(108) A Dual-Site Randomized Study Evaluating Patient Counseling Performance after a Hands-on Continuous Glucose Monitoring Experience

Co-Author(s)

HF

Heather Folz, PharmD, BCACP

Associate Professor
Notre Dame of Maryland University
Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Primary Author(s)

Christina H. Sherrill, PharmD, BCACP, BC-ADM, CPP (she/her/hers)

Assistant Professor of Ambulatory Care and Director of the Clinical Skills Lab
High Point University
High Point, North Carolina, United States

Co-Author(s)

SL

Sun Lee, PharmD

Associate, Health Economics and Outcomes Research
Analysis Group
Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Objective : To assess differences in performance of student pharmacists who were provided the opportunity to wear a continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) device versus not on counseling a standardized patient (SP) with a new CGM prescription. Secondary outcomes included between-group differences in knowledge, confidence, and empathy before and immediately after this 2-week laboratory experience.

Methods: Pharmacy students from two institutions were randomized based on laboratory section to wear a CGM device (intervention) versus not (control). All students completed a pre-survey regarding knowledge, confidence, and empathy related to CGM technology and were taught about CGM by a faculty expert using lecture format followed by live demonstration. Students in the intervention group were given a CGM device to place on themselves and wear for two weeks. After two weeks, all students completed an immediate-post survey regarding knowledge, confidence, and empathy related to CGM followed by an SP encounter assessing their ability to counsel a patient on a CGM prescription in a simulated community pharmacy setting. SPs graded each student using a standardized rubric tool. Univariate linear regression was used for continuous variables, and univariate logistic regression was used for categorical.

Results: 63 of 86 students from both institutions consented to this study (32 intervention vs 31 control). Average counseling scores were 82.4% and 77.7% for the intervention and control groups, respectively (p=.046). Overall confidence increased more in the intervention group versus control (p=.020) with no significant between-group differences in knowledge or empathy.

Conclusions: Having the opportunity to wear a CGM device resulted in higher student performance on CGM counseling as well as a larger increase in CGM-related confidence. This study supports the use of resources to provide students with this hands-on experience.