Abstract
BackgroundThe transition from student to health practitioner at entry-to-practice is complex, requiring critical acquisition of collaborative practice skills. In rural communities where health need is multidimensional, there is potential for multiple intentional collaborative learning objectives to be met concurrently. A five-week, rurally-located, clinically-based interprofessional programme was introduced as a transition-to-practice rotation for final-year, pre-registration health professional students in the professions of dentistry, dietetics, medicine, nursing, pharmacy and physiotherapy. The programme integrated learning objectives in four related domains: interprofessional practice; hauora Māori (Māori health); rural health; long-term condition management. This study investigated student learning experiences over the first two complete years of the programme, comparing responses from participating students with those from a cohort of non-participating peers.MethodsUsing a pre and post quasi-experimental design, respondents from two successive student year cohorts completed questionnaires at the start and end of their final year. Additional survey data were collected from participating students at the end of each rotation.Results131 students participated in the programme during 2013–2014. Participating student respondents (55/131;42 %) reported being significantly better prepared than a cohort of 56 non-participating colleagues in many aspects of their understanding of and knowledge about each of four key learning domains. 94 % (123/131) of programme participants completed end-of-rotation questionnaires. Positive from the outset (mean 5-point Likert scale scores between 3 and 5; 5 = most positive), student satisfaction further increased across all domains in the second year (mean 5-point Likert scale scores between 4 and 5).ConclusionsAt entry-to-practice level, multiple learning objectives, including indigenous health learning, can be met simultaneously in the clinical context within an integrated, rotational programme. Rural settings are highly suitable for delivering such programmes if well supported.
Highlights
The transition from student to health practitioner at entry-to-practice is complex, requiring critical acquisition of collaborative practice skills
Context The Tairāwhiti Interprofessional Education (TIPE) programme is based in a remote rural area with a dispersed population of approximately 47,000 [29]
Participation Professions One hundred and thirty one students from seven health professions participated in the TIPE programme over the study period (2013–2014)
Summary
The transition from student to health practitioner at entry-to-practice is complex, requiring critical acquisition of collaborative practice skills. In rural communities where health need is multidimensional, there is potential for multiple intentional collaborative learning objectives to be met concurrently. A five-week, rurally-located, clinically-based interprofessional programme was introduced as a transition-to-practice rotation for final-year, pre-registration health professional students in the professions of dentistry, dietetics, medicine, nursing, pharmacy and physiotherapy. Interprofessional education (IPE) opportunities, if clinically based, aim to enable students to become collaborative practice-ready by the time they start work [1]. The transition from senior student to new practitioner is a complex one, typically requiring increasing clinical workplace experience and multiple skill acquisition, but importantly, critical reflection in context and ongoing dialogue with others [6,7,8]. Effective delivery of clinicallybased IPE for pre-registration students has been demonstrated in a variety of settings, with positive outcomes in transitioning to effective collaborative practice [15]
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