Blended Simulation Progress Testing for Assessment of Practice Readiness.

To design an assessment of practice readiness using blended-simulation progress testing. A five-station, blended simulation assessment was developed to evaluate patient care outcomes in first- and third-year pharmacy (P1 and P3) students, as well as first-year postgraduate (PGY1) pharmacy residents. This assessment of practice readiness included knowledge and performance evaluations administered as a progress test.

The Nurse Education and Transition (NEAT) model: educating the hospitalized patient with diabetes.

Background: The number of patients with a diabetes mellitus (DM)-related diagnosis is increasing, yet the number of hospital-based diabetes educators is being reduced. Interest in determining effective ways for staff nurses to deliver diabetes education (DE) is mounting. The purpose of this multi-phase feasibility study was to develop and evaluate the Nurse Education and Transition (NEAT) inpatient DM education model.

An advanced pharmacy practice experience in inpatient medication education.

Objective: To describe a unique advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) in which pharmacy students provided medication education to hospitalized patients.

Design: Students were trained to independently assess patients' needs for education and identify drug-related problems. Students then provided medication education and performed medication therapy management under the supervision of clinical staff pharmacists.

Implementing an intravenous insulin infusion protocol in the intensive care unit.

Purpose: The implementation of three different insulin protocols in intensive care unit (ICU) settings in two community hospitals and one academic hospital is described.

Summary: Each institution possessed a commitment to improve the existing insulin protocols in order to achieve tighter glycemic control for ICU patients. Studies have shown that the maintenance of tight glycemic control provides improved patient outcomes.

Prevalence and predictors of corticosteroid-related hyperglycemia in hospitalized patients.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of and risk factors for hyperglycemia in hospitalized patients receiving corticosteroids, which have been identified as an independent predictor of hyperglycemia.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of electronic medical records of patients admitted to the general medicine service at a university hospital during a 1-month period. Pharmacy charges were used to identify patients receiving high doses (> or = 40 mg/day of prednisone or the equivalent) of corticosteroids for at least 2 days.