Interprofessional Facilitation Research Articles

Was COVID-19 a heyday for education? Lessons learned from a COVID-19 “pop-up” simulation developed overnight

Introduction To adjust for the COVID-19 pandemic’s rapidly changing guidelines and clinical needs, educators turned to simulation to create realistic yet safe environments for drilling and innovating various care strategies. Individually, institutions faced creating a pathway for deploying new behaviors and techniques widely across their populace. Methods In response to this need, we rapidly developed an interprofessional teaching curriculum for safe intubation techniques and donning/doffing of personal protection equipment to anesthesiology clinicians and technicians. Participants were taught using Roussin’s Zone 1 simulation techniques including coaching from interprofessional facilitators. Survey data were collected from participants. Results Participants’ confidence levels increased, with coaching and the use of simulation cited as the most useful elements of the training. Conclusions We believe COVID-19 catalyzed many educational initiatives, and though teams drew their own roadmaps to create programs, sharing the learning from these endeavors may inform future similar situations. Lessons of stakeholder buy-in, use of multidisciplinary teams, and building a psychologically safe space can promote rapid uptake of new techniques and technologies.

Pediatric End-of-Life Care Skills Workshop: A Novel, Deliberate Practice Approach.

Pediatric end of life (EOL) care skills are a high acuity, low occurrence skill set required by pediatric clinicians. Gaps in education and competence for this specialized care can lead to suboptimal patient care and clinician distress when caring for dying patients and their families. A half-day workshop using a deliberate practice approach was designed by an inter-professional workgroup including bereaved parent consultants. Pediatric fellows (neonatal-perinatal medicine, critical care, hematology oncology, blood and marrow transplant) and advanced practice providers learned and practiced EOL skills in a safe simulation environment with instruction from interprofessional facilitators and standardized patients. Participant perceived competence (self-efficacy) was measured before, immediately-post, and 3 months post workshop. There were 28 first-time (of 34 total) participants in 4 pilot workshops. Participants reported significantly increased self-efficacy post-workshop for 6 of 9 ratings, which was sustained 3 months afterwards. Most (92%, n=22 of 24 respondents) reported incorporating the workshop training into clinical practice at 3-month follow-up. With early success of the pilot workshops, future iterative work includes expanding workshops to earlier, interprofessional learners and collecting validity evidence for a competency-based performance checklist tool. A project website (https://z.umn.edu/PECS) was developed for local and collaborative efforts.

Beating Burnout with Project D.E.A.R.: Debriefing Event for Analysis and Recovery

When the World Health Organization announced a global pandemic in March of 2020, health care workers across the globe selflessly and tirelessly stood at the frontline. In addition to the clinical challenges an unknown virus brought forth, health care workers were not prepared for the emotional drain and mental health impact. The health care industry is increasingly facing a crisis as frontline workers experience moral distress, emotional trauma, and burnout in high stress health care environments. Debriefing, defined as facilitated interprofessional team reflection after a clinical event, has been shown to improve clinicians’ ability to manage their grief and is associated with lower burnout. A standardized program workshop and intervention, branded as Project Debriefing Event for Analysis and Recovery (D.E.A.R.), was piloted at a pediatric hospital with a multidisciplinary team. These volunteers served as champions to facilitate debriefings following stressful clinical events. The program included education sessions, integration of a standardized debriefing program, and additional resources. Impact of the workshop and educational intervention was evaluated using a pre–post survey design. Data demonstrated increased comfort for the interprofessional facilitators who provided the standardized debriefing. Participants found the sessions highlighted strengths and areas for opportunity. Champions and participants agreed the standardized process improved their emotional wellbeing. Future quality improvement projects are encouraged to standardize debriefing processes addressing the increased need for support to clinicians after a critical incident has occurred. When the World Health Organization announced a global pandemic in March of 2020, health care workers across the globe selflessly and tirelessly stood at the frontline. In addition to the clinical challenges an unknown virus brought forth, health care workers were not prepared for the emotional drain and mental health impact. The health care industry is increasingly facing a crisis as frontline workers experience moral distress, emotional trauma, and burnout in high stress health care environments. Debriefing, defined as facilitated interprofessional team reflection after a clinical event, has been shown to improve clinicians’ ability to manage their grief and is associated with lower burnout. A standardized program workshop and intervention, branded as Project Debriefing Event for Analysis and Recovery (D.E.A.R.), was piloted at a pediatric hospital with a multidisciplinary team. These volunteers served as champions to facilitate debriefings following stressful clinical events. The program included education sessions, integration of a standardized debriefing program, and additional resources. Impact of the workshop and educational intervention was evaluated using a pre–post survey design. Data demonstrated increased comfort for the interprofessional facilitators who provided the standardized debriefing. Participants found the sessions highlighted strengths and areas for opportunity. Champions and participants agreed the standardized process improved their emotional wellbeing. Future quality improvement projects are encouraged to standardize debriefing processes addressing the increased need for support to clinicians after a critical incident has occurred. Jasmine B. Sandoval, DNP, MBA, RN is a Nurse Leader at the University of Miami Health System, Miami, Florida. She can be reached at [email protected] Mary Hooshmand, PhD, MS, RN, is an Associate Dean for Graduate Clinical Programs and Associate Professor of Clinical at the University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida. Danielle Altares Sarik, PhD, APRN, CPNP-PC, is a Nurse Scientist at the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, Coral Gables, Florida.

