Clinical Preceptors Research Articles

Perspectives of Surgical Research Residents on Improving Their Reentry Into Clinical Training

Concerns exist about clinical and operative skill decay in surgery residents when they dedicate time away from clinical training to pursue research. However, it remains undetermined how to best prevent these negative impacts. Our study evaluated the perspectives of surgical research residents on interventions to improve their reentry into clinical training. An anonymous web-based survey was distributed between 5/01/2023 and 6/01/2023 to 102 current and former (within the previous 3 years) general surgery research residents from 4 academic medical centers in Boston, MA. Survey response rate was 35.3% (36/102 residents). About 22 of 36 residents (61.1%) felt that their clinical aptitude decreased during the research years, whereas 33 of 36 (91.7%) reported reduced surgical skills. When reflecting on their re-entry to residency, former research residents reported feeling anxious and less confident (3.84/5 on a 1-5 Likert scale) as well as being below the expected level of clinical performance (3.42/5). Most of them (12 of 17; 70.6%) reported that it took up to 6 months, whereas 5 of them (29.4%) up to 12 months to feel at the expected level. When compared to nonmoonlighting residents, those who moonlighted often and operated during moonlighting, denied a decrease in clinical and surgical skills, and reported less anxiety, higher confidence, and a quicker return to the expected level of performance. Interventions proposed for improving their clinical re-entry included individualized development plans for 3 months before returning to clinical training, established curriculum for clinical work throughout the research years, clinical preceptorships throughout the research years, and simulation curriculum throughout the research years. General surgery residents feel that their clinical and surgical skills decreased during the research years, leading to anxiety and lack of confidence when returning to residency. Therefore, comprehensive interventions are needed to improve the reentry of the research residents into clinical training.

Pre-licensure nursing students' experiences of psychological safety: A longitudinal qualitative study

BackgroundPrevious studies have explored the concept of psychological safety among pre-licensure nursing students; however, the literature is notably sparse on personal descriptions of pre-licensure nursing students' experiences of psychological safety in clinical settings. Individual descriptions of psychological safety will provide added insight and understanding about the elements that shape psychological safety in pre-licensure nursing students. AimThis research aimed to explore pre-licensure nursing students' experiences of psychological safety during clinical rotations and how these experiences change over time. DesignA longitudinal, qualitative, descriptive design was used for this study. SettingsParticipants were recruited from a nursing program in the Mountain West region. ParticipantsFifty-four students from three cohorts were enrolled in the study at the time of this data collection and analysis. MethodsEach participant completed a semi-structured telephone interview after finishing their first academic term involving a clinical rotation. Participants completed additional interviews after each subsequent semester. Individual waves of data were analyzed using thematic analysis, and multiple waves of data were analyzed using a simplified trajectory approach. ResultsFive themes emerged from the data: “Who I Am,” “Where I Am,” “Who I Am With,” “Responding in the Moment,” and “Anticipating the Future.” ConclusionsThe psychological safety of pre-licensure nursing students in clinical settings is fundamental to their learning and future practice within the nursing profession. The development of psychological safety is dynamic and multifaceted. It is interpersonal but also shaped by organizational factors. Any one person can make an outsized difference in a student's experience. Understanding these themes can help clinical preceptors and nursing faculty understand and better fulfill their respective roles in fostering psychological safety in clinical settings. Additional insights are expected as the longitudinal study continues.

Giving Your Preceptors What They Need: Developing an Innovative Clinical Preceptor Education Program.

Advanced practice registered nursing (APRN) educational programs require students to complete many hours of clinical education to prepare them for their role. This article outlines the process of developing a novel nurse anesthesia preceptor training program that could be implemented by any graduate APRN program. Preceptors' requests for specific information about how to best educate students served as a catalyst to develop a customized preceptor training program tailored to the needs of the program, the preceptors, and students to optimize clinical education and improve quality of care.

