Simulation-based Interprofessional Education Research Articles

Application of a Simulation-Based Interprofessional Teamwork Assessment Tool (SITAT) to Individual Student Performance in a Team-Based Simulation.

There are a very limited number of instruments to assess individual performance in simulation-based interprofessional education (IPE). The purpose of this study was to apply the Simulation-Based Interprofessional Teamwork Assessment Tool (SITAT) to the individualized assessment of medicine, pharmacy, and nursing students (N = 94) in a team-based IPE simulation, as well as to explore potential differences between disciplines, and calculate reliability estimates for utilization of the tool. Results of an analysis of variance provided evidence that there was no statistically significant difference among professions on overall competency (F(2, 91) = 0.756, P = .472). The competency reports for nursing (M = 3.06, SD = 0.45), medicine (M = 3.19, SD = 0.42), and pharmacy (M = 3.08, SD = 0.49) students were comparable across professions. Cronbach's alpha provided a reliability estimate of the tool, with evidence of high internal consistency (α = .92). The interrater reliability of the SITAT was also investigated. There was moderate absolute agreement across the 3 faculty raters using the 2-way mixed model design and “average” unit (kappa = 0.536, P = .000, 95% CI [0.34, 0.68]). The novel SITAT demonstrates internal consistency and interrater reliability when used for evaluation of individual performance during IPE simulation. The SITAT provides value in the education and evaluation of individual students engaged in IPE curriculum.

Nursing and medical students' perceptions of an interprofessional simulation-based education: a qualitative descriptive study.

PurposeThe purposes of this study were to describe the development and implementation of an interprofessional simulation-based education (IPSE) for undergraduate nursing and medical students, their perceptions of the impact of IPSE, and identify their changes in attitudes toward each other’s health professions after participating in IPSE in South Korea.MethodsThis study used a qualitative descriptive design. A purposive sample of 43 third-year medical students and a convenient sample of 44 fourth-year nursing students participated in a 2-day IPSE program that consisted of ice-breaking and patient safety activities, and 4-hour three interprofessional team-based high-fidelity simulation education sessions. Data were collected through reflective journal after the IPSE program and keywords before and after the IPSE program, and were analyzed using the content analysis and word cloud analysis.ResultsThree themes emerged: “positive experience” with understanding roles and responsibilities and learning by doing in simulation environments being reported. In the second theme, “positive learning outcomes” participants reported enhancing collaboration and confidence in communication skills. The final theme “benefits to patients of interprofessional collaborative practice” included high quality of care and patient safety. Before the IPSE experience, most medical students perceived the nurse as nightingale and syringe, and nursing students perceived the doctor as order, expert, and knowledge. After their IPSE experience, both nursing and medical students viewed each other as colleagues.ConclusionThese results suggest that the use of high-fidelity team-based simulation in IPE is effective in practicing and developing undergraduate nursing and medical students’ interprofessional collaboration through hands-on experience.

Effectiveness of simulation-based interprofessional education for medical and nursing students in South Korea: a pre-post survey

BackgroundEffective collaboration and communication among health care team members are critical for providing safe medical care. Interprofessional education aims to instruct healthcare students how to learn with, from, and about healthcare professionals from different occupations to encourage effective collaboration to provide safe and high-quality patient care. The purpose of this study is to confirm the effectiveness of Interprofessional education by comparing students’ attitudes toward interprofessional learning before and after simulation-based interprofessional education, the perception of teamwork and collaboration between physicians and nurses, and the self-reported competency differences among students in interprofessional practice.MethodsThe survey responses from 37 5th-year medical students and 38 4th-year nursing students who participated in an interprofessional education program were analyzed. The Attitude Towards Teamwork in Training Undergoing Designed Educational Simulation scale, the Jefferson Scale of Attitudes Toward Physician-Nurse Collaboration, and the Interprofessional Education Collaborative competency scale were used for this study. The demographic distribution of the study participants was obtained, and the perception differences before and after participation in interprofessional education between medical and nursing students were analyzed.ResultsAfter interprofessional education, student awareness of interprofessional learning and self-competency in interprofessional practice improved. Total scores for the Jefferson Scale of Attitudes Toward Physician-Nurse Collaboration did not change significantly among medical students but increased significantly among nursing students. Additionally, there was no significant change in the perception of the role of other professions among either medical or nursing students.ConclusionsWe observed an effect of interprofessional education on cultivating self-confidence and recognizing the importance of interprofessional collaboration between medical professions. It can be inferred that exposure to collaboration situations through Interprofessional education leads to a positive perception of interprofessional learning. However, even after their interprofessional education experience, existing perceptions of the role of other professional groups in the collaboration situation did not change, which shows the limitations of a one-time short-term program. This suggests that efforts should be made to ensure continuous exposure to social interaction experiences with other professions.

