Pharmacy students' ability to identify fall risk-increasing drugs using an innovative assessment tool

Objective. To evaluate change in the ability of third-year pharmacy students to identify drugs that increase fall risk after training in and experience using the Medication Falls Risk Assessment Tool (MFRAT). Methods. An assessment was administered to students prior to MFRAT use and after MFRAT use. The assessment consisted of 10 medication regimens for various chronic conditions (50 distinct drug choices with 30 correct answers and 20 distractors), and students were to identify fall risk increasing drugs (FRIDs). Using a flipped-classroom approach, students viewed an online presentation on FRIDs and then participated in instructor guided, in-class application of the MFRAT using student-collected data from an actual patient case. Students completed medication therapy management (MTM) documentation. The assessment data for students who had previously used the MFRAT (experienced) were analyzed separately from first time users (inexperienced). Results. Three assessment scores were evaluated: number correct (maximum 30; higher score is better), number of distractors (maximum 20; lower score better), and a combined total score (maximum 50; higher score better). In inexperienced users (n=104), pre- and post-assessment means improved significantly for correct score (24.9 vs 29.5) and total score (39.4 vs 44.3). Among experienced users (n=10), pre- and post-assessment means improved significantly for correct responses (27.3 vs 29.7), distractors (7.0 vs 3.5), and total score (40.3 vs 46.2). Conclusion. The ability of both pharmacy students who had used the MFRAT previously and those who had not to correctly identify FRIDs increased on the post-assessment.