The year long journey: Transforming the BSN-DNP curriculum

BackgroundRevising a doctor of nursing practice (DNP) curriculum for family nurse practitioner and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner education with an eye on future changes in competencies required planning and consensus among taskforce members. Major priorities included: the need to embed competency- based education (CBE), the National Taskforce Criteria for Nurse Practitioner (6th ed.) education, and the Essentials: Core competencies for professional nursing education (American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials, 2021). FindingsChallenges began with faculty knowledge of CBE, NP faculty skills in curriculum building, buying in to the revised degree, and reviewing all current literature on the DNP NP knowledge, skills and attitudes needed for current practice. The year long journey yielded a comprehensive curriculum model to share as well as several lessons learned and recommendations for this journey. ConclusionThe process resulted in a curriculum revision that thus far, is better suited to development of the “work-ready” graduate while still supporting individualized student needs in attending a doctoral-level program. Ongoing work is focused on specific “pillars” of program support including clinical preceptor placement and partnerships, preceptor resources, student retention resources, and exploration of competency-based tracking data management.Considering the impact on faculty workload, program leadership should actively assess levels of curricular expertise of faculty involved to determine additional development or training needs for individual professional growth.

Perceptions of Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants/Associates Toward the Concept of Developing an Advanced Practice Postgraduate Residency/Fellowship Program at a Large Academic Medical Center.

Introduction There have been exponential growth and increased interest in postgraduate residency/fellowship formalized training among nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants/associates (PAs). Although not a requirement for state licensure and entry-level practice, postgraduate NP and PA residency/fellowship programs offer a structured pathway for new graduates and experienced PAs and NPs looking to transition into a new medical or surgical specialty/subspecialty. In this article, we examine the perceptions of employed NPs and PAs toward postgraduate training including the concept of developing a program at our institution. Methodology This was a cross-sectional single-large academic medical center (AMC) study, where an anonymous electronic survey was initially developed by the director of advanced practice providers (APPs). The survey was piloted by members of the Advanced Practice Council (APC) comprising NPs, PAs, and certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs), and their collective feedback was used to finalize the survey prior to distribution. Descriptive statistics were used to describe and summarize the data. In addition, we assessed the association between respondents' characteristics and perceptions regarding NP and PA residency/fellowship programs using chi-squared tests of independence. Results The majority of the respondents (69.1%; 65/94) believed that starting an advanced practice residency/fellowship program at our AMC has many benefits such as increasing specialty-specific knowledge and training (79.8%; 75/94), improving medical decision-making (73.4%; 69/94), promoting professional development and clinical education (73.4%; 69/94), and improving procedural competency (60.6%; 57/94). Moreover, over half of the respondents (53.2%; 50/94) indicated that there is value in an APP residency/fellowship program obtaining optional accreditation. Additionally, over half of the respondents (56.4%; 53/94)indicated that they would be interested in participating as a clinical preceptor if an APP residency/fellowship program was developed at our AMC. Lastly, about one-third of the respondents felt strongly that APP residency/fellowship training programs should offer post-professional doctoral degree options such as Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc), and Doctor of Health Science (DHSc). Conclusion Although most respondents have never completed a formalized postgraduate training program and were less familiar with the published literature regarding these programs, our findings suggest that the attitudes ofemployed NPs and PAs aregenerally positivetoward the concept of postgraduate specialty-specific training.

Assessment of the competency of learner-centered teaching of clinical preceptor using the augmented Stanford Faculty Development Program Questionnaire (SFDPQ): a cross sectional comparative study