The Development and Evaluation of the Interprofessional Education Facilitation Program for Health Professionals Using the Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction (ARCS) Model of Instructional Design.

Background It is important to learn interprofessional education (IPE) facilitation skills to promote interprofessional collaboration in healthcare. Nonetheless, to date, only a handful of IPE facilitation programs have been developed through research. Objective The objective of this study was to create an IPE facilitation program for healthcare professionals who wanted to promote interprofessional collaboration in their organizations based on the tenets of instructional design and evaluate its effectiveness. Methods This study's methodology was a mixed method based on relative subjectivism. We developed a two-day IPE facilitation program to learn IPE facilitation skills and promote interprofessional collaboration in the participants' own organizations. The program was developed based on the instructional design principles of the attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction (ARCS) model, measuring the participants' Interprofessional Facilitation Scale (IPFS) scores at three time points: before the first day, after the second day, and approximately one year after the course was completed. A one-way analysis of variance test was used to compare IPFS means at the three time points, and open-ended statements were qualitatively analyzed using thematic analysis. Results Twelve healthcare providers (four physicians, two pharmacists, one nurse, one rehabilitation worker, one medical social worker, one clinical psychologist, one medical secretary, and one other) participated in the completed IPE facilitation program. Their IPFS scores increased significantly from 17.4 ± 16.1 before the program to 38.1 ± 9.4 after the program and remained at 35.1 ± 11.7 for one year (p= 0.008). In addition, qualitative analysis suggested that the knowledge and skills learned in the program could be applied in the participants'workplaces, which helped them maintain their IPE facilitation skills. Conclusion We developed a two-day IPE facilitation program based on the ARCS instructional design model, and the participants' IPE facilitation skills scores increased and were maintained one year later.

Interprofessional education during experiential learning placements for student pharmacists in Scotland. Exploring current support provision and stakeholder views

