Allied Health Professional Students Research Articles

The perceptions of first point of contact roles in primary care by pre-registration students of the allied health professions.

To develop a better understanding of the perceptions of first point of contact roles within primary care by pre-registration students of the Allied Health Professions (AHPs). General practice in the UK is under growing pressure from declining general practitioner (GP) numbers and increased service demand. The National Health Service (NHS) is attempting to mitigate this demand by making more effective use of its highly experienced workforce through the creation of first contact practitioners (FCPs). Working in primary care, FCPs are highly experienced AHPs with three or more years of relevant clinical experience. An abductive qualitative research approach underpinned by a descriptive phenomenological methodology was adopted. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the focus group transcripts. Twenty two final-year pre-registration AHP students participated in three focus groups. Two themes with sub-themes were identified: (1) Understanding of the role-pathway to the role; role clarity; and sources of knowledge. (2) Impact on service-positives and challenges. This study synthesised new findings from the previously unexplored FCP stakeholder of pre-registration AHP students. Participants generally understood the FCP's purpose of unburdening GPs and perceived the FCP model to contribute to the solution of rising clinical and financial pressures within the NHS, and primary care specifically. However, there was confusion regarding the scope of practice of an FCP. It is vital that the future workforce understand this role through effective education.

Utilising massive open online courses to enhance global learning dissemination in cleft lip and palate: a case report of penta helix collaboration

BackgroundEducating and raising awareness in cleft lip and palate future generations is one vital effort to ensure the improvement of cleft care and research in the future. This study reported the overview in organising and evaluating the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) in Cleft Lip and Palate as the alternative way for students’ capacity building outside their study program whilst also earning credits towards their studies.MethodsSmile Train cleft charity generously donated recorded lectures from cleft experts around the world in which each of the experts agreed to provide one-hour live discussion sessions. The learning activities ranging from lectures, pre- and post-course evaluation, forum, live discussion sessions, virtual visits to Indonesian Cleft Centre, self-reflection assignments and final project. A survey was released to the participants to collect their feedback.ResultsThe course mainly attracted dental students, and several allied health professional students. In total, 414 out of 717 participants registered for this MOOC managed to finish the course and received a certificate of completion which was run between August–October 2021. In general, participants positively received the course.ConclusionsThe MOOC model and its objective of disseminating widespread information across geographical boundaries to enhance learning about cleft lip and palate treatment was achieved. This report serves as an example for other educational institutions and stakeholders who plan to use online educational engagement platforms to provide high-quality education and capacity building to participants in lower-middle income countries.

Practicing Peer Physical Examination by Medical and Allied Health Professions Students: Why the Hesitation and Where are We Now? A Narrative Literature Review.

This narrative review aimed to examine the common existing factors that can influence medical students' attitudes and acceptability of peer physical examination, the presence of any variations of such attitudes over the time period included in the review, and provide measures to improve the acceptability of this practice, and directs attention to future research. This study utilized a systematic and comprehensive search technique to find relevant publications based on pre-defined eligibility criteria. Electronic searches were conducted using two search engines, PubMed and Google Scholar, with an additional manual search on Medical Teacher Journal. In addition, a critical evaluation tool was applied to critically assess each article. Evidence indicated that gender is consistently reported as the most influential factor affecting the acceptance of peer physical examination among healthcare professionals, independent of the presence of other factors. Essentially, conservative cultures, religion, and particular ethnicities are still exerting their impacts on the participant's willingness to participate in this activity. In addition, the current study found no significant variations in accepting this practice by the students over the reviewed period of time. According to the evidence provided by this review, a number of possible recommendations should be considered to boost and optimize the applicability of PPE. These include starting with non-sensitive areas, using single-gender pairing, and considering cultural and religious beliefs. Finally, there is a pressing need for future research, including multi-centric studies with larger and more diverse samples.

The Patient's Experience of Working with Multiple Allied Health Professional Students - A Qualitative Interview Study.

There are increasing numbers of learners in clinical settings as part of approaches to meet workforce demands. As a result, patients are now working with multiple learners at the same time, yet little is known about how people experience this. The aim of this study was to explore the patient experience of working with multiple allied health professional students. Structured interviews were carried out with 22 patients across hospital wards in one hospital in the North-West of England. Data was analysed using thematic analysis and four themes were identified: consent to work with multiple students; responses to working with multiple students; multiple students and feelings of safety; making connections with multiple students. Findings indicated that patients experienced positive relationships and feelings of safety with groups of students. However, patients were given limited advance or tailored information about working with a group of students which is an important area to address.

