Longitudinal Institutional Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience (IPPE) Syllabus

Rotation Title: Institutional Practice

Rotation Course Number: RX501
Minimum required contact hours: 160 hours
Site: Ascension- St. Vincent Indianapolis

Preceptor of Record: Site:

Heather Dossett, PharmD, MHA, BCPS, CPHQ Ascension St. Vincent Indianapolis
Medication Safety Pharmacist Department of Pharmacy
Office: (317) 338-9888 2001 West 86th Street
Cell: (765) 744-8013 Indianapolis, IN 46260
heather.dossett@ascension.org

Co-Preceptors:
Pharmacy PGY1 Residents July 2021- June 2022:
● Taylor Bock
● Rachel Dubuisson
● Haley Hixson
● Emily Letsinger

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

The Institutional IPPE is a 160 hour on-site rotation in a hospital/institutional setting designed to introduce
students to the fundamentals of pharmacy practice in this setting. Students are provided opportunities to
enhance their technical, clinical, and professional skills. Students will also be introduced to interprofessional
practice, which includes patient care decision-making, professional ethics and expected behaviors, and direct
patient care activities.

Technical Skills

● Accurately reads and processes a medication order.

● Selects the appropriate product when filling a medication order.
● Accurately labels and dispenses medications.
● Accurately reconstitutes a medication and/or prepares a sterile product (including calculations when
appropriate).
● Accurately obtains all required information when filling medication orders.
● Contacts the healthcare provider for clarification of medication when needed.
● Explains the process for handling a medication error and reporting adverse drug events.
● Explains how the site uses technology to maximize medication safety within the system.
● Describes the roles, duties, and responsibilities of the various personnel within the medical team and
pharmacy department.
 ● Demonstrates ability to document events, problems, and solutions with patients and/or patients’ agent
verbally, electronically, and manually in a concise, accurate, and efficient manner.
● Demonstrates knowledge of quality improvement programs utilized within the site.

Clinical Skills

● Obtains demographic information, allergies, medication list, and medical history from a patient.
● Participates in patient counseling taking into account the patient’s health literacy, cultural diversity,
behavioral and economic issues.
● Appropriately and accurately responds to drug information requests.
● Assesses patient symptoms, responses, adverse events and medication adherence as it applies to a
patient’s pharmacotherapy regimen.
● Demonstrates an ability to use all components of database retrieval, including analysis and
interpretation.
● Identifies and reports medication errors and adverse events to the appropriate individuals or
organizations (i.e. local, state and federal agencies).
● Evaluates information obtained from adverse drug reactions and medication error reporting systems to
identify preventable causes and solutions.
● Identifies solutions which can minimize the occurrence of adverse events.
● Evaluates a patient’s medication profile to identify medication allergies, appropriate doses and sigs,
duplicate medications and clinical relevant drug interactions.
● Demonstrate knowledge of problem-solving techniques using actual or simulated scenarios.
Professional Skills
● Demonstrates punctuality for all rotation activities and completes assigned tasks by scheduled
deadlines.
● Demonstrates caring, ethical, and professional behavior when interacting with patients, caregivers, and
other health care professionals.
● Exhibits accountability for all behaviors and responds positively to constructive feedback.
● Displays sensitivity and responsiveness to culture, race/ethnicity, age, socioeconomic status, gender,
disabilities, spirituality and other aspects of diversity and identity when interacting with patients,
caregivers, and other healthcare professionals.
● Performs all duties and tasks in accordance with legal and professional pharmacy regulations,
standards and guidelines.
● Demonstrates and applies knowledge of confidentiality and HIPAA.

COURSE STRUCTURE
This IPPE course is conducted in a longitudinal manner. Students will be scheduled approximately every 3
weeks for two 8 hour shifts (Saturday and Sunday from 8am - 3:30pm). Students will participate in a 2-day
orientation in October leading up to the start of the course and a 3-day orientation in January.

STUDENT ACTIVITIES:
Medication Reconciliation:
● Objective: To practice communicating with patient and provider and exercise attention-to-detail in
reconciling accurate medication list
● Guidance: Follow steps as outlined in ‘Medication Reconciliation Process Overview’ document and
Ascension Policy; Consider shadowing a pharmacist to observe how they interact with the patient
and/or discuss with the pharmacist how you plan to conduct the patient interview.