Abstract Introduction Increasing global awareness that interprofessional team working is essential within modern healthcare systems has led to regulatory bodies mandating the inclusion of interprofessional education (IPE) within undergraduate curricula. The General Pharmaceutical Council specifies in the 2021 initial education and training standards the requirement for an interprofessional learning plan in which “IPE must mirror practice”.1 Pharmacy educators are intensifying their efforts to ensure student pharmacists are presented with opportunities to develop collaborative competencies. Curricular development and implementation initiatives must explore structures and processes to ensure that experiential learning (EL) environments are conducive to supporting student pharmacists’ interprofessional learning. Aim To explore structures and processes needed to support effective planned and unplanned IPE during EL placements for student pharmacists. Methods A mixed methods approach underpinned by the Biggs 3P theoretical framework was adopted.2 This included (1) A document analysis reviewing resources including student pharmacist/EL facilitator university handbooks and NHS Education for Scotland Preparation for Facilitating Experiential Learning (PFEL) training - a mandatory requirement for all EL facilitators hosting student pharmacists on placement in Scotland. (2) A pre-piloted online survey distributed to EL facilitators. Survey development, guided by the Interprofessional Facilitation Scale, aimed to encourage EL facilitators to self-evaluate their own IPE facilitation skills.3 The final survey tool included ten items with responses rated on a 4-point Likert scale (Poor, Fair, Good and Excellent) and a demographic section (3) Online semi-structured focus groups/dyadic interviews conducted with six EL facilitators, four practice educators and two academic staff were recorded and transcribed. Descriptive statistics were employed for quantitative data generated from the survey tool; for qualitative data content analysis was applied to develop emerging themes. Ethical approval was granted (S292) from the School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences Ethics Review Committee at Robert Gordon University. Results (1) The document analysis concluded that although the resources reviewed could not be specifically classed as training to support IPE, data collected provided context to EL placements and the training and pre-activities that student pharmacists and EL facilitators complete. Three main themes emerged: “Lack of specific IPE training focus”, “Varied terminology”, “Lack of IPE pre-learning activities”. (2) The survey was completed by ninety EL facilitators working in various practice settings: hospital 41.1% (n=37); primary care 25.6% (n=23); community 21.1% (n=19); academia 2.2% (n=2); other 8.9% (n=8). Survey responses indicated that 51.1% (n=46) and 42.2% (n=38) of respondents rated their ability to role model positive interactions with other healthcare professionals as good and excellent. However, responses to items relating more specifically to IPE facilitation skills indicated a lower confidence level. (3) Initial themes emerging from focus groups/dyadic interviews include “Profession-related perceptions of IPE”, “Factors influencing IPE delivery and student learning”, “Factors influencing future developments”. Discussion/Conclusion This exploratory study has provided valuable insight into multifactorial aspects affecting IPE during EL placements; this will be used to guide future development of IPE initiatives. One limitation is that student pharmacists were not included in this study; the next phase of this research programme will explore student pharmacists’ perceptions of IPE in EL.

Interprofessional intensive care unit (ICU) team perspectives on physical restraint practices and minimization strategies in an adult ICU: A qualitative study of contextual influences.

Guidelines advocate for minimization of physical restraint (PR) use in intensive care units (ICU). Interprofessional team perspectives on PR practices can inform the design and implementation of successful PR minimization interventions. To identify ICU staff perspectives of contextual influences on PR practices and minimization strategies. A qualitative descriptive study in a single ICU in Toronto, Canada. One-on-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 ICU staff. A deductive content analysis of interviews was undertaken using the integrated-Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (i-PARIHS) framework. Five themes were developed: risk-averse culture, leadership, practice monitoring and feedback processes, environmental factors, and facilitation. Participants described a risk-averse culture where prophylactic application of PR for intubated patients was used to prevent unplanned extubation thereby avoiding blame from colleagues. Perceived absence of leadership and interprofessional team involvement situated nurses as the primary decision-maker for restraint application and removal. Insufficient monitoring of restraint practices, lack of access to restraint alternatives, and inability to control environmental contributors to delirium and agitation further increased PR use. Recommendations as to how to minimize restraint use included a nurse facilitator to advance leadership-team collaboration, availability of restraints alternatives, and guidance on situations for applying and removing restraints. This analysis of contextual influences on PR practices and minimization using the i-PARIHS framework revealed potentially modifiable barriers to successful PR minimization, including a lack of leadership involvement, gaps in practice monitoring, and collaborative decision-making processes. A team approach to changing behaviour and culture should be considered for successful implementation and sustainability of PR minimization. The establishment of an interprofessional facilitation team that addresses risk-averse culture and promotes collaboration among ICU stakeholders will be crucial to the success of any approach to restraint minimization.

