Interprofessional Education Activities Research Articles

Perception of online interprofessional education among pharmacy and medical students in tertiary university

Background: The COVID-19 crisis impacted the educational system worldwide, which shifted from face-to-face sessions to online learning modes. However, online delivery should not jeopardise the outcome of students learning from interprofessional education (IPE) and should integrate students from different professional backgrounds closer. Objective: To identify the perception of medical and pharmacy students towards online IPE activity at Taylor’s University, Malaysia. Method: An online cross-sectional questionnaire was distributed to second and fourth-year students from the medical and pharmacy programmes. Students were considered to have a positive perception if their total score was above the median score. Result: More than half of the students (53.6%) showed positive perceptions towards the online IPE programme. Medical students had the highest percentage of students (54.9%) showing greater positive perceptions compared to pharmacy students (52.7%). Both health sciences students possessed the highest score on all the SPICE instrument’s domains. Conclusion: This discovery offers valuable insights into the interprofessional competency of students engaged in online IPE activities at their current academic level. It underscores the imperative of integrating online IPE activities into the curriculum design to equip students with the competence necessary for effective collaboration within an interprofessional team.

Enhancing Primary Health Care through Interprofessional education: Insights from a Training Workshop.

Strengthening primary care services with a focus on comprehensive Primary Health Care principles necessitates collaborative work practices within interprofessional teams. In Italy, the Local Health District of Florence embodies a comprehensive Primary Health Care -inspired model of primary care, prominently featuring the House of Community concept. This work presents findings and insights from a multidisciplinary, interprofessional education activity tailored for healthcare professionals, researchers, and students actively participating in the primary care reorganization. The activity was structured using a four-phase learning model (imaginative, analytical, common sense, and dynamic), aligning with four distinct activities (brainstorming, lecture, case study, and group project). Key themes that emerged encompassed the significance of nurturing relationships among team members, the aspiration for an inclusive work environment, the vital role of community engagement and collaboration across various services, disciplines, and sectors beyond healthcare. These themes highlight the essential attributes of successful primary care practices built on the principles of comprehensive comprehensive Primary Health Care. Throughout the innovation process of primary care services, interprofessional education training events emerged as indispensable components for bolstering implementation and ensuring sustainability. This study underscores the crucial role of interprofessional education in bridging the gap between theoretical constructs and practical application, emphasizing that comprehensive Primary Healthcare principles find tangible manifestation in real-world scenarios.

Graduate Perspectives on a Multi-Session, Experiential Interprofessional Education Activity Designed to Develop Core Competencies in Interprofessional Collaboration

Graduate Perspectives on a Multi-Session, Experiential Interprofessional Education Activity Designed to Develop Core Competencies in Interprofessional Collaboration

Nurse practitioner faculty attitudes about interprofessional education.

Nurse practitioner (NP) faculty attitudes toward interprofessional education (IPE) can be barriers to the shift in culture and successful implementation of IPE into nursing curricula. A paucity of studies exist comparing faculty attitudes of IPE with different educational modalities. The purpose of this research is to compare NP faculty attitudes toward IPE between IPE experiences and educational modalities in NP academic programs. A quantitative cross-sectional comparative design was used. An electronic survey was advertised to approximately 3,000 members of the National Organization of NP Faculties by email blasts to assess their attitudes toward IPE in the academic setting. Participating NP faculty (n = 208) completed the survey, with a response rate of 6.9%. The results showed that NP faculty reported positive attitudes toward IPE (M = 4.33). Nurse practitioner faculty attitudes toward IPE and participation in IPE experiences were not statistically significant (p = .126). Nurse practitioner faculty attitudes toward IPE did not differ with the educational modality. The main effect of the NP degree program educational modality was not statistically significant, F(2, 172) = 0.74, p = .479. Nurse practitioner faculty are optimistic about IPE in multiple educational modalities but still have some reservations about how to implement IPE activities successfully. The NP faculty attitudes and barriers to IPE curricular development in all educational modalities must be addressed to prepare NP students to be competent collaborative practice-ready providers on graduation.