IV to PO Conversions:
● Objective: To apply each step of pharmacists patient-centered care process in IV-to-PO conversion
evaluation
● Guidance: Follow steps as outlined in ‘IV to PO Process Overview’ document and Ascension Policy;
Discuss with the pharmacist your thought process on why or why not the patient should be transitioned
to oral therapy

Drug Information Questions (Informal):

● Objective: To navigate current guidelines, literature, and other resources to thoroughly evaluate a drug
information question, and apply to a specific patient when appropriate.
● Guidance: Please see ‘Drug Information Question Response Evaluation’ for concepts to consider when
investigating the question. Because these are informal drug information questions, a formal written
response is not required. Instead, prepare an outline to discuss with the pharmacist. The response
should be presented to the pharmacist on the same weekend they are assigned.
● Deliverable: Short outline to discuss with your pharmacist. Please save this as part of the final folder for
submission at the midpoint or final evaluation.
● Evaluation: Verbal feedback from the pharmacist

Unfamiliar Medications Chart:

● Objective: To be exposed to medications utilized in an institutional setting and practice efficient drug
information searches
● Length: At least 10 drugs over the course of the longitudinal rotation
● Subject: Medications with which you are unfamiliar
○ For each drug, include the following:
■ Mechanism of action
■ Onset of action
■ Indication for use
■ Dosing
■ Renal or hepatic dose adjustments
■ Monitoring parameters
■ Common side effects
■ Clinical pearls
● Deliverable: Completed table by end of longitudinal experience
 ● Evaluation: Written/verbal feedback from the preceptor

Medication Dosing (Warfarin, Vancomycin, Enoxaparin, and DOAC) and Documentation:

● Warfarin dosing and documentation:
○ Objective: To apply each step of pharmacists patient-centered care process in warfarin
evaluation
○ Guidance: Observe pharmacists in their own assessment and documentation of warfarin dosing;
navigate through Sentri7 and SCM notes to gain further insight into assessment and
documentation
○ Deliverable: Evaluate at least three patients over the course of the longitudinal rotation for
appropriate warfarin dosing
○ Evaluation: Verbal feedback from the pharmacist
● Vancomycin dosing and documentation:
○ Objective: To apply each step of pharmacists patient-centered care process in vancomycin
evaluation
○ Guidance: To observe pharmacists in their own assessment and documentation of vancomycin
monitoring and dosing; navigate through Sentri7 and SCM notes to gain further insight into
assessment and documentation
○ Deliverable: Evaluate one patient over the course of the longitudinal rotation for appropriate
vancomycin dosing
○ Evaluation: Verbal feedback from the pharmacist
● Therapeutic enoxaparin dosing and documentation:
○ Objective: To apply each step of pharmacists patient-centered care process in therapeutic
enoxaparin evaluation
○ Guidance: Observe pharmacists in their own assessment and documentation of therapeutic
enoxaparin monitoring and dosing; navigate through Sentri7 and SCM notes to gain further
insight into assessment and documentation
○ Deliverable: Evaluate at least three patients over the course of the longitudinal rotation for
appropriate therapeutic enoxaparin dosing
○ Evaluation: Verbal feedback from the pharmacist
● DOAC dosing and documentation:
○ Objective: To apply each step of pharmacists patient-centered care process in DOAC evaluation
○ Guidance: Observe pharmacists in their own assessment and documentation of DOAC
monitoring and dosing; navigate through Sentri7 and SCM notes to gain further insight into
assessment and documentation
○ Deliverable: Evaluate at least one patient over the course of the longitudinal rotation for
appropriate DOAC dosing
○ Evaluation: Verbal feedback from the pharmacist

TPN Dosing and Sentri7 Documentation

○ Objective: To apply each step of pharmacists patient-centered care process in TPN evaluation
 ○ Guidance: Observe pharmacists in their own assessment and documentation of therapeutic
TPN monitoring and dosing; navigate through Sentri7 and SCM notes to gain further insight into
assessment and documentation
○ Deliverable: Evaluate at least one patient over the course of the longitudinal rotation for
appropriate TPN dosing
○ Evaluation: Verbal feedback from the pharmacist

Provider Communication:
● Objective: To practice communicating with a provider in an appropriate and professional manner
● Guidance: Consider shadowing a pharmacist as they converse with a provider about a question or
recommendation and/or discuss with a pharmacist what and how you plan to communicate with a
provider.
● Deliverable: Complete six provider communications over the course of the longitudinal rotation
● Evaluation: Verbal feedback from the pharmacist