Student Interprofessional Facilitator Training (SIFT) program: building capacity in clinical education leadership

BackgroundWhile there are many teacher training programs for health professional students, few are interprofessional, and few integrate assessment and feedback prior to participation as peer teachers. In 2021, The Student Interprofessional Facilitator Training (SIFT) program was developed to allow senior students, already trained in peer teaching, to revise, build on, and practice their newly acquired skills in an interprofessional context. The aim of this study was to explore participant perception and performance, and the contextual factors that influence student aspirations as clinical teachers.MethodsAlumni of the 2021 Peer Teacher Training program (n = 74) were invited to participate in the SIFT program. Those who participated were invited to attend individual semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was used to code and categorise data into themes, using Communities of Practice as a conceptual framework. Skills in interprofessional facilitation were observed, assessed and students were provided with individual feedback. Assessment data were analysed using descriptive statistics.ResultsSixteen students from six disciplines joined the SIFT program, and 13/16 (81%) completed. Students were from medicine, nursing, diagnostic radiography, medical imaging, dentistry and speech pathology. Students reported an increased recognition of teaching as a learned skill, development of clinician identity formation as educators, development of interprofessional communication skills, increased awareness of the roles of other health professions, and an increased understanding of leadership. Participants expressed a desire for additional opportunities for interprofessional networking and peer teaching. A good level of competence in facilitation skills was reached by participants.ConclusionThe SIFT program provided a sustainable framework for health professional students to develop and evidence their teaching and leadership skills in an interprofessional context. This study highlighted the important role of observation, assessment and feedback in student teacher training programs. The process of clear assessment guidelines, direct observation with feedback from supervisors provided a way to ensure quality improvement in peer teaching. The SIFT program will help to build capacity of interprofessional programs where large numbers of teachers are required for small group teaching. The next step will be to ensure a variety of opportunities within interprofessional contexts, and with face-to-face engagement.

P32 - An Interprofessional approach to clinical facilitation of midwifery and medical students in the Birth Suite

Quality clinical placement experiences are vital to prepare undergraduate students for their future professional role. Traditionally clinical placements are facilitated in professional silos, a model that when reviewed in the birth suite of a large regional hospital in Victoria, revealed a highly competitive culture of midwifery and medical students who often struggled to meet learning objectives. To address this, an Interprofessional Clinical Facilitator (IPCF) model was introduced that was underpinned by interprofessional education theory and collaborative practice. Facilitators actively supported students to immerse themselves in interprofessional learning experiences in the birth suite, whilst learning how, as a team, they could best support women in the labour and birth setting. The aim of this research was to evaluate the ICPF model in the birth suite. Between 2017 and 2021 midwifery and medical students on clinical placement in birth suite at a large regional Victorian hospital were invited to evaluate their placement by completing an anonymous online survey consisting of statements about placement experience with a 7-point Likert scale and open-ended questions. Ethics approval was obtained. Quantitative data was collected utilising routinely collected data from the Birthing Outcome System to identify student presence and clinical activity in the birthing environment. Results of the student’s evaluation of their placement experiences following implementation of the interprofessional clinical facilitation model will be presented with students describing a more supportive and collaborative learning environment. Data demonstrating learning requirements are being met and an increase in students accoucheuring births despite a decrease in vaginal birth numbers will also be presented. The success of the interprofessional facilitation placement model in Birth Suite has resulted in a significant improvement to the quality of the student learning environment. These outcomes support consideration of wider adoption of this model in other clinical teaching settings.

Translation of an evidence-based virtual reality simulation-based interprofessional education into health education curriculums: An implementation science method

BackgroundThe development of interprofessional competencies through an evidence-based program is paramount to nurture a collaborative practice-ready workforce for patient-centered care and safety. AimsTo describe an implementation science approach for translation of an evidence-based virtual reality simulation-based interprofessional education (VR-Sim-IPE) program into medical and nursing curriculums, and to evaluate the implementation outcomes. MethodsImplementation strategies from the “Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change” were used to support implementation of the VR-Sim-IPE program. This included recruiting and training 28 practicing clinicians as facilitators to deliver the program to 599 medical and nursing students. Proctor's conceptual framework for implementation outcomes was applied with multiple data collection methods to evaluate the VR-Sim-IPE program. An online survey was administered to measure the levels of acceptability, appropriateness, feasibility, and adoption. Forty-four sessions of structured observations were carried out to examine the facilitators' implementation fidelity. Individual interviews were conducted with 15 facilitators to identify the facilitators and barriers to the program implementation. An implementation cost analysis was also conducted. ResultsBoth facilitators and students had positive perceptions of the acceptability, adoption, appropriateness, and feasibility of the VR-Sim-IPE program. Facilitators were observed to implement the program with high fidelity, including program adherence, dosage, quality of delivery, and student responsiveness. While opportunities to contribute and learn, as well as receiving training and support, were identified as facilitators to implementation, the lack of familiarity with the virtual environment, varying levels of student participation, and facilitating interprofessional groups were reported barriers. The implementation costs amounted to USD45,648.50. ConclusionThe evaluation of implementation outcomes identifies strategies for future implementation that could potentially enhance program acceptance, reduce implementation cost, improve penetration, and achieve program sustainability. These include increasing facilitation group size, preparing students to be active participants, and incorporating interprofessional facilitation skills in facilitators' training.

