Development and evaluation of a required patient safety course.

OBJECTIVES: To develop, implement, and assess a required patient safety course for second-year doctor of pharmacy students.
DESIGN: A patient safety course was developed that included didactic lectures, case studies, in-class activities, and reading assignments. Written examinations and essays were used to evaluate student learning. In addition, a modified minute paper and a pre- and post-intervention student self-assessment survey were used to assess course outcomes. ASSESSMENT: Results examining the utility of the course teaching format and the relevance of the material in meeting the course outcomes are presented and discussed. The self-assessment course survey indicated major improvements in the students' knowledge and skills, readiness for knowledge application, and commitment to improve patient safety.
CONCLUSION: The course provided pharmacy students with an increased level of understanding of the principles and concepts of patient safety.