An Exploration of Student Perception Toward Interprofessional High-Fidelity Clinical Simulation.

Interprofessional education is recognized for its potential for collaboration and teamwork, reflecting clinical practice; however, existing literature for simulation-based interprofessional education does not include Physician Associate (PA) students. This initiative aimed to explore the students' perception of interprofessional clinical simulation for PA students and allied health professional (AHP) students as part of our program development. A high-fidelity simulation session was designed and conducted for volunteering students from the PA, paramedic science, and physiotherapy courses. We used a mixed-method electronic questionnaire consisting of 15 statements rated on a numerical rating scale (0-5) and four open-ended questions with unlimited free-text responses to explore student perceptions. Inductive thematic analysis was used for qualitative analysis. The session design was underpinned by Allport's (intergroup) contact hypothesis with an emphasis on mutual intergroup differentiation. Forty-six students participated in the simulation teaching, with 48% (n = 22) providing feedback. Overall student perception was mainly positive toward the interprofessional simulation; however, some barriers to learning were recognized. Based on the evaluation of our initiative and existing literature, we propose 5 top tips to promote an effective learning experience for students. (1) Understand the importance of interprofessional collaboration. (2) Establish clear roles. (3) Plan the scenarios in advance. (4) Maintain equal status between groups. (5) Provide clear instructions and expectations. To our knowledge, this is the first study of high-fidelity interprofessional simulation involving PA and AHP students. We successfully explored student perception which highlighted aspects that can impact learning. This pilot study demonstrated that interprofessional simulation is a feasible and acceptable form of learning for our students and highlighted how to improve future interprofessional simulation teaching sessions.

Allied health students' experiences of older adults in residential aged care placements: A scoping review.

To explore the attitudes and experiences of allied health students working with older adults on residential aged care placements. A systematic literature search was conducted to identify studies of any design describing allied health student experience of residential aged care placements. Online databases searched to identify potentially relevant documents included Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, CINAHL Complete (EBSCOhost) and Health and Medicine (ProQuest). Studies were excluded if residential aged care facilities or allied health professional students could not be extracted from the data. No restrictions were applied to methodological design, language, geographical location or year of publication. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool was used to assess methodological quality. Extracted studies were analysed to identify the study design, participant and placement characteristics, study methodology and student experience measures. Data from the included studies were analysed thematically using meta-synthesis. Six studies (total number of participants, n = 308) met inclusion criteria, with four papers scoring a 5/5 on the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Studies included undergraduate and master's students from physiotherapy (n = 3), speech language pathology (n = 2), dietetics (n = 1) and audiology (n = 1). Placement length varied from two to 15 h, between one and six residential aged care visits. Three themes were identified; (1) Opportunity to improve skills and gain confidence, (2) Development of empathy and shift in attitudes towards older adults and (3) Recognised challenges associated with older adults and residential aged care settings. While the size of the evidence-base is limited, the studies were largely consistent in demonstrating an increase in positive attitudes towards older adults following residential aged care placements. Future research, innovations and planning around workforce size, preparation and motivation must be prioritised to ensure older adults receive the care they need and deserve.

Dysmenorrhea Impact and Insights: A Statistical Analysis among Allied Health Professional Students in West Bengal, India

