A workshop to promote interprofessional care.

Abstract

Paediatric incontinence has traditionally been managed through a discipline-specific approach by doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and psychologists. We evaluated a workshop aiming to increase health professionals' knowledge, confidence and willingness to involve other health professionals when managing paediatric incontinence. Our 1-day workshop focused on paediatric bedwetting, daytime incontinence, faecal incontinence and neurogenic bladder. Attendees completed surveys before and after the workshop, and 6months later. Differences between health professionals and changes in attitudes, knowledge, confidence and experience before and after the workshop were analysed using descriptive analysis. Qualitative data analysis was undertaken using content analysis. The workshop was attended by 77 clinicians (41 doctors, 19 allied health professionals and 17 nurses). Over two-thirds of respondents acknowledged having average or above average knowledge of and/or confidence in managing bedwetting, daytime urinary incontinence (DUI) and faecal incontinence, with lower baseline knowledge and confidence for neurogenic bladder. Participants who completed the initial and final surveys reported increased knowledge, improved ability to manage patients, better appreciation of the contribution of other disciplines and willingness to refer patients to other disciplines. Of those who saw patients with incontinence, most reported that the workshop had improved their management: 33/35 for bedwetting; 31/35 for DUI; 21/29 for faecal incontinence; and 16/19 for neurogenic bladder. Paediatric incontinence has traditionally been managed through a discipline-specific approach by doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and psychologists DISCUSSION: This study demonstrates that an interprofessional workshop conducted by clinicians from different health professional backgrounds increases clinicians' awareness of the roles of other disciplines and promotes the development of an interdisciplinary approach or multiprofessional collaboration, enabling a more effective, patient-centred, collaborative care model.