Souzi Badr, BScPhm, PharmD, ACPR
CSHP Foundation Education Grant Recipient
“The ENHANCE-AC program aims to provide pharmacists and pharmacy learners with the knowledge, skills, and judgement to safely manage patients’ anticoagulation while in hospital.”
Souzi was a 2017 CSHP Foundation Education Grant Recipient in the amount of $5,500
Co-applicants: Laura Murphy, Amita Woods, Larissa Boychuk, Emily Ching, Jacqui Herbert, Lynda Mao and Laura Marcus
Current ENHANCE-AC leadership team: Souzi Badr, Larissa Boychuk, and Kori Leblanc
Project Summary
ENgaging pHarmacists to AdvaNce Competency through Education in AntiCoagulation (ENHANCE-AC) is an e-learning program developed at the University Health Network (UHN) that focuses on the management of anticoagulation in the hospital setting and is comprised of four main courses: i) Warfarin Management, ii) Atrial Fibrillation, iii) Venous Thromboembolism, and iv) Management of Bleeding.
Each course aims to build on pharmacists’ foundational knowledge and skills, with the AF and VTE courses delving further into complex cases such as the anticoagulant management of patients with renal insufficiency, obesity, acute coronary syndrome, or stroke.
ENHANCE-AC uses e-learning modules for self-directed learning, virtual interactive cases (VIC cases), and print resources. Elements such as multiple-choice and true-false questions allow for self-assessment of comprehension. The VIC cases are simulated, depicting real-world scenarios and require learners to think critically, problem-solve, and develop their decision-making skills.
What gap did you see in your practice that led to this project?
When patients are admitted to hospital, changes in clinical status, renal function, medications, and other comorbidities can influence the selection or dosing of an anticoagulant. In addition, the anticoagulation landscape is ever-evolving. Establishing and maintaining pharmacist knowledge and confidence is central to improving the safety of anticoagulation use and improving patient outcomes.
Prior to ENHANCE-AC, training resources were paper-based and time consuming, requiring several one-on-one meetings with an experienced pharmacist to review examples and real-life cases.
We recognized an opportunity to build a model that would result in active learning for more individuals. Additionally, with the increasing use of direct oral anticoagulants and the indication for heparin or low molecular weight heparins in many patient-case scenarios, it was important for our education program to consider all anticoagulation options.
How will this project impact pharmacy practice and/or care of patients?
This educational program will provide individuals with the necessary knowledge, skills, and confidence to manage anticoagulation in the hospital setting. This foundation will allow pharmacists and pharmacy learners to take a more proactive approach to managing anticoagulation in hospital inpatients, ultimately improving patient safety and care.
What did you learn that you weren’t expecting?
What did you learn that you weren’t expecting? We gained an appreciation for the level of upkeep that a multi-faceted educational program requires. With rapidly evolving evidence, having a process to continually review and update content is important for ensuring the program remains relevant, sustainable, and updatable as technology advances.
Where should people go to learn more about this topic if they are interested?
Individuals interested in learning more are welcome to contact me at souzi.badr@uhn.ca. This training program could not have been achieved without the support of content contributors from within UHN and across Canada. We also thank the CSHP Foundation and UHN for their financial support.
The role of the hospital pharmacist is changing; research and education will support the change.
CSHP Foundation grant and scholarship recipients are changing the face of pharmacy practice.
Find out more at https://cshp-scph.ca/cshp-foundation.