Health humanities-focused interprofessional education for age-friendly care using photography and the 4Ms framework: A curricular short report

An interprofessional education activity (IPE) using visual art was implemented to develop student empathy for older adults’ lived experiences and understanding of the age-friendly healthcare 4Ms framework. Graduate students in clinical psychology, pharmacy, physician assistant, and physical therapy participated. The activity involved an introduction to the 4Ms, submitting original photographs of older adults in the context of the 4Ms, and a photography exhibition. At the exhibition, students viewed images in interprofessional groups and discussed the images using a modified visual thinking strategy followed by a facilitated discussion. Pre/post surveys for 4Ms knowledge, empathy, interprofessional learning, and satisfaction were completed. Positive changes occurred in empathy, attitudes toward IPE, 4Ms knowledge, and satisfaction. Group discussion themes identified include recognition of the ambiguity of the lived experience; awareness of cognitive bias; and changing perspective. Activities combining visual art and IPE may develop empathy and knowledge of age-friendly care in health sciences students.

The use of electronic health records in advanced practice nursing education: a scoping review

Electronic health records are integral to the advanced practice registered nurse role, yet access and training during academic preparation are profoundly limited. Lack of exposure to electronic health records prevents students from becoming fully prepared for the responsibilities of clinical practice and potentially impacts quality of care, patient safety, and communication among patients and providers. This scoping review of 20 articles on electronic health record use in advanced practice registered nursing student education shows significant gaps in current research. Nine articles were classified as research. The remaining 11 were non-research reports of teaching innovations describing the use of simulated electronic health records in graduate nursing education or the use of an electronic health record in interprofessional education activities. Most of the limited research did not use valid and reliable instruments or robust designs, employed disparate approaches and tools to study the phenomenon, and measured low-level outcomes such as student navigation and confidence in using electronic health records. The non-research literature draws attention to the deficits in educational resources, including unaffordable electronic health records for academic use. Although rigorous evidence is lacking, a common theme throughout the reviewed literature was the benefit of simulation to develop electronic health record skills.

Better together: utilizing an interprofessional course and escape room to educate healthcare students about opioid use disorder

BackgroundThe aim of the present study was to determine the impact of an innovative interprofessional educational activity on healthcare professional students’ learning. The educational activity targeted student knowledge of opioid use disorder (OUD) and perceptions of working with an interprofessional team while caring for patients with OUD.MethodsStudents from nursing, pharmacy, physician assistant, dentistry, social work, and medicine programs were recruited to participate in the interprofessional educational activity. The educational experience included seven asynchronous modules and a virtual synchronous escape room. Prior to the educational programming, participants completed a pre-survey that assessed their knowledge and attitudes towards working on an interprofessional team and perceptions of patients with OUD. The asynchronous modules were required in order to participate in the escape room and each module contained its own pre/post quiz to assess student knowledge.ResultsA total of 402 students participated in the course. Prior to participating in the course, students disagreed that they had extensive educational experience with SUD (2.45 ± 0.79). The students displayed significant improvement in the knowledge based areas after completing the seven asynchronous modules. The largest significant area of knowledge-based improvement was seen in treatment of OUD where on the pre-quiz 65.54 ± 20.21% were answered correctly compared to 95.97 ± 9.61% on the post-quiz. Participation in the escape room significantly changed the students’ perceptions of working in interprofessional teams while managing patients with OUD. Of the eleven perception variables assessed, seven showed a significant increase in the post-survey. Following the escape room, participants also strongly agreed that they now would refer patients to colleagues in other disciplines.ConclusionsAn interprofessional educational experience including both an asynchronous course and virtual synchronous escape room can increase participant knowledge around OUD and may improve student perceptions of working with an interprofessional team and caring for patients with OUD.

