Christy Noble | Griffith University (original) (raw)

Papers by Christy Noble

Professional and Practice-based Learning, 2016

Coombes, Ian, Nissen, Lisa, Noble, Christy and Shaw, P. Nick (2009). Becoming a pharmacist: Inter... more Coombes, Ian, Nissen, Lisa, Noble, Christy and Shaw, P. Nick (2009). Becoming a pharmacist: Interns' perceptions of undergraduate curricula. In: S. Aldous, G. Peterson, G. Jacobson and L. Bereznicki, Australasian Pharmaceutical Science Association Annual ...

Noble, Christy, Nissen, Lisa M., Shaw, Paul N. and Coombes, Ian (2009). Current Australian pharma... more Noble, Christy, Nissen, Lisa M., Shaw, Paul N. and Coombes, Ian (2009). Current Australian pharmacy undergraduate curriculum - are we really preparing graduates for the future?. In: , 5th Pharmacy Education Symposium. Fitness to Practice: Competency-based teaching ...

International Journal of Pharmacy Practice, 2014

The experience of transitioning from university to practice influences professional identity form... more The experience of transitioning from university to practice influences professional identity formation. It is unclear how this transitioning experience influences pharmacy interns' professional identities. This study aims to examine pharmacy interns' perceptions of their transition from university to the workplace and the influence this had on their pharmacist identities. A qualitative approach using in-depth interviews was adopted for this study. Fifteen interns (community and hospital) from one school of pharmacy in Australia were interviewed. Questions were asked about the nature of their current intern role, their university experiences, how they saw themselves as pharmacists and their perceptions of the transition to practice. The interns interviewed entered the workplace valuing patient-focused aspects of practice and contributing to patient care. The nature of work meant there were limited opportunities to enact these aspects of their professional identities. The interns were challenged by interactions with patients and doctors, and experienced difficulties reconciling this with their university-derived professional identities. Also, the interns lacked the confidence and strategies to overcome these challenges. Some were exploring alternative ways of being pharmacists. This paper argues that graduates' experience of the transition to practice was challenging. This was due to nascent professional identities formed in university and a lack of workplace experiences enabling patient-centred practices. The interns' formation of professional identities was highly responsive to the context of work. To facilitate the development of Australian patient-centred pharmacy practice, supporting professional identity formation should be a focus within pharmacy education.

Background: Pharmacy educators play an important role in supporting the professional identity for... more Background: Pharmacy educators play an important role in supporting the professional identity formation of students, particularly in relation to their perceptions and strategies for the curriculum and subsequent learning experiences.
Aim: To explore pharmacy educators’ perceptions of the purpose of the pharmacy curriculum and how they contribute to students’ development as pharmacists.
Methods: A one-off survey using a 20-item questionnaire distributed to all pharmacy educators at a single school of pharmacy who contributed to an Australian undergraduate pharmacy degree program.
Results: Most educators viewed the curriculum and their role from a traditional perspective. The educators felt the key purpose of the curriculum was to develop competent pharmacists by providing students with knowledge and skills. There was a limited emphasis on patient-centredness.
Conclusion: Whilst educators were focused on developing competent pharmacists through the provision of knowledge and skills, important learning opportunities supporting identity formation may be missed.

Introduction: Student professional identity formation is important for enabling the successful tr... more Introduction: Student professional identity formation is important for enabling the successful transition between academic education and professional practice. Recognition of this has resulted in significant changes in professional education (e.g., the inclusion of experiential placements and authentic learning experiences). There is limited research that examines how the curricular experience influences pharmacy studentsʼ professional identity formation.
Methods: Using focus groups, comprising 82 students from all levels of a four-year Australian undergraduate pharmacy course, this study examined studentsʼ perceptions of their overall curricular experience and examined how these experiences influenced the construction of their professional identities.
Results: Our analysis found that the pharmacy students struggled with their professional identity formation. Many were entering the degree with little understanding of what being a pharmacist entailed. Once in the educational context, the nature of the role became both apparent and idealistic but not enacted. Students experienced dissonance between the idealistic notion of pharmacy practice and the realities of placements, and this may have been enhanced by a lack of patient-centered care role models. This struggle left them concluding that the role of the pharmacist was constrained and limited.
Conclusions: We argue that professional identity formation needs to be in the foreground from commencement of the degree and throughout the curriculum.