109 Perceptions of Virtual Simulations by Inter-Professional Simulation Facilitators

The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated pedagogical change with many events virtual or hybrid in nature. Simulation events are particularly affected due to their hands-on quality. In addition, requirement for virtual facilitators may be increased compared with in-person counterparts. Virtual simulation education must be as high quality as in-person efforts and facilitator training is key. Some principles of virtual facilitation differ from in-person, for example, in relation to debriefing The aim of the study was to deliver virtual facilitator education addressing the format, objectives, expectations and strategies for virtual IP simulations.The traditional in-person Facilitator Training and Inter-professional Education (IPE) Event Training Design course our university-affiliated program delivers was adapted based on a local needs assessment to the virtual Facilitating Virtual Simulations Crash Course. This was delivered as required as small-group Zoom-based teaching, outlining educational theory, practice and principles of virtual simulation facilitation.Sixteen virtual inter-professional simulations have been delivered for students in 19 professions within our Office of IPE since September 2020 with 33 inter-professional facilitators from 4 institutions. To determine the efficacy of our novel virtual facilitation, training facilitators were surveyed. The majority had facilitated one to five simulations (in-person 58%, virtual 70%). In addition to the Office of IPE training, 30% of facilitators had received external education on in-person simulation facilitation compared with 6% for virtual facilitation. The majority of facilitators strongly agreed/agreed that they were as effective a facilitator in virtual simulations (80%), as confident facilitating virtually (70%), as psychologically safe in virtual debriefings (75%), and that virtual simulations will continue in their practice after the pandemic (100%). Most (95%) facilitators strongly agreed/agreed that students were as engaged with virtual simulations as with in-person and 80% felt virtual simulations were a good learning experience for students. The majority (88%) of facilitators strongly agreed/agreed that the virtual crash course provided the knowledge and practice to help them effectively facilitate virtually, and 75% strongly agreed/agreed that the crash course made them appreciate and foster IP relationships in their daily work. These results are comparable to evaluation of in-person training delivered before the pandemic.Virtual simulation events require specific facilitation strategies, and virtual education is useful to improve the knowledge and confidence of facilitators. Facilitators value the virtual simulation experience for themselves and their students, and they believe that this will be an important pedagogy post-pandemic.

The Interprofessional Education Exchange: The Impact of a Faculty Development Program in Interprofessional Palliative Oncology Education on Trainee Competencies, Skills, and Satisfaction.

Background: The interprofessional education exchange (iPEX) provides education, training, and mentoring to select interprofessional faculty trainee teams for development and implementation of interprofessional education (IPE) in palliative oncology.Objective: To evaluate the impact of the iPEX project on trainees' self-efficacy in IPE skills and IPE competencies.Design: A pre-/post-test design was used to evaluate trainees' progress. Trainees rated project components and developed IPE curricula in palliative oncology.Setting/Subjects: Sixteen United States-based faculty teams consisting of four to five members representing three or more disciplines completed the one-year faculty development project consisting of webinars, online interactive modules, a face-to-face workshop, mentoring, and assistance. The exchange of ideas, means for overcoming obstacles, collaborative teaching techniques, and curriculum development guidelines were integrated into the program.Measurements: Standardized measures of self-efficacy in IPE skills (Interprofessional Facilitation Skills Checklist) and IPE competencies (Core Competencies for Interprofessional Practice Individual Competency Assessment Tool) were used. Trainees rated the effectiveness of the project components on a scale of 1–5 (1 = not at all effective, 5 = extremely effective) and reported their plan for IPE palliative care curricula at their home institution.Results: Pre and post-paired samples t-test scores (n = 78) on both standardized instruments for IPE skills and competencies were significantly different (p < 0.001). Ratings of project components ranged from 3.97 to 4.90. Each team successfully developed a unique plan for IPE in palliative oncology.Conclusions: Multimodal faculty development and mentoring are successful means for improving self-assessed IPE skills and competencies.

