Use of problem based learning activity to improve attitudes regarding inter-professional collaborative teamwork in mental health nursing students: An evaluation study

Abstract

Inter-professional collaboration results in improved processes, quality, cost-effectiveness, and outcomes in health care. Despite benefits of collaboration, little is known about effective nursing education approaches in collaboration. A pre-test, post-test brief longitudinal educational evaluation design was implemented utilizing a teamwork attitudes questionnaire to explore thirty-six Midwestern United States undergraduate nursing students' attitudes about collaborative care. An electronic educational module about collaborative nursing practice was used. Also, participants developed visual representations (maps) of collaborative care teams utilizing reverse case-study approach. The TAQ tool demonstrated significantly improved students' valuation of teamwork after the electronic module activity (t = 5.976, p = 0.000) and increased the identification of need for administrative support for effective teamwork (t = 33.53, 0.000). Collaborative team map drawings demonstrated that patient's frequently fail to identify themselves (75%) and social workers (70%) as part of their care team. Patients (58.3%) and students (77.8%) however, frequently identified family members as important to care. Further study should identify how nurses can fully engage and sustain involvement of family members and social workers in collaborative mental health care. Benefit in student nurses' attitudes about teamwork was found after a brief educational learning module about collaboration.