Introduction: Dysmenorrhea is a prevalent gynecological disorder that is characterized by the presence of unpleasant menstrual cramps. This condition has been found to have significant medical, psychological, and social implications for individuals who experience it. Although commonly seen as an inherent characteristic of a properly functioning reproductive system, it can potentially operate as a diagnostic tool for underlying illnesses. Regrettably, dialogues pertaining to dysmenorrhea are sometimes prohibited, particularly among males, within diverse cultural contexts.
 Objective: The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the level of knowledge and attitudes among allied health professions students enrolled at various universities of West Bengal (WB), India with regard to dysmenorrhea. This study aims to examine the impact of cultural variables on the knowledge and communication surrounding dysmenorrhea, specifically within conservative Indian districts.
 Methods: The study sample consisted of 494 students enrolled in allied health professions faculties at different universities of WB. Data collection took place from September 2021 to February 2023. A meticulously designed survey was employed to gather data pertaining to the various sources of knowledge, levels of awareness, attitudes toward discussing dysmenorrhea, and willingness to engage in conversations about menstruation with prospective females. Data interpretation involved the utilization of statistical analysis techniques, such as descriptive statistics and correlation analysis.
 Results: In terms of demographic composition, the study consisted of 86% female participants and 14% male participants. The mean knowledge scores of females (14.41 ± 3.14) were found to be considerably higher compared to males (13.75 ± 4.56). The primary sources of information were the internet (58.3%), maternity figures (48.8%), and educational institutions (46.2%). An observed positive connection (r = 0.244) was found between age and knowledge levels. The participants exhibited a general hesitancy to openly engage in conversations on menstrual symptoms, however, they demonstrated a readiness to engage in discussions about menstruation with their prospective daughters.
 Conclusions: The present study brings attention to the gender discrepancies in knowledge levels pertaining to dysmenorrhea among allied health professions university students of WB. Additionally, it emphasizes the influence of cultural norms on knowledge acquisition and communication around this topic. The statement underscores the need for destigmatization initiatives, comprehensive teaching on menstruation health, and fostering open communication within academic institutions and the broader community. The aforementioned findings offer valuable insights that can inform future educational endeavors and healthcare procedures within this particular subject.

Mental wellbeing of allied health students in clinical training: a scoping review

Introduction: Understanding the effect of clinical training to mental wellbeing of allied health professions (AHP) students and the contributory factors may help guide wellbeing initiatives developed by institutions and facilitate reflection from the clinical education community. This scoping review aimed to understand how AHP student mental wellbeing is affected by clinical training and map current recommendations to improve practice. Methods: Guided by the Arksey and O’Malley framework, a search was conducted in major databases and supplemented with snowball sampling and personal reference lists. Included papers discussed effects of workplace clinical training on mental wellbeing and focused on entry-level programs. Excluded articles focused on non-AHP health disciplines, years without clinical training, or post-registration programs only. Results: Thirteen studies were included from 1,026 records screened. The majority reported high levels of stress and adverse psychological consequences in AHP clinical students. These effects were influenced by interactions with supervisors, staff and patients, the dual workload as students and healthcare providers, the stage of transitioning from classroom to clinic, and the burden of training on personal conditions. Discussion: AHP students in the workplace experience adverse effects on wellbeing due to the workload, social environment, and other factors associated with training. Strategies to assist and empower students are needed. Educators and institutions should also be equipped to provide wellbeing support. Further research is needed to evaluate the effect of workplace factors on AHP students’ wellbeing over time, to assess effectiveness of interventions and explore positive effects on mental wellbeing, especially from low- and middle-income countries like the Philippines.

Allied Health Professional Students' Perceptions on Research: A Multi-disciplinary Mixed-Methods Study.

Modern medicine necessitates evidence-based interdisciplinary patient care. Research is at the centre of fostering an evidence-based mindset in healthcare teams. Studies have demonstrated that exposing students to research translates into better patient care. Studies investing the perceptions of students towards research have focused on the views of medical students, leaving the perceptions of allied health professional (AHP) students unaccounted for. A mixed-methods, anonymous online questionnaire was distributed to 837 AHP students studying at the University of Malta, across five different courses. The collected data was then statistically analysed through descriptive statistics and chi-square testing. Qualitative results were coded, triangulated and subsequently analysed. An overall response rate of 28.43% was achieved. Only 2.49% of respondents managed to publish research, despite many participants stating that research is important for their future careers. Career progression and lack of opportunity were identified as the major motivating and stumbling factors, respectively. Students pursuing research-focused degrees considered their curriculum to sufficiently equip them with research skills, compared to students studying clinically oriented degrees (p < 0.01). The results obtained from this study indicate that the perceptions of AHP students towards research are on par with the already established medical students. AHP students face the same stumbling blocks, are driven by the same motivating factors and experience a similar disparity between interest in research and research being produced, as medical students. Thus, a joint effort, between stakeholders in medical and AHP students' education, should be taken to address the factors limiting undergraduate students from conducting research. This will enable the implementation of an evidence-based mindset in the clinic, ultimately resulting in better patient care. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-022-01715-6.

