Opportunities For Shared Learning Research Articles

QI hub – creating a culture of quality improvement

Staff work tirelessly to deliver high quality care in demanding settings, and are keen to further improve services, but often are short of time, support or skills to do so.1 Experience and feedback has shown that formal support for developing quality improvement (QI) skills is often fragmented and difficult to access.2 At our organisation there are excellent pockets of activity, but limited access to opportunities for shared learning. Our aim was to bring together this activity, while developing a community of empowered individuals and teams that drives a culture of continuous, sustained improvement within their divisions for the benefit of patients, colleagues and departments. The QI Hub delivers …

The Role of State Context in Promoting Service Coordination in Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Programs.

The federal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program provides funding to states to promote health and development of at-risk expectant families and families with young children. MIECHV programs are required to coordinate services within a larger system of care; yet, little is known about state-level factors that support coordination. This study examined state-level supports and barriers for coordination of home visiting with other entities within the early childhood system of care. A Web-based survey was distributed in 2016 via e-mail to MIECHV administrators in all 50 states, 5 US territories, and the District of Columbia. The survey elicited information on 5 domains shown by theory and prior research to support coordination: MIECHV leadership, state leadership, shared goals across sectors, data systems, and finance. Respondents also rated their perceptions of state-level coordination. Forty-two (75%) of the MIECHV administrators participated in the survey. States and territories varied widely within and across the 5 domains of support for coordination. MIECHV leadership was an area of relative strength, whereas data systems and finance showed the most room for improvement. State leadership and shared goals were associated with stronger perceptions of state-level coordination. The findings indicate opportunities for shared learning among states to enhance coordination infrastructure. Such efforts should include multiple stakeholder perspectives and consideration of local and organizational contexts. This work could be facilitated using the service coordination toolkit developed as part of this project.

The Architecture Competition: A Beauty Contest or a Learning Opportunity?

The architecture competition is a high point of interaction between very diverse actors, architecture specialists or not. However, is it really an opportunity for exchange and shared learning? Based on surveys conducted in France and in several European countries on behalf of the French Ministry of Culture, this contribution aims to identify the conditions that foster the interactions inherent to competitions, the possible scope of these exchanges and the rationale behind them. When the competition is a chosen procedure, it is most often perceived as a moment of generating ideas that opens a professional debate and also addresses the general public. When it is mandatory, the competition is guided by another logic: that of ensuring the fairness and transparency of the joint choice of a project and a service provider as well as the legality of the contract concluded with the latter. Depending on the place given by decision-makers to this legal and contractual dimension, the nature and scope of the debates around the competition vary widely. If the legalistic approach dominates, it tends to limit interactions. However if the contracting authority adopts a more open approach to the competition, from programming to the dissemination and capitalisation of its results, it can make a real process of collective deliberation and favour the growth of shared competence.

Models of care for adolescent and young adult cancer programs.

This review draws on the experience of adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer clinicians from Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom to summarize common aspects of models of care implemented in their countries. The principles underpinning these models include patient- and family-focused care informed by an understanding of normal AYA development, enhancing existing adult or pediatric cancer services to meet the needs of AYA, and promoting collaboration between pediatric and adult oncologists. Common elements of AYA cancer care include establishing an AYA multidisciplinary team that integrates medical and psychosocial care, efforts to centralize complex care, providing access and equity for all AYA, promoting clinical trials, and helping facilitate transition to healthy survivorship. Several organizational approaches are described, noting that local program development depends on resources, infrastructure, and assessment of unmet needs within the region. The development of national networks provides opportunities for shared learning and approaches to evaluation.

Internet-based pharmacy and centralised dispensing: an exploratory mixed-methods study of the views of family practice staff.

Over the last decade, technological advances, market competition and increasing pressures for efficiencies across healthcare systems have resulted in changes to the processes and policies involved in medicines prescribing and dispensing. The aim of this study was to explore the views of family practice staff, including GPs, on the perceived impact of changes associated with remote dispensing and the increasing availability of distance-selling pharmacies. Exploratory mixed-methods study using qualitative focus groups and an online cross-sectional survey distributed to a non-probability sample of staff from family practices across England. Survey items were developed based on existing literature and initial thematic analysis from the focus groups and adapted using cognitive interviewing techniques. Findings suggest that family practice staff believe that where and how prescriptions are dispensed impacts on their practice and patients. Frequent contact with distance-selling pharmacies is not common; however, highlighted concerns included patient safety issues and the potential threat to the loss of valued elements and sustainability of community pharmacy and dispensing practices. Identified concerns and experiences are unlikely to be routinely discussed within or between practices, limiting opportunities for shared learning and consideration of the potential impact of changes to dispensing processes and policies. Further research is needed to confirm these exploratory findings, due to the low response rate and sample size. Findings, nevertheless, highlight how wider changes in dispensing processes may have unintended consequences on other aspects of the healthcare system.