Evolution of an obstetrics and gynecology interprofessional simulation-based education session for medical and nursing students.

Simulation and Objective Structured Clinical Examination assessment of learners can teach clinical skills proficiency in a safe environment without risk to patients. Interprofessional simulation-based education (IPSE) contributes to a transformation in students’ understanding of teamwork and professional roles. Long term outcomes for stimulation and IPSE sessions, are less well studied. We hypothesized that a progressive interprofessional education simulation program incorporating both faculty and interprofessional student collaboration would improve medical students’ knowledge retention, comfort with procedural skills, positive teamwork and respectful interaction between students.An Obstetrics and Gynecology IPSE for medical and nursing students (NS) was developed in collaboration between a school of medicine and a school of nursing from 2014 to 2017. By 2017, content included(1)fetal heart rate case-based workshop;(2)simulated vaginal delivery;(3)cervical examination and assessment;(4)contraception station including intrauterine device insertion practice;(5)obstetric procedures including hands-on B-Lynch Suture practice.From 2014 to 2016, medical students completed attitude, knowledge, and perception surveys both pre and immediately post simulation, at 4 months, and 8 months. In 2017; all students completed self-assessments and received faculty-assessments.The program trained 443 medical and 136 NS. Medical students’ knowledge, comfort, and interest increased significantly post simulation. Outcome scores decreased but were still significantly improved at 4 months but nearly dissipated by 8 months. There were no significant differences between medical and NS self-assessment or faculty-assessment scores regarding IUD insertion, cervical examination, or contraception quiz scores. Medical students’ birth simulation self-assessment versus faculty-assessment scores were 8.6 vs 8.9, P < .001.Simulation improved students’ short-term medical knowledge, comfort, and perception with some long-term persistence at 4–8 months. Medical and NS learned obstetrics and gynecology skills in a collaborative environment and in role-specific situations. Medical students had the opportunity to learn from NS. Positive teamwork and respectful interaction occurred between the students.

Chimeric Antigen Receptor, Teamwork, Education, Assessment, and Management (CAR-TEAM): A Simulation-Based Inter-professional Education (IPE) Intervention for Management of CAR Toxicities.

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) therapies such as tisagenlecleucel, indicated for children and young adults with relapsed and/or refractory CD19+ acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), have been associated with striking treatment outcomes and overall survival. Yet, they are also associated with unique and potentially life-threatening complications. Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity (ICANS) are generally reversible complications of CAR therapies, but many patients may require critical care support especially if they are not promptly recognized and appropriately managed by frontline healthcare staff. As CAR therapies become more widely available, it is important that inter-professional staff members be aware of general principles regarding diagnosis and management. We hypothesized that an inter-professional education (IPE) simulation-based education intervention (CAR-TEAM) would improve knowledge base and confidence regarding complications of CAR therapies among inter-professional staff. Here, we demonstrate that following CAR-TEAM training, >90% of participants demonstrated knowledge proficiency and confidence in the IPE content area. CAR-TEAM training may serve as an important tool to establish initial and continued competency among sites introducing CAR therapies.

Faculty Reflections on Effective Strategies Utilized to Implement Simulation-Enhanced IPE for Future Health Care Providers

BackgroundWith the recent emphasis on implementation of interprofessional education (IPE), simulation can be a successful and impactful pedagogy to train health profession learners. Simulation allows opportunities to practice decision-making and working in teams in a realistic and safe environment. Participants learn with and about other professions and have the chance to clarify roles within their team. Simulation-enhanced IPE can present challenges for faculty. This article seeks to provide insight into key aspects of interprofessional simulation to maximize its successful implementation. MethodsOur team has identified key lessons learned in how we successfully implemented IPE using simulation. We have collectively overcome challenges and barriers as we have implemented simulation-based IPE at our university. ResultsTo implement effective simulation-enhanced IPE, teams should consider an overall need assessment, curriculum integration, logistical plans, faculty development, a structured prebrief and debrief plan, and a process for evaluation. ConclusionsAlthough IPE is an important component of training for future health care providers, simulation can be an effective strategy for implementation of interprofessional activities. However, it is essential to consider key aspects to ensure a quality and consistent experience for learners.

