Evaluation of a lecture on hospice care for PharmD students

Purpose: Student opinions and questions about hospice care were sought to maximize the learning potential of a new lecture in a required third year pharmacotherapy series.

Methods: An anonymous internet-based survey was created and sent to all third-year PharmD students enrolled in the therapeutics course series prior to a new lecture on hospice. Students were asked their opinion of hospice as well as what related questions they had about the topic. Answers to these questions were addressed in the lecture, with post-lecture opinions collected via a second anonymous non-linked internet-based survey.

Results: Thirty-nine students (49%) completed the pre-lecture survey. Favorable and unfavorable perceptions of hospice prior to lecture were 67% and 2% respectively, whereas 31% were unsure of their opinion of hospice. The most common questions about hospice related to: eligibility for and structure of hospice services, hospice day-to-day operations, and insurance coverage and costs of hospice care. Fourteen students (18%) completed the post-survey lecture; of those, 86% had a favorable opinion of hospice and 14% were unsure of their opinion. Post-lecture responders noted the most helpful portions of lecture as: explanation of the hospice benefit coverage, medications used in hospice, the pharmacist’s role in hospice, local resources/organizations, and hospice philosophy/history.

Conclusion: Among responding students, explanation of hospice benefits and the structure of hospice were the most valued portion of the hospice lecture. A higher percentage of respondents had favorable opinions of hospice following lecture. Seeking student opinions prior to lecture better enabled the instructor to focus the content to meet the students’ learning needs.