BackgroundEducation is an important part of the work of most doctors. Clinical preceptors act as role models and supervisors. Preceptors’ quality of supervision strongly influences the learning quality of clinical interns (Bartlett et al. BMC Med Educ 20:165, 2020). To ensure a consistent approach to every preceptorship experience, the competency of clinical preceptors should be assessed to ensure that the desired outcomes are achieved. This study aims to evaluate clinical preceptors’ competency in learner-centered teaching, to provide constructive feedback to develop the preceptors’ competency and improve supervisory skills and internship quality at Kunming Medical University (KMU) in Kunming of China.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional study with a quantitative self-administered online questionnaire. The convenience sampling technique was employed. In the undergraduate internship stage of KMU, clinical preceptors (N = 340) and interns (N = 487) were invited to use the augmented Stanford Faculty Development Program questionnaire (SFDPQ) (Stalmeijer et al. Med Teach 30:e272–e277, 2008), to (self-) assess the preceptor’s competency of learner-centered teaching on a five-point scale (1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree).ResultsTwo hundred twenty-eight preceptors and two hundred thirty-six interns completed the questionnaire correctly. Overall, the assessment was positive, but the preceptors’ self-assessment significantly higher than the interns’ (p < 0.00). The overall mean of each category of preceptors’ self-assessment was greater than 4.5, with no difference based on educational qualification. Male preceptors scored significantly higher in two categories than female preceptors. Preceptors under 30 years of age with less than 5 years of teaching experience rated “Teacher’s knowledge and attitude” lower than those over 40 years of age with more than 5 years of experience (p < 0.05). There were statistically significant differences in the four categories across disciplines (p < 0.05). Undergraduate interns rated “Teachers’ knowledge” as the highest category and “Learning climate” as the lowest, and interns of different genders are evaluated without distinction in all categories of SFDPQ.ConclusionsEmploying the augmented SFDPQ to evaluate learner-centered teaching competency of clinical preceptors, offers potentially useful information for delivering constructive feedback. Combining self-evaluations with learner evaluation data can contribute to exploring preceptor competency development framework to guide them in targeted learner-centered teaching skill and acquisition and improvement, finally improving the overall quality of internships.

Barriers to effective clinical preceptorship in nurse anesthesiology

BackgroundClinical preceptorship is an effective teaching tool for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) and Student Registered Nurse Anesthetists (SRNAs). Strategies for success and barriers to effective clinical preceptorship have been explored across the literature to improve learning experiences for SRNAs. PurposeThe purpose of this literature review was to identify barriers to effective clinical preceptorship in the field of nurse anesthesiology. MethodA rapid review of the literature utilizing PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, and Cochrane Library ultimately yielded 14 relevant articles. ResultsClinical preceptorship in the discipline of nurse anesthesiology has a significant impact on both student experiences and preceptor satisfaction. Barriers within the clinical preceptorship model have been identified across the literature from both the preceptor and student perspectives. ConclusionsThe overarching theme is that development of clinical preceptor workshops and specific guidelines would enhance the experiences of both clinical preceptors and students and allow goals and objectives to be more easily met.

Development and initiation of a preceptor program to improve midwifery and nursing clinical education in sub-saharan Africa: protocol for a mixed methods study

BackgroundExpanding the quality and quantity of midwifery and nursing clinical preceptors is a critical need in many sub-Saharan educational settings to strengthen students’ clinical learning outcomes, and ultimately to improve maternal and child mortality. Therefore, this study protocol was developed to establish a year-long, four step, precepting program to (1) improve partnership building and program development (2) provide an evidence-based course to expand competency and confidence in precepting students (3) select preceptors to become train the trainers and (4) secure accreditation for the program, ultimately to engage and support cohorts of preceptors and continue to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the program over five years.MethodsQualitative and quantitative approaches will be used including evaluation of preceptors, faculty and leadership involved with the program, as well as students taught by preceptors. Data will include validated self-assessment scales, objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs), satisfaction surveys, and direct clinical observation, in-depth interviews and/or focus group discussions (preceptors); feedback forms (students); process mapping and organizational readiness for implementing change surveys (faculty and leadership). Median change in scores will be the primary outcome for quantitative data. Content analysis within a deductive framework to identify key implementation and adoption themes will be used for qualitative data analysis.DiscussionThis study aims to assess the readiness and early effectiveness for implementing a preceptor program for midwifery and nursing in Sierra Leone and Malawi. Determining the effectiveness of this program will guide future adaptations in order to strengthen the program for sustainability and potential scale-up.