Teaching Newly Licensed RNs to Build an Interprofessional Collaborative Practice.

Recommendations for health care institutions to evaluate the effectiveness of nurse internship programs in facilitating the acquisition of an interprofessional collaborative practice exist. This pilot project explored the effectiveness of simulation-based education compared with online education on inter-professional socialization and collaboration among newly licensed RNs transitioning into medical-surgical practice. An experimental repeated-measures design examined professional nursing practice attributes of values, attitudes, and behaviors along with interprofessional collaboration core competencies. Participants (n = 29) were randomized into either a control group (nurse internship with online interprofessional education) or an experimental group (nurse internship with simulation-based interprofessional education). Changes in interprofessional role socialization and valuing occurred as measured by the Interprofessional Socialization and Valuing Scale. Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Survey data demonstrated a change in interprofessional collaboration. Findings support how educators in the health care setting can consider the integration of interprofessional education teaching methodologies into nurse internship programs. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2020;51(7):331-337.].

Effects of a single interprofessional simulation session on medical and nursing students\u2019 attitudes toward interprofessional learning and professional identity: a questionnaire study

BackgroundParticipation in simulation-based interprofessional education (sim-IPE) may affect students’ attitudes towards interprofessional learning (through gaining experience with others) and their professional identity (by increasing the ‘fit’ of group membership). We examined this in two questionnaire studies involving students from four universities in two areas of the UK.MethodQuestionnaire data were collected before and after students took part in a sim-IPE session consisting of three acute scenarios. Questionnaires included the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) and measures of professional identity derived from the social identity theory literature. In Study 1, only identification with Professional Group (doctor or nurse) was measured, while in Study 2 identification with Student Group (medical or nursing student) and the immediate interprofessional Team worked with in the simulation were also measured.Linear mixed effects regression analysis examined the effect of the simulation session, and differences between medical and nursing students, sites and identity measures.ResultsA total of 194 medical and 266 nursing students completed questionnaires.A five-item subset of RIPLS (RIPLSCore) was used in analysis. In both studies RIPLSCore increased for all groups following participation in sim-IPE, although this was larger for nursing students in Study 1. Nursing students had consistently higher RIPLSCore scores than medical students at one site.Effects of the session on identity varied between sites, and dimensions of identity. Notably, while positive emotions associated with group membership (Ingroup Affect) increased for Student Group, Professional Group and Team, the sense of belonging (Ingroup Ties) and importance (Centrality) of the group increased only for Team. Nursing students had consistently higher identification scores than medical students.ConclusionsParticipation in a sim-IPE session can improve attitudes towards interprofessional learning. It can also enhance professional identity, particularly as related to emotional aspects of group membership, with possible benefits for wellbeing. Changes in identification with the immediate Team suggest positive psychological consequences of ad hoc Team formation in the workplace.Differences between medical and nursing students suggest their differing opportunities to work with other professions during training may change baseline attitudes and identity. However, a single sim-IPE session can still have an additive effect.

Utilizing simulation to assess clinical decision making between physician assistant and physical therapy students

Abstract Discharge transitions are one of the highest risk activities in healthcare. Physical therapists (PTs) and physician assistants (PAs) have a critical role in discharge transitional planning in the acute care arena. Simulation based interprofessional education (SIM-IPE) is an emerging teaching technique involving participants from two or more professions engaged in a simulated experience. The aims of the interprofessional program were to compare the discharge transition recommendations of PT and PA students of a medically complex, acute care patient pre- and post- SIM-IPE and to compare the clinical decision-making rationale for the discharge transition recommendation pre- and post- SIM-IPE. PT and PA students participated in SIM-IPE encounters with standardized patients. The encounters focused on high-risk, problem-prone patients with variable discharge transition options. The most frequently recommended discharge transition pre- SIM-IPE was the same between the PT and PA students; however, there was a 29.5% discordance when comparing the rank ordering of discharge transition recommendations between PT and PA. Prior to the SIM-IPE, PT students gave the highest priority to functional status and home situation, and PA students gave the highest priority to medical status, medical prognosis, and medications. Following the SIM-IPE, PT students ranked medical status, medical prognosis, and medications higher as discharge transition clinical decision-making variables as compared with their pre- SIM-IPE data, and PA students ranked functional status and home situation higher as discharge transition clinical decision-making variables as compared to their pre- SIM-IPE data. In this teaching and learning experience, the SIM-IPE intervention appeared to influence clinical decision-making of participants.