The Interprofessional Educational Exchange: Improving Faculty Ability to Create Interprofessional Education in Palliative Oncology (SCI916)

1.List 3 reasons why faculty development in IPE for palliative care is needed.2.Name 3 approaches for developing faculty IPE knowledge and skills3.Describe one successful faculty development program for those using IPE approaches to teach oncology palliative care The Interprofessional Education Exchange (iPEX) provides education, training and mentoring in the development and implementation of interprofessional education (IPE) in palliative oncology. Participating faculty teams are selected through a competitive application process and represent educational institutions and healthcare systems from across the nation. Each team has representatives from three or more disciplines. To evaluate a national palliative care faculty development program preparing teams to develop and implement IPE. The program utilizes a variety of teaching/learning approaches. Online learning includes two webinars and three interactive online modules followed by face-to-face workshop. Participants learn and practice collaborative teaching/learning techniques, reflective activities and facilitation skills. Faculty teams develop a plan for palliative IPE at their home institutions. Follow-up mentoring and a final webinar exchanging each team’s progress and plans are additional components. A pre/posttest design was used to evaluate learner’s progress related to self-efficacy in IPE skills (using the Interprofessional Facilitation Skills Checklist) and IPE competency (using the Core Competencies for Interprofessional Practice Individual Competency Assessment Tool). Learners rated the effectiveness of the program components on a scale of 1-5 (1= not at all effective, 5= extremely effective). Sixteen teams have completed the iPEX program. Each developed curriculum tailored to the needs of their learners. Pre/post paired samples t-test scores (n=78) on both standardized instruments were significantly different (p < 0.001). Ratings of program components were: workshop = 4.90; online modules = 4.18; mentoring = 4.18; website = 4.17; webinars = 3.97; and the eXchange teleconference = 4.0. The iPEX project is a successful faculty development program training faculty teams in IPE skills and competencies.

Peer Led Team Learning in a Foundational IPE Curriculum

BACKGROUND The Peer Led Team Learning (PLTL) instructional model utilizes Peer Leaders, advanced students who mentor and guide student teams to collaborate on applied course concepts. PURPOSE To apply a modified PLTL model in the university’s foundational, longitudinal, competency-based interprofessional education (IPE) curriculum. METHODS Twelve Peer Leaders were selected, trained, and deployed as facilitators for interprofessional teams of students during the IPE curriculum’s first three large-scale learning events. Peer Leaders completed an evaluation of training, a facilitation skills survey, and participated in a semi-structured focus group interview process. RESULTS After participating in the PLTL program, Peer Leaders reported increased confidence in their interprofessional knowledge and facilitation skills. The primary challenge for Peer Leaders in facilitating teams was lack of student engagement (n=7, 58%). CONCLUSION PLTL is a feasible model for IPE settings. It has the potential to both increase facilitator capacity in interprofessional learning activities and have a positive impact on Peer Leaders.

The good enough facilitator: exploring online interprofessional therapeutic facilitation in times of COVID-19

ABSTRACT In the time of COVID-19, universities have been forced to engage with online learning more than ever before. The facilitator is a key player in the orchestration of online learning and as such, this paper seeks to present a radical reworking of the Garrison and Archer Community of Inquiry model that emphasizes the importance of a therapeutic presence in online interprofessional facilitation. Drawn from a strand of inductive empirical qualitative research based on 15 years’ experience of online interprofessional education, this paper employs a therapeutic lens to propose the good enough facilitator as a theoretical construct that emphasizes the importance of the facilitator understanding when to intervene and when to retreat within the online space. Online interprofessional asynchronous discussion groups are explored to illustrate the value of the good enough facilitator in online learning.