True distance learning – an evaluation of a virtual simulated placement (VSP) for Indonesian nursing students

VSP uses browser-based virtual environments to simulate life-like and challenging clinical scenarios. They are an innovative and creative way to develop proficiency capabilities of healthcare professionals as an adjunct to their studies and practice placement. Evidence suggests that a simulated environment can better equip nursing and allied health professional students for practice [1–3]. The concept of VSP may have been brought forward by the COVID-19 pandemic but was inevitable with the increasing access to technology-enhanced learning and the emerging evidence of its benefit. This VSP was a collaboration between UK simulationists and Indonesian academics with a two-month deadline. Work was completed online using videoconferencing and translation services, the evaluation (with ethical approval) was completed using a JISC online survey in March 2022. The Indonesia VSP consists of four patient scenarios, one scenario from each of the fields of children and young people, adult, mental health and learning disability nursing and is set within the emergency department and is aimed at learners in their final year of a nursing programme in Indonesia. The Indonesia VSP scenarios were designed in line with the UK Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) proficiencies and the Indonesian equivalents and were designed based on clinical scenarios that are not commonly seen in clinical practice or may be particularly challenging to enhance learners’ skills and build their confidence with managing such situations. The VSP was designed for 10 hours of learning and was made available to adult nursing students from 37 Poltekkes across the Indonesian continent. The VSP project was delivered on time with the evaluation from the pilot group being overwhelmingly positive with 82% of respondents being satisfied with the quality of VSP (response rate of 30% n=51/171) The key themes identified were: ‘real-life patient scenarios based on holistic and patient-centered care’ and the VSP enabling learners to use ‘critical thinking skills and relate the content to previous knowledge’ gained on their course so far. VSP is a meaningful way of enhancing exposure to experiences that are not guaranteed for all learners leading to greater equity of experience. The reflective and blended nature of the VSP leads to a better understanding of difficult topics. The VSP platform enables knowledge transfer that allows our team to take our in-house digital innovations to a global platform to support the training of the future nursing workforce of Indonesia. 1. Akselbo I, Olufsen V, Ingebrigtsen O, Aune I. Simulation as a learning method in public health nurse education. Public Health Nurs. 2019;36(2):226–232. 2. Bogossian FE, Cant RP, Ballard EL, Cooper SJ, Levett‐Jones TL, McKenna LG, Ng LC, Seaton PC. Locating ‘gold standard’ evidence for simulation as a substitute for clinical practice in prelicensure health professional education: a systematic review. J Clin Nurs. 2019;28(21–22):3759–3775. 3. Mills BW, Carter OB, Rudd CJ, Ross NP, Claxton LA. 2015. Clinical placement before or after simulated learning environments? A naturalistic study of clinical skills acquisition among early-stage paramedicine students. Simul Healthc. 2015;10(5):263–269.

International, multi-disciplinary, cross-section study of pain knowledge and attitudes in nursing, midwifery and allied health professions students

BackgroundPersistent pain is a highly prevalent, global cause of disability. Research suggests that many healthcare professionals are not well equipped to manage pain, and this may be attributable at least in part to undergraduate education. The primary aim of this study was to quantify and compare first and final year nursing, midwifery and allied health professional (NMAHP) students’ pain related knowledge and attitudes. The secondary aim was to explore what factors influence students’ pain related knowledge and attitudes.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, 1154 first and final year healthcare students, from 12 universities in five different countries completed the Revised Neurophysiology of Pain Quiz (RNPQ) [knowledge] and the Health Care Providers Pain and Impairment Relationship Scale (HC-PAIRS) [attitudes].ResultsPhysiotherapy was the only student group with statistically and clinically improved pain related knowledge [mean difference, 95% CI] (3.4, 3.0 to 3.9, p = 0.01) and attitudes (-17.2, -19.2 to 15.2, p = 0.01) between first and final year. Pain education teaching varied considerably from course to course (0 to 40 h), with greater levels of pain related knowledge and attitudes associated with higher volumes of pain specific teaching.ConclusionsThere was little difference in pain knowledge and attitudes between all first and final year NMAHP students other than physiotherapy. This suggests that for most NMAHP disciplines, undergraduate teaching has little or no impact on students’ understanding of pain. There is an urgent need to enhance pain education provision at the undergraduate level in NMAHPs.Trial RegistrationThe study protocol was prospectively registered at ClinicalTrials.Gov NCT03522857.

Behaviour support for people with acquired brain injury within the National Disability Insurance Scheme: an Australian survey of the provider market.