Objective: To understand how the formal curriculum experience of an Australian undergraduate phar... more Objective: To understand how the formal curriculum experience of an Australian undergraduate pharmacy program supports students' professional identity formation. Methods: A qualitative ethnographic study was conducted over four weeks using participant observation and examined the 'typical' student experience from the perspective of a pharmacist. A one-week period of observation was undertaken with each of the four year groups (that is, for years one to four) comprising the undergraduate curriculum. Data were collected through observation of the formal curriculum experience using field notes, a reflective journal and informal interviews with 38 pharmacy students. Data were analyzed thematically using an a priori analytical framework. Results: Our findings showed that the observed curriculum was a conventional curricular experience which focused on the provision of technical knowledge and provided some opportunities for practical engagement. There were some opportunities for students to imagine themselves as pharmacists, for example, when the lecture content related to practice or teaching staff described their approach to practice problems. However, there were limited opportunities for students to observe pharmacist role models, experiment with being a pharmacist or evaluate their professional identities. While curricular learning activities were available for students to develop as pharmacists e.g. patient counseling, there was no contact with patients and pharmacist academic staff tended to role model as educators with little evidence of their pharmacist selves. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the current conventional approach to the curriculum design may not be fully enabling learning experiences which support students in successfully negotiating their professional identities. Instead it appeared to reinforce their identities as students with a naïve understanding of professional practice, making their future transition to professional practice challenging.

American journal of pharmaceutical …, 2010

Objective. To determine the perceptions of pharmacy interns and newly registered pharmacists and ... more Objective. To determine the perceptions of pharmacy interns and newly registered pharmacists and preceptors regarding the preparedness of graduates to enter professional practice. Methods. A questionnaire was developed from the New Zealand Competence Standards for the Pharmacy Profession (pharmacist level), with additional questions on communication skills included. The instrument contained 16 items and was mailed to preceptors (n5141), interns (n572), and newlyregistered pharmacists (n5101). Microsoft Excel (pivot tables) was used to analyse the quantitative responses. The final question asked respondents to provide free-text comments about the questionnaire, graduates and the program and responses were analyzed quantitatively and thematically.

American journal of …, 2011

Coombes, Ian, Nissen, Lisa, Noble, Christy, O'Brien, Mia and Shaw, P. Nick (2011-02-15) Curr... more Coombes, Ian, Nissen, Lisa, Noble, Christy, O'Brien, Mia and Shaw, P. Nick (2011-02-15) Curriculum for uncertainty: Certainty may not be the answer. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 75 1 article 13: 1-2.

American Journal of …, 2011

To explore a pharmacy school curriculum for opportunities for student engagement and to determine... more To explore a pharmacy school curriculum for opportunities for student engagement and to determine how these might shape student identity as pharmacists. The learning aims and objectives and methods of assessment from the curriculum of a bachelor of pharmacy (BPharm) program were collected and a concept map was generated. The concept map was interpreted using Barnett and Coates' curricular domains of knowing, acting and being. The key concepts within the intended curriculum that were identified from the concept map were drugs, pharmacy, understanding, practice, and skills. Concepts such as patient and consumer, which would indicate a patient-centered approach to the curriculum, were limited. The main form of assessment used in the curriculum was multiple-choice and short-answer examinations. There was an emphasis in the curriculum on student acquisition of knowledge and this was reinforced by the use of theoretical examinations. The content of the curriculum was drug-centered rather than patient-centered and the emergence of students' identity as pharmacists may be fragmented as a result.

International Journal of Pharmacy Practice, 2008

Objective To determine the environmental barriers to informal learning in the workplace of junior... more Objective To determine the environmental barriers to informal learning in the workplace of junior hospital pharmacists.Setting A pharmacy department within a large teaching hospital in the north west of England.Method Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with the entire population of junior hospital pharmacists (n = 12). Interviewees were asked about their responsibilities and their learning in the workplace. Questions were also asked about how various aspects of the workplace environment influenced their learning and ability to develop as a pharmacist.Key findings Three key environmental barriers to informal learning in the workplace were identified. Firstly, the allocation and structuring of work inhibited the junior hospital pharmacists' informal learning by causing them to work under pressure and in isolation; in addition, the rotational nature of the job created barriers to informal learning. Secondly, lack of feedback and goals inhibited their learning. They also felt that the managers were not fostering an environment conducive to learning. Finally, structural inhibitors such as location of departments, and lack of desk space and computers were perceived to limit their ability to learn.Conclusion This study highlights the presence of environmental barriers to informal learning for junior hospital pharmacists. While these barriers are contextual and closely related to the workplace setting, their identification will enable those responsible for the development of junior pharmacists in the workplace to take these into consideration when promoting informal learning.