Dental and Dental Hygiene Students' Perceptions of Status Quo, Benefits of, and Curricular Suggestions for Shared Learning: On the Road to IPE?

In 29 U.S. academic institutions, dental and dental hygiene students are educated on the same campus. The aims of this study were to explore the perceptions of dental and dental hygiene students on the same campus concerning the status quo of shared educational experiences, the benefits of shared education, and their curricular suggestions for shared education. Additionally, the study investigated whether the number of shared courses was correlated with the perceived benefits of shared learning. A survey was sent in 2016 to a chief administrator at all 29 dental school and dental hygiene programs that were on the same campus, with a request that the administrators forward the invitation email to all their students. A total of 375 dental and 117 dental hygiene students at 12 universities responded. The students reported that three of the nine dental hygiene programs and two of the six dental programs had no shared courses. The majority of dental/dental hygiene students agreed or agreed strongly that having joint classes would allow them to develop better relationships between dental and dental hygiene students (57%/57%) and gain a better understanding of each other's roles (50%/63%) and of what the other discipline "is all about" (54%/46%). Compared to dental hygiene students, dental students were less supportive of suggestions for curricular interventions such as partnering up in lab (on a five-point scale with 5=most positive: 3.99 vs. 3.56; p<0.001), using in-class time for shared group projects (3.83 vs. 3.27; p<0.001), and shadowing in clinics (4.26 vs. 3.16; p<0.001). The more courses dental and dental hygiene students jointly attended, the higher their percentage of clinic time spent on collaborative care (r=0.19; p<0.001). Having dental and dental hygiene programs on the same campus offers opportunities for shared learning, and this study's results suggest those opportunities may translate into increased shared learning.

Statewide Clinic Registries: The Michigan Surgical Quality Collaborative.

Regional clinical registries provide a unique opportunity for shared learning and population-based analyses of the quality of surgical care. Through the "Michigan Model" of pay for participation in strategic Value Partnerships, exemplified by the Michigan Surgical Quality Collaborative (MSQC), the state's dominant private insurer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, has sponsored 20 statewide clinical quality improvement collaboratives. MSQC represents a partnership among 73 Michigan hospitals with a robust data infrastructure and flexible platform for the promulgation of best practices in surgical quality improvement. This article will describe the organizational structure of the MSQC, the contributions the registry has made to quality improvement in colorectal surgery, and how future work will align to improve the reliability of improvement-relevant registry data.

Delivering Smart Governance in a Future City: The Case of Glasgow

In 2013, Glasgow City Council received significant funding to develop innovative smart city applications, including the delivery of new electronic public services and the co-production of governance. This case study examines the processes that underpin the ways in which the ‘Future City Glasgow programme’ delivered ‘smart governance’, in the context of a regenerating post-industrial city. We assess the contribution of smart city technologies and data collection and monitoring processes designed to facilitate citizen engagement and sustainable governance practices. The Future City Glasgow programme ran from 2013‒2015, and included the Open Glasgow project, and ‘Demonstrator Projects’ of: Energy Efficiency; Intelligent Street Lighting; Active Travel; and, Integrated Social Transport. Opportunities arose from these demonstrators for developing co-production and legacy initiatives. The case study provides insight into the ways in which citizens and local communities in Glasgow have been engaged in governance processes. This engagement has taken place via traditional and innovative smart city technologies, and in particular in relation to policy formulation, service design and delivery. It finds that the co-creation of governance is shaped by vested interests, that engagement is fragmented and partial, but at the same time new technologies, social media and shared learning opportunities offer innovative new ways for &lt;em&gt;some&lt;/em&gt; citizens to influence local governance.