People with acquired brain injury (ABI) may experience behaviours of concern that require therapy services, including behaviour support. In Australia, the implementation of a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and development of the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, has led to significant changes to behaviour support workforce processes, and the way behaviour support is funded, regulated and delivered to people with ABI who are Scheme participants. The aim of this study was to explore the current and future provider market of professionals providing behaviour supports to Scheme participants who experience ABI. An anonymous survey was designed and distributed via social media channels, an email listserv and professional association newsletters to professionals working within the NDIS in Australia. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and content analysis. One hundred and two surveys responses were analysed. A majority of professionals had an average understanding of the NDIS Quality and Safeguard Commission rules and policies on behaviour support. Responses to current and future registration as an NDIS Practitioner indicated the workforce gap could increase by between 17 and 26%. Respondents also raised concerns about the lack of training and experience of allied health professional students and graduates in addressing behaviours of concern. Responses to the open-ended question highlighted additional issues in the provision of behaviour support within the NDIS. This research highlighted the need for an NDIS behaviour support workforce strategy and supply-side market intervention to ensure a viable and sustainable workforce for people with ABI who need behaviour support.

Evaluation of E-Learning Experience among Health and Allied Health Professions Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Slovenia: An Instrument Development and Validation Study.

COVID-19 had an impact on everyday life, especially during the lockdown. This also impacted higher education, leading to a sudden and complete shift to online e-learning. The purpose of this study was to develop, validate, and test a measurement tool suitable for evaluating students’ e-learning experience among health and allied health professions students. The convenience sample consisted of 342 students. A validation of the instrument E-learning Experience Evaluation Scale (3E-Scale) was conducted before the study began. Factor structure, reliability, content, and face validity were assessed. Confirmatory factor analyses revealed a four-factor structure of the scale that explained 61% of the total variance. The overall scale demonstrated a high level of reliability and appears to be a reliable measurement tool. The results show that there are statistically significant differences between female and male students (p < 0.05). In addition, nursing and dietetics students perceive more barriers related to the open-source learning management system than other students (p < 0.05). Positive learning experiences contribute to greater learning satisfaction and, consequently, greater learning engagement. E-learning content design should be aligned with teaching pedagogy and learning outcomes. Future studies should also address the negative consequences of e-learning experiences.

Introducing MyPlate into nutrition teaching in the curriculum of undergraduate medical and allied health professions students in the Occupied Palestinian Territories

Introduction: MyPlate is an educational tool developed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as a replacement for an earlier approach called MyPyramid. It provides the US public with key messages on a healthy diet, but has not been studied in universities in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Aims: We aimed to study the acceptance and utility of MyPlate in the teaching curriculum among Palestinian medical and allied health students by introducing the approach in the nutrition course which forms part of curriculum. Method: An electronic survey questionnaire was distributed via social media and university platforms to students in the schools of medicine, nursing and pharmacy at Najah University. The questionnaire was used to collect data on demographic variables, obesity, nutritional deficiencies, nutritional problems and the use of MyPlate. In addition, information about vegetable consumption and participation in physical activities was collected. Chi-square tests and Fisher’s exact tests were used to calculate differences between study groups. Results: A convenience sample of 106 students participated in the investigation. In all, 68% of the study group were women, 58.0% were medical students, 44.0% were nursing students, and the remainder were pharmacy students. In all, 89.0% of students reported knowing about MyPlate, 61% reported using MyPlate and 79.0% of website users reported that they found the use of application easy. The main reason for using the application was for calculating needed calories and planning a healthy diet. However, students reported low ability to change their lifestyle accordingly. There was no age difference between users and non-users (19.4 years ± 0.8 years versus 19.8 y ± 0.8 y) or BMI, (20.0 ± 4.6) kg/m2 versus (21.3 ± 5.8) kg/m2. MyPlate users were more physically active, but there was no differences in diet. Conclusion: MyPlate was accepted by the majority of students but follow-up is needed to improve adherence to a healthy lifestyle.