Do it MY Way! Midwifery Students’ Perceptions of Negative Clinical Experiences and Negative Characteristics and Practices of Clinical Preceptors

The purpose of this paper was to describe the perceptions of midwifery students' concerning negative clinical experiences and ineffective role modeling received from clinical preceptors. Students (N=145) from accredited midwifery schools in the United States and Puerto Rico voluntarily completed a qualitative descriptive survey from a URL website. Descriptive statistics identified demographics and clinical setting characteristics. Open- ended questions gathered qualitative data about preceptor behaviours that were detrimental to student learning in the clinical setting. Content analysis of the narrative responses provided major themes that identified negative clinical preceptor characteristics and behaviours and negative clinical experiences from the student perspective. Six areas contributed to negative experiences with preceptors from the students' perspective. These included the number of assigned preceptors; the teaching style of the preceptor; the life stress of the preceptor; lack of preceptor knowledge; and a harsh clinical environment. The most difficult aspect of negative preceptors was the insistence for the students to “do it MY way”. Without effective preceptors much of midwifery's accumulated knowledge will be lost. By identifying negative clinical preceptor practices, improvements can be made to assist the preceptor and student in the process of learning. The negative practices represent areas where more research and interventions are needed.

Assessing the Competence of Nursing Students in Clinical Practice: The Clinical Preceptors' Perspective.

Nursing students' integration of theoretical knowledge and practical abilities is facilitated by their practice of nursing skills in a clinical environment. A key role of preceptors is to assess the learning goals that nursing students must meet while participating in clinical practice. Consequently, the purpose of this study was to explore the current evidence in relation to competency assessment and assessment approaches, and the willingness of preceptors for assessing nursing students' competency in a clinical setting. The scoping review used the five-stage methodological framework that was developed by Arksey and O'Malley, as well as the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews. Relevant studies were searched by applying a comprehensive literature search strategy up to April 2024 across the following databases: CINAHL, OVID MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PUBMED. A total of 11,297 studies published between 2000 and April 2024 were revealed, and 38 were eligible for inclusion, which the research team categorised into three main themes: definitions of competence, tools for assessing competence and preceptors' and mentors' viewpoints in relation to the assessment of nursing students' competence. This review established that there are a multitude of quantitative instruments available to assess clinical competence; however, a lack of consistency among assessment instruments and approaches between countries and higher education institutions is prevalent. Existing research evidence suggests that the preceptors carried out the assessment process clinically and they found difficulties in documenting assessment. The assessing of nursing students' competency and the complexity of assessment is a concern for educators and mentors worldwide. The main concern centers around issues such as the interpretation of competence and complex measurement tools.

Teaching Opportunities for Postgraduate Trainees in Primary Care.

The purpose of this AM Last Page is to help faculty and postgraduate medical trainees (residents) identify resident teaching opportunities and foster teaching skill development. The Fundamental Teaching Activities (FTA) framework includes three domains in which physicians teach: Clinical Preceptor; Teacher Outside the Clinical Setting; and Educational Leader. Based on interviews with faculty and residents as well as our collective and diverse teaching experience, we adapted the FTA framework to be more applicable to resident teaching. The resultant domains are: Clinical Teacher; Teacher in Nonclinical Settings; and Educational Collaborator.

Health Care Clinical Preceptors' Attitudes Towards Interprofessional Education in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study [Letter

Health Care Clinical Preceptors' Attitudes Towards Interprofessional Education in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study [Letter

Design and Implementation of a Nursing Capstone Across a Multisite Health System.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic created profound effects in nursing education. Using a robust academic-practice partnership, a college of nursing and a health care organization collaborated to launch Jefferson Capstone Experience (JCE), an education delivery model that included a one-to-one, 108-hour clinical preceptorship between an experienced RN and an undergraduate nursing student. The expedited design, implementation, and evaluation of JCE is described. The mixed-method program evaluation included surveys, interviews, and focus groups with students, faculty, and preceptors. Students and preceptors reported high levels of satisfaction with JCE. All parties emphasized the importance of clear and timely communication, academic practice collaboration, and organization. A significant number of capstone graduates accepted a position with a capstone clinical partner. Although the logistics of planning and implementation were challenging, an immersive and largely positive experience was created for undergraduate students, which created a robust hiring pipeline of new-to-practice nurses. [J Nurs Educ. 2024;63(5):292-297.].