A12Development of a summative assessment method for interprofessional simulation and other interprofessional education (IPE) activities

Collaborative learning is recognized as essential in ensuring the delivery of safe and effective healthcare. It is fundamental to creating the healthcare teams of the future [1,3]. Central to this, is the early exposure of healthcare students to multiple, healthcare professions to begin the process of thinking and practising in a more interprofessional way. Importantly, how the interprofessional experience is assessed is crucial to the success of collaborative learning. This was the background to the development of an interprofessional module within the School of Nursing & Midwifery at Queens’ University Belfast. (1) To collaborate on the development of additional IPE workshops to supplement an established interprofessional simulation model. (2) To develop an assessment component for the interprofessional activities, including interprofessional simulation. (3) To evaluate the process. Drawing upon the expertise associated with the implementation of a highly successful interprofessional simulation programme, an interprofessional education (IPE) group was established with representation across the Faculty. From the outset, there was a need to have a shared understanding of the module and its complexities, and to work together to collectively support the pedagogy, shaping student learning and assessment, and providing the best educational experience [2]. The team collaborated on sourcing and establishing IPE workshops, developing reflective questions, as well as working on designing and integrating an online video within a digital platform, and streaming all students to one interprofessional workshop. An evaluation questionnaire was created using Microsoft Forms. The 17-item questionnaire incorporated three Likert scales, plus two either/or answers and two questions on digital device/browser. The questionnaire had 10 qualitative ‘free response’ questions to allow candidates to elaborate, expand, clarify or illustrate their answers. The collaboration with staff across the Faculty of Medicine Health & Life Sciences resulted in the establishment of four additional IPE workshops to complement an established six. Total number of IPE workshops, Interprofessional opportunities that utilize a reflective video-based assessment contribute positively to the student experience and are a welcome addition to the undergraduate nursing curriculum. Authors confirm that all relevant ethical standards for research conduct and dissemination have been met. The submitting author confirms that relevant ethical approval was granted, if applicable.

Interprofessional Education: Collaborative Team Work Among Undergraduate Medical Students.

Madam, The last decade has been a global shift towards collaborative learning and practice. A Joint Commission Report noticed that 80% of all medical errors were due to miscommunications during patient handoffs, with 44% occurring in inpatient settings1. Learning Together to Work Together for Health is the essential guide for the working of Interprofessional Education (IPE), the idea presented by WHO and is defined as an experience that “occurs when students from two or more professions learn about, from, and with each other to enable effective collaboration and improve outcomes”2. The core competencies for IPE include collaborative teamwork, communication skills, ethical practice, roles and responsibilities, and conflict resolution2. IPE expects to improve the knowledge, skills, and attitudes towards collaboration to enhance their future clinical practice. Pakistan is a developing country that is strengthening IPE. The Karachi Medical and Dental College launched a training program on research methodology focusing on the principles of IPE to improve primary care delivery2. The Dental Hygiene Program at Aga Khan University is also an example of IPE improving patient healthcare3. These deficiencies can be overcome by vertically and horizontally integrating IPE in the curriculum. The absence of a formal team-based care programme deprives most students from learning about professional roles. This warrants a need to focus on learning approaches that can be used in undergraduate curricula and thereby create and foster a collaborative learning environment. Case-based learning and team-based learning are valuable approaches resulting in experiential learning and reflection. Simulations allow students to practice and improve their communication and collaboration among medical students. E-learning is worthwhile for enlightening their understanding and cognizance of further profession’s duties and authorities, which is unique to the leading competencies of IPE4. The logistics of setting up IPE activities may be more challenging. The leadership confrontation such as lack of management between the faculties and lack of support by organization, curriculum challenges like IPE courses designing, teaching challenges, such as shortage of faculty members training, skills and competence in interprofessional and resistance to transformation i.e. dearth of resources are the main challenges for the institutions5. The institutions should engage in policies in the best strategies to implement interprofessional education. Hierarchical heads and policymakers need to put forth an effort to advance IPE so that different professions can benefit from each other more easily.

A Case Study of Organizational and Curricular Attributes for Interprofessional Education: A Model for Sustainable Curriculum Delivery

Background: In health and social care (HASC) professional education, interprofessional competencies are optimally developed by engaging in interprofessional education (IPE) activities that are delivered sustainably along a continuum. Ultimately, active engagement in IPE is meant to prepare future practitioners for interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP), which leads to improved patient/client and community-oriented outcomes. Methods and Findings: This qualitative case study explores how four Canadian post-secondary institutions deliver IPE within their HASC professional education programmatic structures. Data were collected from institutional websites, publicly available IPE relevant records and documents, and interviews with coordinators and faculty/facilitators of IPE curriculum. Data were inductively analyzed to generate relevant themes, followed by a deductive analysis guided by the five accreditation standards domains identified in the Accreditation of Interprofessional Health Education (AIPHE) projects. Analyses of the data resulted in five attributes: 1) central administrative unit, 2) longitudinal and integrative program, 3) theoretically informed curriculum design, 4) student-centred pedagogy, and 5) patient/client-oriented approach. Conclusions: Using these attributes and guided by AIPHE’s accreditation standards domains, an organizational-curricular model for sustainable IPE is proposed, through which we assert that IPE reinforced through these organizational and curricular supports reflects successful programming, leading to patient/client-oriented outcomes.