Senior nursing student's perceptions of an interprofessional simulation-based education (IPSE): A qualitative study

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions and attitudes toward interprofessional simulation-based education among Lebanese senior nursing students. MethodsThe study used an exploratory descriptive qualitative approach and collected data through focus groups. All focus group discussions were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and narratives were compared with the recordings to establish accuracy, credibility and reliability of data. Qualitative narratives were translated to English and analyzed through an inductive thematic content analysis. This study was reported according to the Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research (SRQR). ResultsFour major themes were identified: understanding roles and responsibilities, enhancing collaboration, improve personal and interpersonal skills, and patient outcomes. ConclusionThe senior nursing students showed a positive perception and attitude toward interprofessional simulation-based education. They found that interprofessional simulation-based education increased their knowledge and understanding of the importance of the roles of other professions, as well as their own role in providing patient care. Furthermore, they perceived that interprofessional simulation-based education improved their personal and interpersonal skills. These positive findings may contribute to their future success in an interprofessional team, which could lead to improved patient outcomes. Therefore, future research is needed to see how the reported benefits of interprofessional simulation-based education training are reflected in clinical practice and related to patient outcomes.

A pilot evaluation of simulation-based interprofessional education for occupational therapy, speech pathology and dietetic students: improvements in attitudes and confidence

ABSTRACT Many higher education institutions struggle to provide interprofessional practice opportunities for their pre-licensure students due to demanding workloads, difficulties with timetabling, and problems with sourcing suitable placements that provide appropriate practice opportunities. A series of complex unfolding video-based simulation scenarios involving a patient who had experienced a stroke was utilized as a case study for a three-hour interprofessional practice workshop. 69 occupational therapy (OT), speech pathology (SP) and dietetics (DT) students participated in a mixed-methods study comparing interprofessional attitudes before and after the workshop. Attitudes toward interprofessional practice improved pre- vs. post-workshop and overall. Students were highly satisfied with the workshops contribution toward learning, although OT and SP students were more satisfied than DT students. Focus groups confirmed students liked the format and structure of the workshop, suggested that students better understood the role of other professions and improved role clarification, increased their confidence to practice in interprofessional practice settings, but noted the experience could have been improved with the incorporation of nursing and smaller groups to better facilitate participation. There is widespread support for implementing interprofessional education (IPE) in the health sciences, yet widespread implementation is not yet a reality. This research suggests that a simulation-based, three-hour IPE workshop can have an immediate benefit on confidence and attitudes toward interprofessional practice for allied health students.

Simulation-Based Interprofessional Education in Health Professional Education

DOI : 10.17681/hsp.470925 Mesleklerarasi egitim, saglik profesyonellerinin lisans egitiminde farkli meslek gruplari arasindaki farkliliklari ve benzerlikleri daha iyi kavramalarina ve onlarin kendi profesyonel kimliklerini olusturmalarina katki saglayan bir yaklasimdir. Mesleklerarasi egitim dunyada saglik alaninda egitim veren saygin universitelerin egitim mufredatlarina entegre edilmistir. Turkiye’de ise henuz lisans mufredat programlarinda yer almamaktadir. Ancak, Turkiye’de saglik alaninda egitim alan ogrencilerin, mesleklerarasi egitim programlari ile mesleki bilgi ve becerilerinin, yeterliliklerinin, diger mesleklere olan farkindaliklarinin arttirilarak ekip olarak calisabilme becerisi kazanabilecekleri ongorulmektedir. Literaturde mesleklerarasi egitimin etkinliginin arttirilmasi icin yenilikci bir yontem olan simulasyonun kullanilmasi onerilmektedir. Simulasyona dayali mesleklerarasi egitim, ogrencilerin teorik bilgileri ile uygulamalari arasindaki boslugu gidermekte, iletisim becerilerini ve mesleklerarasi ekip calismasi becerilerini gelistirmektedir. Ayrica bu yaklasim farkli meslekler arasinda kopruler olusturmakta, etkili bir ekip isbirligini saglayarak diger mesleklerin rollerinin anlasilmasina ve bilgi kazaniminin saglanmasina katkida bulunmaktadir. Bu derlemede mesleklerarasi egitimin onemi, mesleklerarasi egitimde kazandirilmasi gereken yeterlilikler ve bu yeterliliklerin kazandirilmasinda ve gelistirilmesinde yenilikci bir yaklasim olarak simulasyona dayali mesleklerarasi egitim yonteminin kullanilmasina iliskin yontemler tartisilmistir.