The Impact of Internships on Nursing Students During the Epidemic and the Response of Clinical Preceptors

Background: For nursing students’ inadequate experience in clinical internships due to the COVID-19 epidemic, most schools responded with adjustment involving various modes of teaching. Nevertheless, the impact on nursing students has been an important issue.Aim: From the perspective of clinical preceptors, to investigate the learning impact on nursing students during the epidemic and the response of clinical preceptors.Subject and methods: A total of 9 clinical preceptors were interviewed following focus group methodology based on an outline for self-developed structured interview. The results of interviews were further analyzed using qualitative research.Results: The follows were found from the perspective of clinical preceptors: The impacts on students during the epidemic include “lack of real-life communication”, “lack of clinical scenario”, “less mature skills”, and “worry”. The responses from clinical preceptors during the epidemic include: “comfort or care”, “providing protective equipment”, and “teaching students in accordance with their aptitude”. The epidemic affects the capability of nursing students in clinical care, for which clinical preceptors expect the hospital end to “provide adequate manpower”, “prolong the adaptation period for students” to assist nursing students in adapting to the workplace.Conclusion: Nursing students’ internships at hospitals were affected during the epidemic, which further leads to the inadequate capability in clinical care from nursing students. Therefore, providing individual guidance by workplaces is an essential measure.

Examining the Role of Gender and Ethnic Concordance in Medical Student Specialty Selection.

Representation of female and minority physicians varies across specialties and may influence career selection by medical students. To investigate the effect of demographic concordance between medical students and clinical role models on specialty selection, we conducted a survey of graduating medical students to assess the perceived importance and influence of third-year clerkship experiences with demographically concordant preceptors on their choice of specialty for post-graduate training. An 11-question survey was shared nationally through AAMC Organizational Student Representatives to medical students in the Class of 2023. Information gathered included demographics; specialty of choice; extent of exposure to preceptors of the same gender, race, or ethnicity during clinical clerkships; and perceived importance and influence of those interactions (Likert 1-5, Low-High) on specialty selection. A total of 84 students responded. Female students ascribed more importance to gender concordance with preceptors on the third-year clerkship most associated with their specialty of choice than males [3.4 (SD 1.2) vs. 1.3 (SD 0.8) respectively, p < 0.0001] and greater influence to gender concordance on final specialty selection [2.37 (SD 1.1) vs. 1.31 (SD 0.8) respectively, p < 0.0001]. Non-Caucasians ascribed more importance to race/ethnicity concordance than Caucasians [2.8 (SD 1.4) vs. 1.2 (SD 0.5) respectively, p < 0.0001] and greater influence to race/ethnicity concordance on final specialty selection [2.0 (SD 1.3) vs. 1.1 (SD 0.4) respectively, p < 0.0001]. Caucasian females ascribed the greatest importance to gender concordance (p < 0.001), non-Caucasian females ascribed the greatest influence of gender concordance (p < 0.001), and non-Caucasian females ascribed both the greatest importance (p < 0.001) and influence (p < 0.001) to race/ethnicity concordance. We found that gender and race/ethnicity concordance between students and clinical preceptors during third year clerkships is perceived as especially important and influential in specialty selection by minority and female medical students. These findings highlight the importance of diversity in gender and race/ethnicity representation by preceptors on clinical clerkships. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-024-02044-6.

Redesigning nurse practitioner clinical education with a Dyad/POD model: A feasibility study.