Teaching digital interprofessional collaboration.

Interprofessional communication in Australian clinical practice has recently shifted from paper records to electronic medical records (EMRs), and there is therefore a need for universities to prepare health graduates for digital communication. An interprofessional team co-designed and co-facilitated an online interprofessional activity for third year pharmacy and fifth year medical students utilising a simulated EMR (EHR Go™). Students completed a series of profession-specific tasks relating to a simulated patient, then came together in interprofessional groups of 10-12 to establish a collaborative medication charting plan. A total of 640 students participated in the activity, of which 60% (386/640) were medical students. Immediately after the interprofessional workshop, students were invited to complete a voluntary anonymous evaluation. Five-point Likert scales were used to rate the relevance to practice, achievement of learning outcomes, organisation and overall quality of the activity. Students were also asked to contribute qualitative feedback. Of the participants, 28% (180/640) completed the survey, and 53% (96/180) of respondents were medical students. A majority of survey respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the activity was relevant to practice (94%; 170/180), achieved the learning outcomes (84%; 151/180), was well organised (74%; 133/180) and was a quality learning experience (79%; 143/180). The positive feedback focused on appreciating the opportunity to discuss with interdisciplinary colleagues the rationale for admission medications. Constructive feedback included the need for clearer directives regarding pre-workshop activities. This interprofessional education (IPE) activity presents a feasible, innovative approach to teaching pharmacy and medical students digital communication and collaboration using a simulated EMR. Overall, a majority of learners were satisfied with the learning experience and felt that the IPE activity achieved the learning outcomes and was relevant to practice.

Visual thinking strategies for interprofessional education and promoting collaborative competencies.

Interprofessional education (IPE) curricula require approaches that address the needs of learners from multiple professions and levels of clinical experience. Frameworks based in the arts and humanities, which can improve learners' skills in collaborative competencies such as communication and team building, remain limited in IPE. We describe the development, implementation and evaluation of a visual arts-based IPE session for over 400 interprofessional learners. During the 90-min session held in 2021, an art museum educator first guided learners through observations of art works using the Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) approach. Subsequently, small groups of six to eight interprofessional learners and two trained facilitators explored how their observations were influenced by personal and professional identities and made connections to interprofessional collaborative practice. Two hundred eleven of the 407 student attendees responded to the post-session survey (52%). Eighty percent of the respondents agreed or strongly agreed that 'the art of observation activity is an effective means of starting discussions with interprofessional teams.' On the Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Survey, a validated tool assessing changes in interprofessional collaboration-related competencies, there was a significant increase between pre- (M = 45.73, SD = 8.05, p < 0.001) and post-session scores (M = 51.46, SD = 7.97, p < 0.001), using a paired t-test analysis. Qualitative analysis of learners' takeaways identified themes of open-mindedness, hearing other opinions and perspectives, collaboration/teamwork, patient-centeredness and awareness of biases. Our curricular approach shows how integrating visual arts-based pedagogies into IPE activities with learners from diverse disciplines and clinical experiences is both feasible and helpful for developing collaborative competencies.

A realist synthesis of interprofessional patient safety activities and healthcare student attitudes towards patient safety

ABSTRACT Interprofessional education (IPE) has been used for instilling a positive safety culture within healthcare, yet what interventions work to change healthcare student attitudes and how improved patient safety outcomes are best achieved with this intervention, is unclear and challenging to evaluate. A realist synthesis was undertaken to ascertain how, why, and in what circumstances IPE activities result in a positive change to student attitudes to patient safety. Database searches of CINAHL, MEDLINE, Scopus, and Eric were undertaken in April 2022 to identify relevant studies. Synthesis with a realist framework of analysis, coupled with the development of a program theory was conducted to identify interactions among contexts, intervention, mechanisms, and outcomes (CIMO). Twenty-three articles eligible for inclusion articulated environments in which varied contexts, interventions, and mechanisms were activated to influence student attitudes to patient safety. Findings from this realist synthesis informs awareness into the methods of delivering and evaluating IPE activities and offers new perspectives for educators in planning and evaluating future IPE from a collaborative and positive safety culture perspective.