Systems consultation for opioid prescribing in primary care: a qualitative study of adaptation

BackgroundIn order to promote guideline-concordant opioid prescribing practices, a blended implementation strategy called systems consultation was pilot tested in four primary care clinics in one US health system.ObjectivesTo describe (1)...

Under the Same Sky: Connecting Students and Cultures through Circumpolar Nursing Education.

The recruitment and retention of health professionals in rural, remote, and northern regions is an ongoing challenge. The Northern Nursing Education Network brought together nursing students working in rural and remote regions of the circumpolar north in Innovative Learning Institute on Circumpolar Health (ILICH) events to create opportunities for shared learning and expose both students and faculty to local and traditional knowledge that informs health behaviors specific to regions with Indigenous populations. Using participant experience data extracted from program discussions, evaluations, and reflective notes conducted after ILICH events held in 2015–2017, this paper explores how these two-week institutes can contribute to knowledge that is locally relevant yet transferable to rural areas across the circumpolar north. The findings clustered around experiences related to (1) Language as a barrier and an enabler; (2) shared values and traditions across borders; (3) differences and similarities in nursing practice; (4) new perspectives in nursing; and (5) building sustainable partnerships. Students learned more about their own culture as well as others by exploring the importance of language, cultures, and health inequity on different continents. Shared values and traditional knowledge impacted student perspectives of social determinants of health that are highly relevant for nurses working in the circumpolar north.

A coeducación das emocións como estratexia chave para a promoción da convivencia positiva: a experiencia “EmocionadXs” do IES “Xulián Magariños” (Negreira)

“EmocionadXs” (Permuy, 2013), nomea un proxecto de educación-coeducación das emocións para alumnado de Educación Secundaria Obrigatoria (ESO), desenvolto durante tres cursos académicos no Instituto “Xulián Magariños” de Negreira, unha pequena localidade semi rural da provincia de A Coruña.Neste artigo expóñense algúns dos resultados de dito proxecto, co fin de evidenciar os efectos da educación das emocións nas relacións de convivencia no centro. Así, apoiándose nas testemuñas de persoal docente chave, o estudo manifesta a necesidade e pertinencia de deseñar e implementar accións de carácter socioeducativo, enfocadas á promoción dun desenvolvemento emocional saudable no alumnado.A investigación confirma que a educación das emocións contribúe a crear oportunidades de aprendizaxe compartida entre a rapazada, a través de experiencias e vivencias motivadoras, emocionantes e significativas; implicando ás persoas, dun xeito explícito, no seu propio proceso de desenvolvemento, tanto persoal como grupal.Neste senso, para a creación de contextos de convivencia positiva, parece imprescindible ter presentes a dimensión emocional e social do individuo, pero tamén dos grupos.Como afirmaba Paulo Freire “a Educación non cambia o mundo, cambia ás persoas que van cambiar o mundo”. Por iso, a transformación social, cara unha cultura de paz, depende en gran medida de aprenderse como suxeito emocional e social, en interacción coas outras persoas e as súas emocionalidades; e por tanto, aprenderse como individuo pensante e sentinte, responsable da propia vida e da vida en comunidade.“EmocionadXs” (op. cit.) é unha experiencia deseñada e implementada desde o Seminario de Emocionalidade, Xéneros e Desenvolvemento Humano (EXDEHU), do Instituto de Ciencias da Educación da Universidade de Santiago de Compostela.