Training Rural Perinatal Teams for Medical Emergencies through Rapid Cycle Deliberate Practice Simulation Based Interprofessional Education

Background: Recognition and early intervention of obstetrical and neonatal emergencies can be challenging in rural community hospitals. Limited clinical exposure to medical emergencies in rural hospitals lead to challenges in ensuring patient safety and maintenance of proficiency. Simulation based interprofessional education (SBIPE) is a useful methodology to train medical teams for early recognition and intervention of emergent clinical situations and improve team dynamics and communication. Rapid cycle deliberate practice (RCDP) is a simulation methodology that involves rapid repetition through a clinical scenario until mastery is achieved. Research …

A Peer-Led Interprofessional Simulation Experience Improves Perceptions of Teamwork

BackgroundSimulation-based interprofessional education (IPE) improves teamwork, self-efficacy, and clinical preparedness among health profession students. MethodsA mixed-method design assessed differences in perceptions, knowledge, and skills related to a peer-led, acute care–focused IPE experience for 319 nursing, physical therapy, and occupational therapy students. ResultsAll students demonstrated an improvement in positive perceptions of teamwork and collaborative practice. Qualitative themes derived included the importance of teamwork, communication, and valuing other professions, increased understanding of the roles of other professions, and improved leadership skills. ConclusionsPeer-led simulation-based IPE effectively improved student attitudes, values, and beliefs regarding interprofessional collaboration and increased student understanding of professional roles in an acute-care environment.

L’éducation interprofessionnelle des équipes de soins critiques par la simulation : concept, mise en œuvre et évaluation

Interprofessional simulation-based education is effective for learning non-technical critical care skills and strengthening interprofessional team collaboration to optimize quality of care and patient outcome. Implementation of interprofessional simulation sessions in initial and continuing education is facilitated by a team of "champions" from each discipline/profession to ensure educational quality and logistics. Interprofessional simulation training must be integrated into a broader interprofessional curriculum supported by managers, administrators and clinical colleagues from different professional programs. When conducting interprofessional simulation training, it is essential to account for sociological factors (hierarchy, power, authority, interprofessional conflicts, gender, access to information, professional identity) both in scenario design and debriefing. Teamwork assessment tools in interprofessional simulation training may be used to guide debriefing. The interprofessional simulation setting (in-situ or simulation centre) will be chosen according to the learning objectives and the logistics.

Introduction of an undergraduate interprofessional simulation based skills training program in obstetrics and gynaecology in India

Interprofessional simulation based education (SBE) improves core clinical skills and team training in obstetrics and gynaecology. In this innovative study, the introduction of an undergraduate interprofessional SBE program for teaching obstetrics and gynaecology skills in India was evaluated. The study attempted to evaluate the feasibility and benefit of the interprofessional skills training workshop in obstetrics and gynaecology, which was introduced for medical and midwifery students in a secondary level hospital in India. The program focuses on improving “hands-on” clinical skills and can be explained by the “skills acquisition theory”. Using a survey, participants rated relevance, pitch and confidence (on a 5-point Likert scale) and described the contextualisation and teaching of core clinical skills through the workshop using free-text. Descriptive analysis of quantitative Likert scale responses and thematic analysis of the free-text data was conducted and themes identified. Ninety-five medical and midwifery students attended the inaugural workshop, in a low-resource setting. The clinical experience in obstetrics and gynaecology across both groups was minimal, neither were they exposed to any prior SBE. Both health professional groups found the workshop useful, relevant and improved their confidence in performing vaginal examination and births. The key theme, which emerged from qualitative analysis, was “getting hands-on” experience. Other themes included learning by simulation without clinical time constraints, retaining the ability to make mistakes, bridging theory to practice, valuing interprofessional experience and ensuring equal learning opportunities for all participating professional groups. The advantages of interprofessional SBE, for medical and midwifery students, are reproducible in a low-resource setting, and may be be helpful for learning intimate clinical examination, obstetric procedures and team training.

Simulation-Based Interprofessional Education: A Nursing and Social Work Collaboration.