Interprofessional education activity to improve communication with older adults

ABSTRACT Given the increasing older adult population, students in the health professions need to be trained to work in interprofessional teams to effectively interact with and manage communication difficulties in this population. Through an interprofessional education case study activity focused on communication with a complex older adult patient, 92 students from Communication Sciences and Disorders and Nursing learned about interprofessional collaboration, age-related hearing loss, and communication strategies. Participants completed a knowledge assessment quiz, the Interprofessional Attitudes Scale (IPAS), and a post-activity evaluation survey. Pre- and post-activity results revealed a significant improvement in participants’ knowledge of age-related hearing loss and its effects on communication, and significant improvements related to attitudes toward interprofessional education and shared learning on the IPAS. The findings of this experience indicate that the activity was effective in educating students about age-related hearing loss and communicating with older adults. The activity was valuable and had a positive impact on students’ attitudes toward collaboration.

Interprofessional Education in Psychology Doctoral Programs, Internships, and Postdoctoral Training: A Survey of Training Directors.

Interprofessional Education (IPE) is intended to prepare health professionals for teambased care. Little is known about IPE offerings for psychology trainees. The article reports on a survey of training directors (263) from graduate school, internship, and fellowship programs about IPE in a 39-item survey. Most programs have IPE activities across 17 types (e.g., classroom didactics, IP team care, Grand Rounds, simulations, etc.), though 34% reported no or poorly coordinated IPE. Barriers included limited funding/protected time and conflicting student schedules. Resources needed for implementing IPE included incorporating IPE into clinical settings, curricular materials, and evaluation tools. Only 15% felt institutional leadership considered IPE a high priority. Training directors need leadership engagement and support, protected time, and administrative support as well as faculty development for event design and facilitation skills. This study is an exploratory first step, more granular investigation of quality and quantity of IPE from training directors' perspectives is needed.

Training for Collaborative Care: How Hospital Team Members View Pharmacy Students.

Interprofessional education activities are prevalent across health professional curricula in Canada. Students develop collaborative roles through structured on-campus programming; however, the ways in which established teams engage learners in hospital settings are unknown. To explore how mixed-discipline professionals describe expectations and experiences related to collaborating with pharmacy students who join their team for training. Mixed-discipline team members of an acute medicine clinical teaching unit were interviewed according to a semistructured interview guide. Participants described encounters with pharmacy trainees and shared expectations of the students' collaborator roles in patient care. Audiorecordings of the interviews were transcribed and coded independently by 2 researchers, who synthesized the data and used the template analysis method to derive themes. Fourteen team members from various disciplines were recruited. Participants' descriptions of collaborative roles were organized into 2 main themes: pharmacy students as informants and pharmacy students as a bridge. A third integrative theme, engagement, encompassed how team members described pharmacy trainees enacting these roles. Team members sought pharmacy students' medication-oriented expertise (e.g., dosing, compatibilities), and physicians often relied on the students' familiarity with study data to guide treatment choices. Nonphysicians capitalized on pharmacy student proximity to physicians to understand such decision-making and inform their own patient care. Accounts of pharmacy students' consultations with team members for patient assessments or to access other multidisciplinary knowledge were infrequent. Most team members' expectations of pharmacy students in terms of the collaborator role lacked routine engagement or shared decision-making. These views represent challenges to the development of skills in collaborative care in workplace-based learning, which might be addressed through intentional interprofessional exercises assigned by preceptors. Further study is required to understand the potential of practice-based interprofessional education initiatives.

