Effectiveness of a communication skills training course in continuing pharmaceutical education in Northern Ireland: a longitudinal study.

This paper describes the evaluation of a communication skills training (CST) course within a continuing pharmaceutical education (CPE) program. Self-reported evaluation by pharmacists was carried out using a15-item Inventory to determine the influence of the course immediately after training and three months post-course. The overall influence of the course on participants was strongly positive at both stages of evaluation. However, there was a significant decrease in the degree of influence at the second evaluation stage. A number of observations are made in respect of the reasons for this diminution of effect. Finally, on the basis of the evaluation results the implications for CST in pharmacy are discussed, and recommendations made to improve this area of training.