Learning from students: Facilitators’ learning in interprofessional placements

ABSTRACTFew studies have examined experiences and learning from the viewpoint of interprofessional facilitators of student placements, and limited research has investigated this learning enacted across traditional service boundaries or between health and education practitioners. This study aimed to address these gaps by exploring perceptions about the learning and experiences of Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) who facilitated placements in childcare settings for speech-language pathology students from a health professional background. Lave and Wenger’s theory of Legitimate Peripheral Participation was utilised to design and interpret this study. Seven ECEs from two childcare centres and four Centre Directors participated in focus groups and individual semi structured interviews respectively. Thematic analysis revealed five themes that described how the ECEs came to accept the students as legitimate members of their practice community, and how this subsequently facilitated the ECEs’ learning. The themes of power described in previous studies that explored status and hierarchical differences between facilitators and students from differing professions were not identified in this study. This absence of observed power differential, in addition to the embedded nature of the placement design, and the students’ participation in the ECEs’ everyday activities and routines contributed to the ECEs’ positive interprofessional learning.

Translation and cultural adaptation of the Japanese version of the interprofessional facilitation scale

ABSTRACTEffective interaction in interprofessional collaboration requires skills in interprofessional facilitation. The need for interprofessional learning and practice in Japan is highlighted by Japan’s status as one of the most rapidly aging societies because good care for elderly people with complex needs requires effective collaboration between different professional groups. The development of interprofessional facilitation skills (including management of the additional complexities) among learners or professionals enhances interprofessional learning and consensus building and empowers them to make appropriate commitments when faced with difficult challenges. The 18-item interprofessional facilitation scale (IPFS) can be used to enhance interprofessional facilitation skills. Here, we aimed to develop a Japanese adapted version of the IPFS and to validate it for use with Japanese healthcare professionals. Consistent with guidelines for cross-cultural adaptation, three translators translated the original IPFS from English into Japanese, and an expert and all authors confirmed its face and content validity. The translated items were amended during backtranslation and expert reviews. Exploratory factor analysis was performed with 167 healthcare professionals to explore the underlying structure of the items. This analysis revealed two factors with good internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha > 0.8), which were labelled as: (1) encouraging interprofessional interaction and (2) respect for each professional. The original factor ‘Encouraging interprofessional interaction’ was divided into two factors in the study. One reason for this division might be related to the behaviour of Japanese health professionals, that is, most Japanese might understand that ‘facilitation’ encourages relationships as contextual belonging that are distinct from relationships based on respect for others. This mindset is likely based on the notion of ‘relationalism’, which is fundamental in Japanese culture. Further investigation of this Japanese version of the IPFS will strengthen factor construction and improve scrutiny of the relationships between factors.

Strategies for interprofessional facilitators and clinical supervisors that may enhance the emotional intelligence of therapy students

ABSTRACTEmotional intelligence (EI) is a critical skill for occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and speech pathology students (therapy students). This article reports the findings from an analysis of interviews with therapy students (n = 24) to determine the aspects of clinical placements that therapy students perceived as influencing the changes in EI scores. This article reports the findings of the qualitative phase of a longitudinal, retrospective mixed methods design. Interviewees were selected using purposive sampling. Of those interviewed, 95% agreed that clinical placements had a significant impact on a range of EI skills with changes being both positive and negative. Content analysis showed that students perceived their EI skills had changed because of the following aspects of clinical placements: student-supervisor interactions, student interactions with patients in emotional distress and being encouraged to reflect and hear feedback on their EI skills. To support and enhance student’s EI skills, interprofessional facilitators and profession-specific supervisors are recommended to utilise the following strategies with interprofessional cohorts. Supervisors and facilitators should be emotionally in-tune with students and trust students to work autonomously with patients experiencing emotional distress, pain and loss, especially those with complex needs. Importantly, interprofessional facilitators and direct supervisors should encourage students to reflect on their EI skills both individually and as a group. Supervisors should frequently evaluate and provide feedback to students on their EI skills, at the same time as providing feedback on their practical and clinical reasoning skills.