Clinical education for nurse practitioner (NP) students is increasingly challenging. With fewer preceptors, lack of resources and time burden, finding clinical placements is a burdensome responsibility. Also, when students have multiple preceptors, there may be inconsistencies when evaluating students. With the change to competency-based education, consistency is crucial when evaluating NP students. Typical preceptorship with students is a 1:1:1 ratio: one student with one preceptor for one semester. The Dyad/Precepting to Optimize Development (POD) model has potential to improve clinical precepting. Precepting to optimize development refers to a consistent team of students, preceptors, and faculty over the course of the students' education. Dyad refers to two students with one preceptor. Students rotate in dyad pairs every 4-8 weeks with a consistent group of preceptors, and see these same preceptors again over the course of their educational journey. Preceptors met monthly to collaborate, discuss, and learn. This article reports on the outcomes of a mixed-methods feasibility study that occurred over a year. The students, preceptors, and faculty report satisfaction with the model. Several themes arose during analysis of focus group sessions. Those themes were as follows: safe learning environment; everyone teaches, everyone learns; growth mindset; teaming culture and the POD structure is essential to the dyad. In conclusion, developing a different approach to precepting is essential to meet national provider needs. The Dyad/POD model provides consistency for development and evaluation of the NP student.

Health Care Clinical Preceptors' Attitudes Towards Interprofessional Education in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

IPE fosters a dynamic learning environment that may promote students' knowledge, abilities, and collaborative approach towards addressing challenging clinical circumstances. While much has been reported in the literature regarding these diverse IPE learning environments, limited information exists regarding clinical preceptors' attitude and perceptions of IPE, especially in Saudi Arabia. Given the impact clinical preceptors have on the formation of healthcare students exploring their perceptions, which may impact their actions is imperative. The study focused on understanding the attitudes and perceptions of clinical preceptors towards IPE in a healthcare setting in Saudi Arabia. The study was conducted in Saudi Arabia. Data was collected via Email letter of solicitation (LOS) which included a link to the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) survey. The LOS was sent to all the health care programs in Saudi Arabia. The study surveyed 182 clinical preceptors. The findings revealed consistent favorable opinions towards "Teamwork and Collaboration". The majority of preceptors concurred that learning alongside other students would increase students' efficiency on healthcare teams and deepen their comprehension of clinical issues. The "Roles and Responsibilities" category, however, obtained lower ranks in general from the preceptors. Not surprising, differences in rankings were greatest between preceptors who had and did not have IPE exposure, there were significant variations in views toward "Teamwork and Collaboration", "Negative Professional Identity", and "Roles and Responsibilities". Preceptors exposed to IPE showed lower median ratings for "Negative Professional Identity" and "Roles and Responsibilities" and better median scores for "Teamwork and Collaboration". The attitudes and perceptions of preceptors who had experienced IPE were more favorable toward IPE and thus may foster it more effectively in the students they work with. Therefore, ensuring that all preceptors are aware of and have experience with IPE is important as we seek to promote person-centered care.

ACNM's Commentary on the Midwifery Workforce in the US.

The American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) represents certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) and certified midwives (CMs) who are graduate-prepared advanced practice providers. They attend educational programs accredited by the American Commission for Midwifery Education (ACME) and are certified by the American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB). Their scope of practice as defined by ACNM includes primary care, reproductive services beginning with menarche through menopause, gender-affirming services, contraception, abortion, prenatal, birth, postpartum, and care of the newborn. CNMs/CMs attend 10.9% of US births, but other high-income countries have the reverse proportion of midwives to obstetricians. The CNM/CM workforce is growing, but retirements and attrition slow the growth. Research demonstrates good outcomes from care provided by midwives, and ACNM's primary goal is to expand the midwifery workforce and increase consumer access to midwifery care to mitigate the persistent rise in maternal mortality and morbidity. Barriers to workforce expansion include restricted practice at the state level, inability to expand the number of seats in education programs due to lack of clinical preceptors, and a lack of diversity in the workforce. Strategies to address these barriers may allow the workforce to grow, increasing access to high-quality, equitable sexual and reproductive care for people in the United States.

