Pharmacy Students’ and Pharmacist Preceptors’ Perceptions of the Hospital Rotation Experience during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic brought significant disruptions to pharmacy experiential education. To ensure the safety of students and staff, university and rotation site educators needed to make changes rapidly to adapt to the dynamic environment. Objectives: To explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pharmacy students and their preceptors during experiential rotations and to identify any barriers to learning that arose and opportunities for improvement. Methods: Two online questionnaires were developed to explore the perceptions of pharmacy students and preceptors during experiential rotations. The following topics were examined: support for rotations by the hospital and the university, perceived safety, accessibility of resources, interpersonal interactions, professional development, assessment and evaluation, and overall impressions. All Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience students from the University of Toronto who completed 1 or more rotations at North York General Hospital during the 2020/21 academic year and their preceptors were invited to participate. Results: Sixteen and 25 questionnaires were completed by students and preceptors, respectively. Both groups agreed that they were adequately prepared for the rotations and felt safe. There was a decrease in interpersonal interactions, while the use of virtual communication tools increased. Lessons learned included the need for timely communications and access to resources for learners and preceptors, contingency plans for staff shortages and outbreaks, and workspace assessments. Conclusions: During the COVID-19 pandemic, implementation of experiential rotations was associated with many challenges, but pharmacy learners and preceptors believed the overall experience was not significantly affected.