Teaching interprofessional collaborative care skills using a blended learning approach

Abstract A blended learning approach using both asynchronous and synchronous learning was designed to overcome common barriers to interprofessional education (IPE). Health care professional learners are expected to meet the Core Competencies for Interprofessional Collaborative Practice set forth by the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC), to better prepare them for team-based care with the goal of improving patient safety and population health outcomes. Our curricular resource describes a longitudinal curriculum designed to provide knowledge and skills application towards meeting IPEC competencies for early learners of five graduate-level health professional programs (dentistry, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and physical therapy) at a large academic medical center. Many barriers to implementation of IPE curricula have been reported, including scheduling, space and time for training, matching levels of learners, faculty development, and institutional buy-in. The format of the curriculum consisted of five quarterly sessions comprised of a one-hour online module for content delivery, and a 2-hr facilitated face-to-face small group session for skills application. Each session addressed one of the IPEC competency domains, including: interprofessional collaborative practice, roles and responsibilities, interprofessional communication, conflict management, and leadership/membership. Teaching strategies included expert interviews, videos, reflections, pair-share, role play, and group debrief. Interprofessional facilitators were matched with a group of 10–12 interprofessional learners. Learners completed the online module and pre-session assignments prior to the face-to-face sessions, and an online evaluation following the face-to-face sessions. Over 500 learners participated in the curriculum. Overall learners rated the sessions highly in achieving session objectives, and in general rated the value of the face-to-face sessions higher than the online modules.

Fluctuations in the emotional intelligence of therapy students during clinical placements: Implication for educators, supervisors, and students

ABSTRACTThis study investigated the changes in emotional intelligence (EI) of occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and speech pathology students (therapy students). Clinical placements have multiple benefits including the development of interprofessional skills, enhancing practice skills and interpersonal skills. Higher EI competencies have been shown to have a positive impact on patient outcomes, teamwork skills, dealing with stress, and patient satisfaction. Data for this study were collected at two time points: before third-year therapy students commenced extended clinical placements (T1 with 261 students) and approximately 7 months later after students had completed one or more clinical placements (T2 with 109 students). EI was measured using the Emotional Quotient Inventory 2.0 (EQ-i2.0). Only one EI score, assertiveness, demonstrated a significant decline. No EI score showed a significant increase. A third or more of the students showed increases of five points or more in self-actualisation, emotional expression, independence, reality testing and optimism. However, of concern were the five EI scores where therapy students’ EI scores decreased by more than five points: assertiveness (where 38% of students declined), problem solving (37%), impulse control (35%), self-actualisation (35%), and stress tolerance (33%). With EI scores declining for some students during clinical placements, there are implications for clinical supervisors and interprofessional facilitators as clinical performance may decline concurrently. There is a range of potential reasons that clinical placements could negatively influence the EI competencies of a therapy student, including poor clinical supervision, conflict between a student, and supervisor and failing a clinical placement. The research suggests that interprofessional facilitators and university educators might consider students undertaking EI tests before clinical placements.

Faculty development in interprofessional education (IPE): Reflections from an IPE coordinator

Abstract Objectives Faculty development in interprofessional education (IPE) and interprofessional collaboration (IPC) is an important component enabling the cultural shift towards this new mode of education and practice. Most published studies describing interprofessional faculty development focus on facilitating interprofessional groups of learners without consideration of the much larger role that faculty can play as interprofessional ambassadors. This paper aims to describe strategies that fostered interprofessional faculty development within the University of Manitoba IPE Initiative (the Initiative) between 2008 and 2015, highlight exemplars that were implemented and evaluated, and offer reflections from the IPE coordinator. Methods Three overarching strategies fostered interprofessional faculty development within the Initiative: developing interprofessional ambassadors through leadership training; using an adoption model framework that explicitly identified interprofessional faculty development as one key micro-component; and actualizing partnerships within and between academia, practitioners and the government. Results Interprofessional faculty development opportunities for non-practice- and practice-based faculty are described, and evaluation results are presented. The strategies were aligned with most, if not all, of the seven previously published recommended approaches to interprofessional faculty development. Based on the number of participants and evaluation results, the interprofessional faculty development opportunities offered through the Initiative were effective in raising faculty awareness of IPE and IPC and improving perceived interprofessional facilitation skills. Conclusion Upon reflection, the Initiative's interprofessional faculty development undertakings were reactive as opposed to strategic. Future recommendations include reaching consensus on a broad definition of faculty development, adopting a theoretical framework to guide the stated learning outcomes, and developing observation-based assessment strategies to measure the achievement of interprofessional learning outcomes.