Professional and Practice-based Learning, 2016

Coombes, Ian, Nissen, Lisa, Noble, Christy and Shaw, P. Nick (2009). Becoming a pharmacist: Inter... more Coombes, Ian, Nissen, Lisa, Noble, Christy and Shaw, P. Nick (2009). Becoming a pharmacist: Interns' perceptions of undergraduate curricula. In: S. Aldous, G. Peterson, G. Jacobson and L. Bereznicki, Australasian Pharmaceutical Science Association Annual ...

Noble, Christy, Nissen, Lisa M., Shaw, Paul N. and Coombes, Ian (2009). Current Australian pharma... more Noble, Christy, Nissen, Lisa M., Shaw, Paul N. and Coombes, Ian (2009). Current Australian pharmacy undergraduate curriculum - are we really preparing graduates for the future?. In: , 5th Pharmacy Education Symposium. Fitness to Practice: Competency-based teaching ...

International Journal of Pharmacy Practice, 2014

The experience of transitioning from university to practice influences professional identity form... more The experience of transitioning from university to practice influences professional identity formation. It is unclear how this transitioning experience influences pharmacy interns' professional identities. This study aims to examine pharmacy interns' perceptions of their transition from university to the workplace and the influence this had on their pharmacist identities. A qualitative approach using in-depth interviews was adopted for this study. Fifteen interns (community and hospital) from one school of pharmacy in Australia were interviewed. Questions were asked about the nature of their current intern role, their university experiences, how they saw themselves as pharmacists and their perceptions of the transition to practice. The interns interviewed entered the workplace valuing patient-focused aspects of practice and contributing to patient care. The nature of work meant there were limited opportunities to enact these aspects of their professional identities. The interns were challenged by interactions with patients and doctors, and experienced difficulties reconciling this with their university-derived professional identities. Also, the interns lacked the confidence and strategies to overcome these challenges. Some were exploring alternative ways of being pharmacists. This paper argues that graduates' experience of the transition to practice was challenging. This was due to nascent professional identities formed in university and a lack of workplace experiences enabling patient-centred practices. The interns' formation of professional identities was highly responsive to the context of work. To facilitate the development of Australian patient-centred pharmacy practice, supporting professional identity formation should be a focus within pharmacy education.

Background: Pharmacy educators play an important role in supporting the professional identity for... more Background: Pharmacy educators play an important role in supporting the professional identity formation of students, particularly in relation to their perceptions and strategies for the curriculum and subsequent learning experiences.
Aim: To explore pharmacy educators’ perceptions of the purpose of the pharmacy curriculum and how they contribute to students’ development as pharmacists.
Methods: A one-off survey using a 20-item questionnaire distributed to all pharmacy educators at a single school of pharmacy who contributed to an Australian undergraduate pharmacy degree program.
Results: Most educators viewed the curriculum and their role from a traditional perspective. The educators felt the key purpose of the curriculum was to develop competent pharmacists by providing students with knowledge and skills. There was a limited emphasis on patient-centredness.
Conclusion: Whilst educators were focused on developing competent pharmacists through the provision of knowledge and skills, important learning opportunities supporting identity formation may be missed.

Introduction: Student professional identity formation is important for enabling the successful tr... more Introduction: Student professional identity formation is important for enabling the successful transition between academic education and professional practice. Recognition of this has resulted in significant changes in professional education (e.g., the inclusion of experiential placements and authentic learning experiences). There is limited research that examines how the curricular experience influences pharmacy studentsʼ professional identity formation.
Methods: Using focus groups, comprising 82 students from all levels of a four-year Australian undergraduate pharmacy course, this study examined studentsʼ perceptions of their overall curricular experience and examined how these experiences influenced the construction of their professional identities.
Results: Our analysis found that the pharmacy students struggled with their professional identity formation. Many were entering the degree with little understanding of what being a pharmacist entailed. Once in the educational context, the nature of the role became both apparent and idealistic but not enacted. Students experienced dissonance between the idealistic notion of pharmacy practice and the realities of placements, and this may have been enhanced by a lack of patient-centered care role models. This struggle left them concluding that the role of the pharmacist was constrained and limited.
Conclusions: We argue that professional identity formation needs to be in the foreground from commencement of the degree and throughout the curriculum.

