The Medication History: A Small Group Session on Interviewing a Patient Regarding Medication Use

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Taking a good medication history requires targeted instruction and a practice environment. As a follow-up to a session on the components of a good medication history we created this session to reinforce the prior instruction by allowing students to apply their knowledge regarding medication use by interviewing a simulated patient. Methods This 45-60 minute instructional activity is designed for small groups of medical trainees to apply basic information learned about taking a medication history. This interactive teaching uses a simulated-patient format with the session facilitator playing the role of Mr. Parsec, a patient who is having his medications reviewed at a health fair. Mr. Parsec has a number of medical, functional, psychological, social, and economic issues that are impacting this medication use. Students are required to complete three tasks involved in taking a medication history: (1) identifying problems with medication use, (2) formulating a plan to improve medication use, and (3) communicating this plan to the patient. Students use a worksheet to record their findings and the facilitator completes a performance checklist. After the three tasks are completed, the facilitator conducts a formative feedback session with the students. Results This session is used as a formative feedback session for students to practice medication history taking skills. Students are not individually graded; however, group performance data with our first cohort of sophomore medical students showed that the groups (N = 28) identified an average of 16.1 out of 18 possible medication issues (SD = 1.52) and made an average of 15.5 appropriate recommendations (SD = 1.86). Student satisfaction regarding the session, the session learning objectives, and the session preceptors ranks at 4.7 to 4.8 on a Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree; 5 = strongly agree). Discussion This session was designed for medical students but can be used for trainees of other healthcare professions who participate in the evaluation and assessment of older adults.

Keywords

• Medication Errors
• Drugs
• Prescription
• Patient Compliance
• Medication History
• Adherence