Assessing medical students’ competence in calculating drug doses

dc.creator	Catherine Harries
dc.creator	Julia Botha
dc.date	2013-09-01T00:00:00Z
dc.date.accessioned	2015-08-12T11:29:17Z
dc.date.available	2015-08-12T11:29:17Z
dc.identifier	10.4102/pythagoras.v34i2.186
dc.identifier	1012-2346
dc.identifier	2223-7895
dc.identifier	https://doaj.org/article/836b9907ac0c473ea178152b84ba5eb9
dc.identifier.uri	http://evidence.thinkportal.org/handle/123456789/30811
dc.description	Evidence suggests that healthcare professionals are not optimally able to calculate medicine doses and various strategies have been employed to improve these skills. In this study, the performance of third and fourth year medical students was assessed and the success of various educational interventions investigated. Students were given four types of dosing calculations typical of those required in an emergency setting. Full competence (at the 100% level) was defined as correctly answering all four categories of calculation at any one time. Three categories correct meant competence at the 75% level. Interventions comprised an assignment with a model answer for self-assessment in the third year and a small group tutorial in the fourth year. The small groups provided opportunities for peer-assisted learning. A subgroup of 23 students received individual tuition from the lecturer prior to the start of the fourth year. Amongst the 364 eligible students, full competence rose from 23% at the beginning of the third year to 66% by the end of the fourth year. More students succeeded during the fourth than the third year of study. Success of small group tuition was assessed in a sample of 200 students who had formal assessments both before and after the fourth year tuition. Competence at the 75% level improved by 10% in attendees and decreased by 3% in non-attendees, providing evidence of the value of students receiving assistance from more able same-language peers. Good results were achieved with one-on-one tuition where individualised assistance allowed even struggling students to improve.
dc.language	English
dc.publisher	AOSIS OpenJournals
dc.relation	http://www.pythagoras.org.za/index.php/pythagoras/article/view/186
dc.relation	https://doaj.org/toc/1012-2346
dc.relation	https://doaj.org/toc/2223-7895
dc.rights	CC BY
dc.source	Pythagoras, Vol 34, Iss 2, Pp 1-9 (2013)
dc.subject	Assessment
dc.subject	Training
dc.subject	Teaching
dc.subject	Dosage calculations
dc.subject	Mathematics of work
dc.subject	Special aspects of education
dc.subject	LC8-6691
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	DOAJ:Education
dc.subject	DOAJ:Social Sciences
dc.subject	Mathematics
dc.subject	QA1-939
dc.subject	Science
dc.subject	Q
dc.subject	DOAJ:Mathematics
dc.subject	DOAJ:Mathematics and Statistics
dc.subject	Special aspects of education
dc.subject	LC8-6691
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	DOAJ:Education
dc.subject	DOAJ:Social Sciences
dc.subject	Mathematics
dc.subject	QA1-939
dc.subject	Science
dc.subject	Q
dc.subject	DOAJ:Mathematics
dc.subject	DOAJ:Mathematics and Statistics
dc.subject	Special aspects of education
dc.subject	LC8-6691
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	Mathematics
dc.subject	QA1-939
dc.subject	Science
dc.subject	Q
dc.subject	Special aspects of education
dc.subject	LC8-6691
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	Mathematics
dc.subject	QA1-939
dc.subject	Science
dc.subject	Q
dc.subject	Special aspects of education
dc.subject	LC8-6691
dc.subject	Education
dc.subject	L
dc.subject	Mathematics
dc.subject	QA1-939
dc.subject	Science
dc.subject	Q
dc.title	Assessing medical students’ competence in calculating drug doses
dc.type	article