Objective: To understand how the formal curriculum experience of an Australian undergraduate phar... more Objective: To understand how the formal curriculum experience of an Australian undergraduate pharmacy program supports students' professional identity formation. Methods: A qualitative ethnographic study was conducted over four weeks using participant observation and examined the 'typical' student experience from the perspective of a pharmacist. A one-week period of observation was undertaken with each of the four year groups (that is, for years one to four) comprising the undergraduate curriculum. Data were collected through observation of the formal curriculum experience using field notes, a reflective journal and informal interviews with 38 pharmacy students. Data were analyzed thematically using an a priori analytical framework. Results: Our findings showed that the observed curriculum was a conventional curricular experience which focused on the provision of technical knowledge and provided some opportunities for practical engagement. There were some opportunities for students to imagine themselves as pharmacists, for example, when the lecture content related to practice or teaching staff described their approach to practice problems. However, there were limited opportunities for students to observe pharmacist role models, experiment with being a pharmacist or evaluate their professional identities. While curricular learning activities were available for students to develop as pharmacists e.g. patient counseling, there was no contact with patients and pharmacist academic staff tended to role model as educators with little evidence of their pharmacist selves. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the current conventional approach to the curriculum design may not be fully enabling learning experiences which support students in successfully negotiating their professional identities. Instead it appeared to reinforce their identities as students with a naïve understanding of professional practice, making their future transition to professional practice challenging.

American journal of pharmaceutical …, 2010

Objective. To determine the perceptions of pharmacy interns and newly registered pharmacists and ... more Objective. To determine the perceptions of pharmacy interns and newly registered pharmacists and preceptors regarding the preparedness of graduates to enter professional practice. Methods. A questionnaire was developed from the New Zealand Competence Standards for the Pharmacy Profession (pharmacist level), with additional questions on communication skills included. The instrument contained 16 items and was mailed to preceptors (n5141), interns (n572), and newlyregistered pharmacists (n5101). Microsoft Excel (pivot tables) was used to analyse the quantitative responses. The final question asked respondents to provide free-text comments about the questionnaire, graduates and the program and responses were analyzed quantitatively and thematically.

American journal of …, 2011

Coombes, Ian, Nissen, Lisa, Noble, Christy, O'Brien, Mia and Shaw, P. Nick (2011-02-15) Curr... more Coombes, Ian, Nissen, Lisa, Noble, Christy, O'Brien, Mia and Shaw, P. Nick (2011-02-15) Curriculum for uncertainty: Certainty may not be the answer. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 75 1 article 13: 1-2.

American Journal of …, 2011

To explore a pharmacy school curriculum for opportunities for student engagement and to determine... more To explore a pharmacy school curriculum for opportunities for student engagement and to determine how these might shape student identity as pharmacists. The learning aims and objectives and methods of assessment from the curriculum of a bachelor of pharmacy (BPharm) program were collected and a concept map was generated. The concept map was interpreted using Barnett and Coates' curricular domains of knowing, acting and being. The key concepts within the intended curriculum that were identified from the concept map were drugs, pharmacy, understanding, practice, and skills. Concepts such as patient and consumer, which would indicate a patient-centered approach to the curriculum, were limited. The main form of assessment used in the curriculum was multiple-choice and short-answer examinations. There was an emphasis in the curriculum on student acquisition of knowledge and this was reinforced by the use of theoretical examinations. The content of the curriculum was drug-centered rather than patient-centered and the emergence of students' identity as pharmacists may be fragmented as a result.

International Journal of Pharmacy Practice, 2008

Objective To determine the environmental barriers to informal learning in the workplace of junior... more Objective To determine the environmental barriers to informal learning in the workplace of junior hospital pharmacists.Setting A pharmacy department within a large teaching hospital in the north west of England.Method Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with the entire population of junior hospital pharmacists (n = 12). Interviewees were asked about their responsibilities and their learning in the workplace. Questions were also asked about how various aspects of the workplace environment influenced their learning and ability to develop as a pharmacist.Key findings Three key environmental barriers to informal learning in the workplace were identified. Firstly, the allocation and structuring of work inhibited the junior hospital pharmacists' informal learning by causing them to work under pressure and in isolation; in addition, the rotational nature of the job created barriers to informal learning. Secondly, lack of feedback and goals inhibited their learning. They also felt that the managers were not fostering an environment conducive to learning. Finally, structural inhibitors such as location of departments, and lack of desk space and computers were perceived to limit their ability to learn.Conclusion This study highlights the presence of environmental barriers to informal learning for junior hospital pharmacists. While these barriers are contextual and closely related to the workplace setting, their identification will enable those responsible for the development of junior pharmacists in the workplace to take these into consideration when promoting informal learning.