MoveMore: A model for interprofessional collaboration with nursing and physical therapy students in a community based walking class for people with stroke

Interprofessional education (IPE) opportunities that engage students with members of the community who have a chronic condition, like stroke, provide collaborative learning experiences. The purpose of this paper is to describe an IPE activity called MoveMore and its preliminary student learning outcomes. MoveMore is a community, evidence-based walking class, which engages physical therapy and nursing students together with participants with chronic stroke. Each session lasts 12 weeks with outcome measurements taken at weeks 1 and 12 and High Intensity Gait Training (HIGT) implemented during weeks 2–11. MoveMore occurred three times during 2022 and is scheduled to occur three times in 2023. Implementation of a community walking class for people with chronic stroke can be successfully implemented and sustained over time providing benefits to student learning as well as participants. Models of IPE provide the opportunity for other educational institutions to implement similar projects.

“Many people know nothing about us”: narrative medicine applications at a student-run free clinic

ABSTRACT Narrative medicine is an approach to healthcare that acknowledges the stories of patients’ lives both within and beyond the clinical setting. Narrative medicine has been increasingly recognized as a promising tool to support modern educational needs in health professions training, such as interprofessional practice, while enhancing quality of care. Here, we describe the development, implementation, and application of a narrative medicine program at the University of Minnesota Phillips Neighborhood Clinic. First, in a qualitative analysis of patient stories (n = 12) we identified themes regarding the value of the storytelling experience; patients’ personal journeys; and patients’ experiences in healthcare and other systems. Second, an interprofessional educational activity for student volunteers (n = 57) leveraging a patient narrative was observed to be satisfactory, significantly improve attitudes toward the underserved, and enhance quality of care from the perspectives of trainees. Together, findings from the two studies imply the potential benefits of broader incorporation of narrative medicine into interprofessional service settings, for both learners and patients.

Interprofessional Education on the Neurology Clerkship for Physical Therapy and Medical Students.

Globally, neurological disorders make up the second most common cause of death and are the leading cause of years lived with disability. Because neurological patients often require multidisciplinary care and future professionals will encounter increasing demands for neurological care, it is important to emphasize education on the interaction between physical therapy (PT) and neurology. Yet there is a dearth of interprofessional education (IPE) learning activities that include neurology clerkship students and physical therapists. We created a 4-hour IPE experience that incorporated hospitalized patients with neurological disorders who were examined at the bedside by pairs of second- and third-year PT students and second- and third-year medical students, followed by a debriefing. Participants completed the Self-Efficacy for Interprofessional Experiential Learning (SEIEL) survey before and after the session. Significant pre/post improvements were seen for SEIEL total and domain scores (n = 75, p < .001). Qualitative comments were analyzed; major themes that emerged included a greater appreciation for the other discipline. Students felt the IPE activity was a great learning opportunity to understand roles and responsibilities and communicate with the other discipline. Students noted significant increases in their ability to understand and explain the importance of interprofessional communication and in their capabilities as health care professionals to work together on an interprofessional collaborative team. This clinical IPE experience can be seamlessly incorporated into the workplace for medical and PT students. IPE activities like this should be encouraged and developed to reach more students and other health care providers.

A comparison of medical and pharmacy student perspectives of a clinical interprofessional home-visit versus a virtual interprofessional workshop.

Background: No Place Like Home is a clinical interprofessional education (IPE) activity whereby pharmacy and medical students conduct home visits under the guidance and supervision of a clinical preceptor to homebound patients. Purpose: We examined pharmacy and medical student perceptions of mastery of interprofessional competencies during an in-person clinical home visit pre-COVID-19 pandemic versus a virtual IPE learning activity consisting of didactic and case discussions in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We administered the same modified Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Survey (ICCAS) instrument, which uses a five-point Likert scale, to both the in-person and the virtual IPE students following their learning activity. Results: We received a total of 459 completed survey responses with an overall response rate of 84%. For both groups of students, the in-person format was preferred, however, to our surprise, the results indicated that students in the virtual group reported greater perceived gain in interprofessional skills than students in the in-person group. In addition, pharmacy students perceived greater gain from the interprofessional activity and offered more thoughtful reflections about their experience. Conclusions: Even though both groups of students preferred the in-person visit, the IPE objectives were equally (for medical students) or better (for pharmacy students) absorbed in the virtual environment than the in-person clinical home visit.