The enablers and barriers to facilitating the development of reflective practice skills of third level allied health professional students through technology: A scoping review

BACKGROUND: The ability to reflect on one’s own performance, attitudes, and knowledge is an essential attribute of a competent allied health professional (AHP). Traditionally, reflective practice skills have been fostered during clinical placements via dyadic or narrative means (e.g. face-to-face supervision, journal writing, and observational assessment). However, with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, students face reduced opportunities for traditional clinical learning experiences, and embraced telepractice, simulation-based learning and other technology-based learning opportunities. OBJECTIVE: Research is limited regarding the use of digital technologies to facilitate the development of students’ reflective practice skills, therefore the best ways to facilitate this novel learning are not fully known and students may be disadvantaged as a result. As such, a scoping review was conducted to identify studies addressing the enablers and barriers to facilitating reflective practice skills of third level healthcare students, including speech and language therapy students, through technological means. METHODS: Five electronic databases were searched for studies published between 2016 to 2020. Identified records were imported into Covidence and titles and abstracts were screened by two independent reviewers. Data charting and critical analysis was completed by both authors independently. RESULTS: Six studies were ultimately included in data charting. These were of heterogeneous design and mixed quality. Four themes and a range of subthemes were identified regarding enablers and barriers to the facilitation of reflective practice via technological means. CONCLUSIONS: This research has provided critical information which may support the future use of technology in facilitating reflective practice among students. Competency in reflective practice is crucial to the professional development of students, yet COVID-19 and resultant restrictions present challenges to implementing the processes traditionally involved in developing such skills. This research highlights potential avenues for future developments in higher education which may overcome these barriers and augment the professional development of students.

178 Upstream Immersion: Preparing Allied Health Students with Foundational Placement Skills through a Multi-Disciplinary Simulation Week

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increased demand for clinical placements for Allied Health Professional (AHP) students. Consequently, we have needed to be creative to explore other ways to ensure students complete their 1,000 hours of clinical experience across the programme. A potential option is to use simulation to replace a portion of clinical hours. Evidence confirms that up to 25% of authentic physical practice with standardized simulated patients results in comparable student competency as assessed by an educator and that a 1-week period of simulation is effective in building students’ confidence before continuing with a placement in the clinical setting Our aim was to design, develop, implement and evaluate a multi-disciplinary simulation programme to prepare students with foundational placement skills. We sought to therefore reduce the burden on NHS staff. We also sought to determine the effect of the programme on student readiness for placement, student confidence, investigate stakeholder perceptions of the programme and determine the suitability of simulation in contributing to clinical hours.Simulation-based educational (SBE) pedagogy and principles guided the programme design and included: pre-brief, simulation with regular time outs to enable rehearsal of an activity and debriefing for reflection. We employed actor role players to act as the patient, relative or carer and clinical educators to guide the students as they would on a traditional placement. We developed three generic patient case studies designed specifically to focus on the development of the key programme learning outcomes: developing patient-centred communication skills and professional behaviours. We adopted a mixed-methods approach in our research design, collecting quantitative data from student self-report pre–post questionnaires, clinical educator questionnaires and qualitative data from focus groups to address our research questions and aims.A total of 29 Allied Health Professional students (from physiotherapy, occupational therapy and podiatry) completed a 5-day intensive simulation programme. The programme included an inter-professional ‘fishbowl simulation’ followed by 3 days of profession-specific clinical scenarios with profession-specific learning outcomes ending on the final day in six simulated multi-disciplinary team meetings. The sessions were interactive with simulated patients and their relative/carers giving authentic patient feedback from a patient perspective. We observed rich transformational learning observing students improve their communication skills and becoming more patient-centred in their approach. Preliminary student feedback indicates that they found the simulation programme challenging but extremely rewarding. Formal data analysis is continuing.

An approach to developing oral health knowledge for allied health students.

Oral health competency-based education approaches have been proposed as a mechanism to address oral health outcomes and equity issues. Recommendations for oral health education for allied health professional students include practices to increase team members' knowledge and skills in the integration of oral health and primary care practice (IOHPCP) initiative's oral health clinical competencies for primary care providers. This study aimed to examine changes in self-reported knowledge of occupational students in the topics of oral health, the dental profession, and dental healthcare systems following participation in a series of webinars and a community-engaged learning project. This study utilized an oral health education program through webinars and a community-engaged learning project for occupational therapy students. Program evaluation measures were utilized to assess the oral health education activities through self-reported knowledge in oral health topics aligned with IOHPCP domains along with topics identified by the community partner organization. Findings demonstrate that asynchronous webinars can increase self-reported knowledge in occupational therapy students. Recommendations for inclusion of oral health education for allied health students related to knowledge of oral health, the dental profession, and dental healthcare systems are shared. Asynchronous webinars have the potential to increase self-reported oral health knowledge for allied health professionals.