Contemporary teaching and learning pedagogy commands interprofessional collaboration among allied professions such as nursing and social work, two professions that have a natural inclination to partner in the workforce. Nursing and social work students participated in a structured simulated learning experience where they demonstrated their respective professional practice skills in a supported learning environment while working collaboratively to assess one of two patient types: high-fidelity or simulated. Both groups expressed initial worry during prebriefing but articulated their appreciation for and usefulness of working with the other profession. Future collaboration includes learning about respective professional roles, more direction regarding the professional handoff, and prior exposure to the appearance and functionality of high-fidelity patient types in an effort to establish best strategies for partnership. Interprofessional collaboration diverges from the silo effect, leading to collegiality among affiliated professionals, as well as increased patient safety and improved patient outcomes. [J Nurs Educ. 2019;58(2):110-113.].

Simulation-Based Interprofessional Education in a Rural Setting: The Development and Evaluation of a "Remote-In" Telehealth Scenario.

Simulation-based interprofessional education (IPE) is challenging to implement, especially on rural campuses. This article describes an innovative approach to IPE implementation using telehealth technology. Twenty-nine interdisciplinary students (nursing, pharmacy, and medical) participated in a simulation-based IPE scenario using a telehealth robot. Student experiences were evaluated using a mixed-methods approach. Surveys and video-recorded debriefing sessions revealed the majority of students felt the experience was superior to their previous IPE experiences, facilitated better understanding of disciplinary roles, and provided experience using telehealth tools. Programs considering this approach should have strong community partnerships, institutional support, and shared vision among key stakeholders.

P049: Changes in situational awareness of emergency teams in simulated trauma cases using an RSI checklist

Introduction: Situational awareness (SA) is the team understanding patient stability, presenting illness and future clinical course. Losing SA has been shown to increase safety-critical events in multiple industries. SA can be measured by the previously validated Situational Awareness Global Assessment Tool (SAGAT). Checklists are used in many safety-critical industries to reduce errors of omission and commission. An RSI checklist was developed from case review and published evidence.The New Brunswick Trauma Program supports an inter-professional simulation-based medical education program Methods: Simulations were facilitated in three hospitals in New Brunswick from April 2017 to October 2017. Learner profiles were collected. The SAGAT tool was completed by a research nurse at the end of each scenario. SAGAT scores were non-normally distributed, so results were expressed as medians and interquartile ranges. Mann Whitney U tests were used to calculate statistical significance. To understand the effect of the of an RSI checklist a comparison was made between SAGAT scores at baseline in scenario 1, and the same first scenario completed after a washout period. A Poisson regression analysis will be used to account for the effect of confounding variables in further analyses. Results: The group was composed of Registered Nurses (8), Physicians (7), and Respiratory Therapists (2). Situational awareness increased significantly with the use of an RSI checklist after 1 day of 4 simulations. The washout period ranged between 5 weeks and 8 weeks. The baseline situational awareness of the whole group during scenario 1 was 9 +/− 0.5 (median, IQR), and with the RSI checklist was 12 +/−1 (median, IQR). The difference was highly statistically significant, p=&lt; 0.001. This level of situational awareness using checklist is comparable to the SAGAT scores after 10 scenarios. Conclusion: In this provisional analysis, the use of an RSI checklist was associated with an increase in measured situational awareness. Higher levels of situational awareness are associated with greater patient safety. A Poisson regression model will be used to understand the confounding effects of user expertise and the likely interaction with simulation exposure.

Evaluation of a modified 16-item Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS): Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses

ABSTRACTThe Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) was developed to assess undergraduate readiness for engaging in interprofessional education (IPE). It has become an accepted and commonly used instrument. To determine utility of a modified 16-item RIPLS instrument, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed. Data used were collected from a pre- and post-intervention study involving 360 New Zealand undergraduate students from one university. Just over half of the participants were enrolled in medicine (51%) while the remainder were in pharmacy (27%) and nursing (22%). The intervention was a two-day simulation-based IPE course focused on managing unplanned acute medical problems in hospital wards (“ward calls”). Immediately prior to the course, 288 RIPLS were collected and immediately afterwards, 322 (response rates 80% and 89%, respectively). Exploratory factor analysis involving principal axis factoring with an oblique rotation method was conducted using pre-course data. The scree plot suggested a three-factor solution over two- and four-factor solutions. Subsequent confirmatory factor analysis performed using post-course data demonstrated partial goodness-of-fit for this suggested three-factor model. Based on these findings, further robust psychometric testing of the RIPLS or modified versions of it is recommended before embarking on its use in evaluative research in various healthcare education settings.