In reach into Nursing Homes Education, Training and Development Programme

When nursing home residents become acutely unwell they are often referred to hospital for sometimes aimless and sometimes distressing treatment. RCN (RCN 2015) conducted a NI regional survey across the independent sector; One key recommendation was that in partnership with HSC trusts, a learning and development pathway should be developed for independent sector registrants to promote their on-going development, and support maintenance of their clinical skills and competence. A greater cohesion between the statutory and independent sector was advocated providing then an in reach service of specialist support and a greater accessibility to shared learning and development opportunities. A statistical study of ED attendances to Antrim Area Hospital (AAH) from 20 nursing homes was undertaken over six months (2013/14) which identified that of the 497 attendances, approximately 30% patients were discharged not requiring admission and potentially with appropriate skills training could be nursed within their care home environment. The key aim of this initiative was to empower nursing home registrant staff through a coaching, education, training and development programme which would enhance and enable skills and knowledge using a facilitative anticipatory care model so to maintain residents safely in their care home for as long as possible. This small cycle of change (PDSA) quality improvement initiative reflected Northern Ireland’ s regional strategy ‘Transforming Your Care’ (DHSSPS, 2011) highlighting older people should be cared for in the right place at the right time with the best possible outcome. In February 2015, 20 nursing homes completed a patient profile to help inform the education programme content and identified champions to undertake the education programme which included; long term conditions management, dementia care, recognising /managing the deteriorating patient, medicines optimisation and end of life advance care planning. They also attended a clinical skills programme in catheter management, Peg Tube management, syringe driver management and venepuncture. Champions were equipped and empowered to cascade training to other staff in the home. The Trust practice development facilitator provided visible support to the home connecting them to other specialist services such as the dementia home support team, medication review pharmacy team and the voluntary sector (Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s UK, Age NI. Expediting patient discharge from hospital to the care home became a feature when additional care home nurse training was required. The evaluative process included both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Underpinned by the triple aim IHI improvement framework this initiative reduced avoidable ED attendances by 31%; reducing cost per capita (approx £319K), reduced reliance on community services, improved the care home population health, and improved the resident and registrant nurse experience. The success has resulted in extension to a further 20 homes in NHSCT and the model is sustained through the permanency of the integrated partnership between independent sector and primary /secondary care and is transferable to other trusts in NI/UK.

Social work and interprofessional education: integration, intersectionality, and institutional leadership

Over the last decade healthcare policies and practices in the US have placed significant emphasis on healthcare integration, mental health parity, and implementation of team-based practice models to improve quality, safety, and affordability of service. With these incentives in mind, schools of social work have joined with national and international health education organizations to reduce disciplinary silos and increase shared learning opportunities across professions and programs. The social work profession has long supported collaborative practice however, students are rarely paired with others in the classroom or intentionally taught about counterparts’ roles and expertise. Social work leaders are also responsible for addressing the intersectionality between collaborative competencies and sociocultural factors. The 2015 EPAS and 2016 Core Competencies for Interprofessional Collaborative Practice create multi-level opportunities for social work educators to provide Interprofessional Education (IPE) innovation and leadership across common curricula and educational settings. The authors examine historic challenges to integrating IPE in social work curricula, provide three examples of IPE/social work initiatives in higher education, describe the intersectionality of the EPAS and the IPEC competencies, and identify institutional benefits associated with the integration of IPE in schools of social work culture and curriculum.

Barriers and facilitators to implementation of VA home-based primary care on American Indian reservations: a qualitative multi-case study

BackgroundVeterans Health Affairs (VA) home-based primary care (HBPC) is an evidence-based interdisciplinary approach to non-institutional long-term care that was developed in urban settings to provide longitudinal care for vulnerable older patients. Under the authority of a Memorandum of Understanding between VA and Indian Health Service (IHS) to improve access to healthcare, 14 VA medical centers (VAMC) independently initiated plans to expand HBPC programs to rural American Indian reservations and 12 VAMC successfully implemented programs. The purpose of this study is to describe barriers and facilitators to implementation in rural Native communities with the aim of informing planners and policy-makers for future program expansions.MethodsA qualitative comparative case study approach was used, treating each of the 14 VAMC as a case. Using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) to inform an open-ended interview guide, telephone interviews (n = 37) were conducted with HBPC staff and clinicians and local/regional managers, who participated or oversaw implementation. The interviews were transcribed, coded, and then analyzed using CFIR domains and constructs to describe and compare experiences and to identify facilitators, barriers, and adaptations that emerged in common across VAMC and HBPC programs.ResultsThere was considerable variation in local contexts across VAMC. Nevertheless, implementation was typically facilitated by key individuals who were able to build trust and faith in VA healthcare among American Indian communities. Policy promoted clinical collaboration but collaborations generally occurred on an ad hoc basis between VA and IHS clinicians to optimize patient resources. All programs required some adaptations to address barriers in rural areas, such as distances, caseloads, or delays in hiring additional clinicians. VA funding opportunities facilitated expansion and sustainment of these programs.ConclusionsSince program expansion is a responsibility of the HBPC program director, there is little sharing of lessons learned across VA facilities. Opportunities for shared learning would benefit federal healthcare organizations to expand other medical services to additional American Indian communities and other rural and underserved communities, as well as to coordinate with other healthcare organizations. The CFIR structure was an effective analytic tool to compare programs addressing multiple inner and outer settings.