Understanding the Allied Health Professions Student Experience of Practice Placements during the First Wave of the Coronavirus Pandemic

In England, a national lockdown came into effect on 23 March 2020 in response to the rapid spread of the Coronavirus. Healthcare services were quickly redesigned or scaled back to meet the significant and rising demands. Many practice placements were discontinued, which resulted in large numbers of Allied Health Professions (AHPs) pre-registration students requiring placements to meet the required practice hours. The challenge for placement providers, who were experiencing increased demand and uncertainty, was to continue providing quality placements. At the local trust, 58 AHP students had a placement between April and July 2020. Some clinical areas offered traditional placements. However due to social distancing rules many placements utilised blended practice; using aspects of both direct face-to-face and remote practice. It is important to understand the student experience in anticipation of future surges of Coronavirus. In total, 36 students responded to a placement survey. Results showed the majority of the students reported positive placement experiences overall. Despite the ever-changing placement landscape and the need for flexibility, it is important to ensure that placements are well planned and that students are well informed about the safety measures in place. It is vital that student’s feel welcomed and valued in order to learn and reach their full potential whilst on placement. The use of a blended placement model provided valuable learning experiences, however consideration needs to be given to ensure that students feel part of the team and have confidence that their learning needs are met.

Are OSCE Standardized Patients with Actual Sickle Cell Disease More Believable and Beneficial Than Actors Portraying Same Scenarios?

Standardized patients (SPs) and “objective structured clinical examination” (OSCE) have been utilized to teach medical and allied health professional students how to interview and examine patients for decades. As the adult population of patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) is expected to increase, more care givers will needed. SPs in OSCE settings may be an important training tool for primary care providers to better care for patients with SCD. To assess if SPs with actual chronic disease or actors offer a better learning experience, internal and family medicine resident perceptions during objective structured clinical examinations (OSCE) sessions were evaluated using SPs with and without chronic diseases portrayed. Two case studies focused on complications of SCD and multiple sclerosis (MS). Four SPs were trained about these two chronic illnesses; one each with actual SCD or MS, and one each without. Family and internal medicine residents were randomly asked to examine SPs portraying either SCD or MS without being informed if the SP was with or without the corresponding disease. Residents were asked to complete a 6 item questionnaire: if residents thought the SP had the actual disease based on history, general appearance or physical examination. Likert scale scores assessed believability and how beneficial resident thought SPs with disease (SPWD) or without disease (SPWOD) were. Of the 40 resident assessment included in the analysis, 81.8% (18/22) of residents correctly identified the SPWDs that had actual disease, compared to 50.0% (9/18) of the SPWODs (p=0.046). The believability score for SP portraying SCD was higher for SPWD compared to SPWOD (mean=4.4, +/- 0.7 vs 3.5 +/- 0.9, p=0.032). Amongst residents examining SPWDs, those examining the SP with MS were significantly more likely to say that SPWD were beneficial compared to those examining the SP with SCD (mean=4.7 +/- 0.5 vs 3.8 +/- 0.6; p=0.017). Multivariate analysis is presented in table. This pilot study suggests that resident perception during chronic disease management OSCE may vary depending whether SPs have actual disease, type of disease portrayed and presence or absence of physical findings. A complex chronic disease like SCD may not be easily mimicked even by well-trained actors. Using actual patients may be of benefit even in the absence of overt clinical findings. OSCE may also serve as a research tool to examine, in controlled settings, attitudes of health care professionals towards individuals affected by chronic diseases such as SCD. [Display omitted] DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Outcomes of an Inter-professional Education Event for Social Work and Allied Health Professional Students Working with Families in Poverty: Implications for Social Work Education

ABSTRACT Interprofessional education (IPE) aims to introduce students to the importance of team-based decision making. This article presents evaluation data from an IPE poverty simulation event. The goals of the project were to increase students’ understanding of the barriers faced by families in poverty, and to increase students’ confidence when working with families in poverty. Results show that students experienced enhanced confidence in their ability to work with families living in poverty, as well as an increase in the number of key practice behaviors they were likely to perform. These findings demonstrate that IPE simulations can enhance the understanding and confidence of social work students working with such families.