Patient Educations:
● Objective: To practice communicating with patients in patient-friendly terminology and understand the
importance of counseling on high-risk anticoagulant medications
● Guidance: Consider shadowing a pharmacist as they educate a patient about a medication and/or
discuss with the pharmacist how you plan to conduct the patient education.
● Deliverable: Complete five patient educations over the course of the longitudinal rotation
● Evaluation: Verbal feedback from the pharmacist

Guideline Activity:
● Objective: To become familiar with common guidelines utilized in clinical practice
● Guidance: Follow instructions on the ‘Guideline Activity’ document
● Deliverable: Answer five questions each week from a guideline and submit to your preceptor
● Evaluation: Written/verbal feedback from the preceptor

Disease State Handout/Presentation:

● Objective: To learn more about one disease state
● Guidance: Follow the instructions on the ‘Disease State Handout Assignment’ document
● Deliverable: Complete a 3-4 page handout that will be presented as a 10-15 minute informal
presentation
● Evaluation: Written/verbal feedback from the preceptor

MUE Assignment:
● Objective: To be an active participant in a performance improvement process
● Guidance: Follow instruction on the ‘MUE Assignment: Vasopressin’ document
 ● Deliverable: Review 10 patients
● Evaluation: Written/verbal feedback from the preceptor

TPN Activity:
● Objective: To become familiar with standard TPN dosing in clinical practice
● Guidance: Follow instructions on the ‘TPN Activity’ document
● Deliverable: Complete handout
● Evaluation: Written/verbal feedback from the preceptor

Self-Reflection and Weekend Evaluation

At the end of each weekend, you will be responsible for a self-reflection and evaluation of your pharmacist
preceptor submitted through REDCap. BEFORE submitting, discuss your self-reflections and feedback with
your pharmacist. They may offer additional feedback for you to record in this survey as well. These should be
submitted before you leave each Sunday and will be used during your Midpoint and Final evaluations.

https://redcap.ascension.org/inind/surveys/?s=F4WWD3E8AH

GRADING:
Grading will be performed according to the format outlined in the Butler Rotation Manual.

ATTENDANCE POLICY:
Student attendance and participation at their experiential sites is mandatory. Students are expected to be
punctual and prepared for site activities. Students can only be dismissed early from rotation activities by
residents or the preceptor of record; pharmacists can not dismiss students early from rotation.
Switch Policy: Students are to find a student with whom to switch times / dates, then submit a switch request
email to the preceptor of record, copy the student to be switched with and assigned dates / times switched
from / to in the email. Switch/scheduling requests must be submitted to the preceptor 4 weeks prior to the
original scheduled shift. Upon review, the preceptor of record will make the switch and confirm this with both
students.

Attendance Policy
Absences will be counted as unexcused unless approved by the preceptor in advance, except in case of
documented emergency. If a student is absent, it is the student’s responsibility to contact the preceptor as
soon as possible. Unexcused absences will require the students to make up the time. Excused absences may
require make-up time at the discretion of the preceptor.

Professionalism
Professional actions and dress (including white lab coat and identification badge) will be expected at all times.
Use of cell phone or internet browsing not related to rotation or patient care activities is not permitted.
 Adherence to strict patient/healthcare confidentiality is expected at all times. Students working remotely (virtual
rotation) are highly encouraged to use personal speakers/headphones v. computer audio for meetings and
communications to adhere to confidentiality.

PROFESSIONALISM:
Students are to dress and act professionally at experiential sites as outlined in the Rotation Manual. Sites may
have specific requirements, and it will be the student’s responsibility to ask each preceptor about appropriate
attire.

ASSESSMENTS:
● Midpoint Evaluation
● Institutional IPPE Competency Evaluation

All students taking this course are subject to the terms of the Course Policy Statements (e.g.,
Disability Services, Academic Integrity, Respectful Interactions, etc.) published in the College of
Pharmacy and Health Sciences Student Handbook, Appendix D which is incorporated herein by
reference. The College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Student Handbook is located on Moodle
under “COPHS Resources” and constitutes a part of this syllabus.   

By signing this form, you are acknowledging that you have read the syllabus, understand the
responsibilities and are committed to completing the above items.

Student’s Signature: _______________________________ Date: ____________

Preceptor’s Signature: __________________________________ Date: ______________