A virtual approach to completing experiential site visits achieved programmatic goals. Utilizing a combination of virtual and onsite visits may facilitate a customized approach to navigating the advantages and disadvantages of each modality.

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OBJECTIVE
Site visits are a valuable tool for experiential quality assurance. There is sparse literature regarding the use of a virtual modality for completion of site visits. This manuscript describes the experience of using of onsite and virtual site visits, including benefits and limitations of each approach, by two pharmacy experiential programs.
EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AND SETTING METHODS
Each experiential program utilizes both virtual and onsite visits to assess site quality, provide preceptor development, and connect with sites and preceptors. Information gathered and documentation processes are similar for both institutions for both visit modalities. The two pharmacy institutions differ in size, geographical location, number of experiential sites, and experiential department structure.
FINDINGS RESULTS
Based on site evaluator feedback from the two institutions, both visit modalities achieved the goals of evaluating sites for quality, fostering relationships with preceptors, and affording opportunities to provide preceptor development. Positive features of virtual site visits were increased flexibility with scheduling, expanded participation and engagement, increased efficiency, and decreased cost. Drawbacks noted with virtual site visits were challenges touring the site, decreased ability to observe group dynamics and culture, and participant multi-tasking.
SUMMARY CONCLUSIONS
A virtual approach to completing experiential site visits achieved programmatic goals. Utilizing a combination of virtual and onsite visits may facilitate a customized approach to navigating the advantages and disadvantages of each modality.

Identifiants

pubmed: 38184483
pii: S1877-1297(23)00310-6
doi: 10.1016/j.cptl.2023.12.006
pii:
doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Sous-ensembles de citation

IM

Informations de copyright

Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

Declaration of Competing Interest None.

Auteurs

Janel P Soucie (JP)

University of Florida College of Pharmacy, Orlando Campus, 6550 Sanger Rd, Orlando, FL 32827, United States. Electronic address: jsoucie@cop.ufl.edu.

Janelle L Krueger (JL)

Experiential Education, University of Wyoming School of Pharmacy, Dept. 3375, 1000 E. University Ave., Laramie, WY 82071, United States. Electronic address: jkruege1@uwyo.edu.

Lisa Vandervoort (L)

University of Florida College of Pharmacy, Orlando Campus, 6550 Sanger Rd, Orlando, FL 32827, United States. Electronic address: Lvandervoort@cop.ufl.edu.

Antoinette K Brown (AK)

Experiential Education, University of Wyoming School of Pharmacy, Dept. 3375, 1000 E. University Ave., Laramie, WY 82071, United States. Electronic address: Abrown13@uwyo.edu.

Carinda Feild (C)

University of Florida College of Pharmacy, 9200 113St N, Seminole, FL 33772, United States. Electronic address: Cfeild@cop.ufl.edu.

Classifications MeSH