Criteria to assess potential reverse innovations: opportunities for shared learning between high- and low-income countries

BackgroundLow- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are developing novel approaches to healthcare that may be relevant to high-income countries (HICs). These include products, services, organizational processes, or policies that improve access, cost, or efficiency of healthcare. However, given the challenge of replication, it is difficult to identify innovations that could be successfully adapted to high-income settings. We present a set of criteria for evaluating the potential impact of LMIC innovations in HIC settings.MethodsAn initial framework was drafted based on a literature review, and revised iteratively by applying it to LMIC examples from the Center for Health Market Innovations (CHMI) program database. The resulting criteria were then reviewed using a modified Delphi process by the Reverse Innovation Working Group, consisting of 31 experts in medicine, engineering, management and political science, as well as representatives from industry and government, all with an expressed interest in reverse innovation.ResultsThe resulting 8 criteria are divided into two steps with a simple scoring system. First, innovations are assessed according to their success within the LMIC context according to metrics of improving accessibility, cost-effectiveness, scalability, and overall effectiveness. Next, they are scored for their potential for spread to HICs, according to their ability to address an HIC healthcare challenge, compatibility with infrastructure and regulatory requirements, degree of novelty, and degree of current collaboration with HICs. We use examples to illustrate where programs which appear initially promising may be unlikely to succeed in a HIC setting due to feasibility concerns.ConclusionsThis study presents a framework for identifying reverse innovations that may be useful to policymakers and funding agencies interested in identifying novel approaches to addressing cost and access to care in HICs. We solicited expert feedback and consensus on an empirically-derived set of criteria to create a practical tool for funders that can be used directly and tested prospectively using current databases of LMIC programs.

Study protocol for "Healthy Hearts Northwest": a 2 × 2 randomized factorial trial to build quality improvement capacity in primary care.

BackgroundLittle attention has been paid to quality improvement (QI) capacity within smaller primary care practices which comprise nearly half of all primary care settings. Strategies for external support to build such capacity include practice facilitation (PF), shared learning opportunities, and educational outreach. Although PF has proven effectiveness, little is known about the comparative effectiveness of combining these strategies. Here, we describe the protocol of the “Healthy Hearts Northwest” (H2N) study, a randomized trial designed to address these questions while improving risk factors for cardiovascular disease.Methods/designThe targeted enrollment is 250 smaller primary care practices across Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. The study is utilizing a two-by-two factorial design to assess four different combinations of practice support: PF alone, PF with educational outreach, PF with shared learning opportunities, or PF with both. A mixed methods approach is being used for evaluation and will include data from (1) baseline and follow-up practice and staff surveys; (2) baseline and quarterly clinical performance measurement from each practice on four cardiovascular risk factors: appropriate aspirin use, blood pressure control, lipid management and smoking cessation support; and (3) a quality improvement capacity assessment (QICA) survey used by external practice facilitators to guide improvement efforts.DiscussionResults from this study will inform future large-scale practice improvement initiatives by providing comparisons of promising external practice support strategies and advance our understanding of how to build QI capacity in primary care.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02839382

Re-configuring inclusion, decolonising practice: Digital participation and learning in Black women’s community-led heritage

This article explores an innovative model of adult education within museums developed from a Black feminist approach. BAM! Sistahood! is a community-led project with regional heritage organisations, universities and women’s centres in the UK, that offers a holistic approach to heritage development. The ethos is to challenge the perpetuation of existing Eurocentric models of heritage and the historical exclusion experienced by black, Asian, minority ethnic and refugee (BAMER) women when accessing museums and archives. We argue that to be transformative, adult education processes must be sensitive to barriers in participation and encourage shared learning opportunities and change within institutions. Digital technology is an important feature, if configured carefully, enabling alternative models of women’s expertise to be documented and shared.