Unpacking the perceptions and experiences of student facilitators in interprofessional education: a qualitative study

ABSTRACT Enhancing health professional students’ effective learning and collaborative practice requires a deep understanding of strategies for facilitating interprofessional learning. While faculty members and clinical preceptors are recognized as facilitators in interprofessional education (IPE), there is limited knowledge about the impact of student facilitators’ engagement in IPE. Accordingly, this study aims to explore the perceptions and experiences of student facilitators in IPE. Thirteen student facilitators were recruited to lead an interprofessional learning program, and they were subsequently invited to participate in one-on-one interviews. An interview guide was developed to explore their motivations, expectations, engagement, effectiveness, and achievements in IPE facilitation. Thematic analysis was conducted using MAXQDA software to analyze the student facilitators’ experiences and perceptions. Eight interviewees from various disciplines, including Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Speech and Hearing Sciences, and Social Work, took part in the study. The findings revealed that student facilitators highly valued their IPE facilitation experience, which aligned with their expectations and led to the creation of social networks, increased confidence, improved understanding of other professions, and the development of lifelong skills. Furthermore, the student facilitators demonstrated cognitive and social congruence by establishing a relaxed learning environment, displaying empathetic and supportive behaviors, and using inclusive language to engage IPE learners in group discussions. This study provides a comprehensive understanding of the role of student facilitators in IPE, contributing to the evolving literature on IPE. A conceptual framework was developed to explore the entire facilitation experience, encompassing the motivations and expectations of student facilitators, their engagement and effectiveness, and the observed achievements. These findings can inform the development of peer teaching training in IPE and stimulate further research in identifying relevant facilitator competencies for optimal delivery of IPE.

Primary Care Clinic Approaches to Facilitating Patient Health Behavior Change in Alabama.

Background Non-communicable chronic diseases (NCCDs), such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer, are the leading cause of death and disability and the leading driver of healthcare costs in the U.S. It is estimated that 80% of chronic diseases and premature deaths are attributable to modifiable lifestyle factors related to smoking and alcohol intake, poor eating patterns, and physical inactivity. Inadequate sleep also plays a significant role. Among other directives, primary care providers (PCPs) have the opportunity to contribute to preventing and treating NCCD in their patients. Comprehensive, evidence-based behavioral counseling interventions are recommended to PCPs as a first-line approach to improving outcomes. However, presumably due to a lack of PCP time, training or resources, most patients report not receiving such services. Currently, the extent to which PCPs in Alabama offer or refer patients to health behavior change (HBC) services is unknown. Objectives This study aims to assess the following: (1) Alabama PCPs' current approaches in facilitating patient HBC in the domains of eating patterns, physical activity, sleep, and stress and (2) the likelihood of the Alabama PCPsreferring patients to virtual HBC programs, once developed by an osteopathic medical school in the state. Methods Data were collected from clinic personnel who were knowledgeable regarding the clinic's approach to facilitating patient HBC via scripted telephone interviews and online surveys sent via email. The clinic list utilized for the study was derived from a list of VCOM-Auburn clinical preceptors. Primary care and specialty clinics were included. Data were analyzed descriptively to determine the number of clinics that (1) provide, recommend, or refer programs, services, or resources to patients to facilitate HBC related to eating patterns, physical activity, sleep, and stress management and (2) are likely to refer patients to free virtual HBC programs, once developed by an osteopathic medical school in the state. Results Of the 198 clinics that were contacted, 75 were excluded, 46 were "no response," 53 agreed to participate, and 50 completed the survey. Of the 50 clinics that completed the survey, 33 indicated offering resources or referrals for diet, 29 stated they offered resources or referral services for physical activity, 33 indicated offering resources or referrals for sleep, and 28 indicated offering or recommending resources for stress management to patients. Most of the clinics (29/50) felt that their patients would benefit most from a program that facilitates improvement in eating patterns, and 41/50 clinics said that they are either "somewhat" or "extremely" likely to refer patients to a free VCOM-Auburn HBC program, once available. Conclusions Findings indicate that a significant percentage of PCP clinics are not offering HBC resources to patients and that most PCP clinics would consider referring patients to free VCOM-Auburn HBC programs, once available. Phone data were significantly different from email data. The primary limitations were a low response rate and potential response bias.