Cultural integration through shared learning among resettled Bhutanese women

ABSTRACTThe multidimensional needs of recently resettled refugees have been well documented and range from elevated rates of mental illness and health care challenges to difficulties accessing resources due to language and literacy barriers. These factors are largely responsible for the challenges resettled refugees face in acquiring and maintaining stable employment. It is possible that achieving financial stability through steady employment and purposeful money management may alleviate some stressors associated with the resettlement process, though research in this area that is specific to refugees is in its infancy. What is clear, however, is that a traditional approach to mental health treatment (i.e., therapy in a traditional office setting) may lack effectiveness because of the lack of attention to extraneous stressors such as poverty, transportation, and language and literacy challenges that impact resettled refugees. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively assess the impact of a group-based financial education course and social enterprise on the self-reported mental health (i.e., post-traumatic stress symptoms, depression, anxiety, and somatization) of Bhutanese refugee women resettled in the United States. The study also sought to evaluate the acceptability and overall satisfaction with various components of the intervention. This qualitative study was a follow-up to a larger quantitative study that included 65 Bhutanese women who were resettled to the southwestern United States by a large resettlement agency. The results of this study offer insights into the lived experiences of Bhutanese refugees in the United States, particularly related to cultural integration bolstered by group-based education and shared learning opportunities.

Understanding clinical reasoning in osteopathy: a qualitative research approach.

BackgroundClinical reasoning has been described as a process that draws heavily on the knowledge, skills and attributes that are particular to each health profession. However, the clinical reasoning processes of practitioners of different disciplines demonstrate many similarities, including hypothesis generation and reflective practice. The aim of this study was to understand clinical reasoning in osteopathy from the perspective of osteopathic clinical educators and the extent to which it was similar or different from clinical reasoning in other health professions.MethodsThis study was informed by constructivist grounded theory. Participants were clinical educators in osteopathic teaching institutions in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. Focus groups and written critical reflections provided a rich data set. Data were analysed using constant comparison to develop inductive categories.ResultsAccording to participants, clinical reasoning in osteopathy is different from clinical reasoning in other health professions. Osteopaths use a two-phase approach: an initial biomedical screen for serious pathology, followed by use of osteopathic reasoning models that are based on the relationship between structure and function in the human body. Clinical reasoning in osteopathy was also described as occurring in a number of contexts (e.g. patient, practitioner and community) and drawing on a range of metaskills (e.g. hypothesis generation and reflexivity) that have been described in other health professions.ConclusionsThe use of diagnostic reasoning models that are based on the relationship between structure and function in the human body differentiated clinical reasoning in osteopathy. These models were not used to name a medical condition but rather to guide the selection of treatment approaches. If confirmed by further research that clinical reasoning in osteopathy is distinct from clinical reasoning in other health professions, then osteopaths may have a unique perspective to bring to multidisciplinary decision-making and potentially enhance the quality of patient care.Where commonalities exist in the clinical reasoning processes of osteopathy and other health professions, shared learning opportunities may be available, including the exchange of scaffolded clinical reasoning exercises and assessment practices among health disciplines.

The effectiveness of a shared conference experience in improving undergraduate medical and nursing students' attitudes towards inter-professional education in an Asian country: a before and after study.

BackgroundIn recent years, increasing emphasis has been placed on the importance of collaboration within multi-disciplinary healthcare teams, so as to facilitate holistic patient care and thus allow improved treatment outcomes. There is hence an urgent need to educate healthcare undergraduates early in their professional careers on the importance of and complexities involved in cooperating with counterparts from other allied healthcare professions. In conjunction with this, a milestone student-led conference for undergraduate students, the 9th Student Medical-Nursing Education Conference (SMEC), was organised in 2013 to provide a unique opportunity for shared learning among the entire cohort of undergraduate medical and nursing students in Singapore matriculating in that year.MethodsThis study evaluated the effectiveness of the 9th SMEC 2013 as a shared conference experience in improving the attitudes of undergraduate medical and nursing students in Singapore towards inter-professional education (IPE). A 19-point Readiness for Inter-Professional Learning Scale (RIPLS) questionnaire comprising three subscales was administered to participants both before and after the conference. 352 responses were collected, giving a response rate of 75.1 %. Results were analysed using paired-samples t-tests with statistical significance set at p = 0.05.ResultsImprovements in overall scores for both medical and nursing students were reported for all three RIPLS subscales. Examining the RIPLS items individually, significant improvement in scores for both medical and nursing students was obtained in all 19 items. Prior exposure to IPE activities was not a predictor of improvement in IPE attitudes.ConclusionThe authors propose that student-led jointly-organised conference experiences are effective in improving healthcare students’ attitudes towards IPE. This study provides valuable insights to facilitate the development of further IPE programs to allow for the rapid and effective promotion of cooperation and collaboration between students across various healthcare disciplines.