A comparative study of interprofessional education in global health care: A systematic review

Impact of interprofessional education on empathy of pre-licensure healthcare students: A mixed-studies systematic review

BACKGROUND

In the age of automation and technology, incorporating empathy in pre-licensure healthcare education is essential in providing empathic care to patients and co-workers. This can be achieved through interprofessional education (IPE).

OBJECTIVE

To consolidate evidence to evaluate interprofessional education's impact on pre-licensure healthcare students' empathy levels.

DESIGN

A mixed-studies systematic review following a convergent segregated approach.

METHODS

Ten electronic databases were searched from their inception until 30 November 2023. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method studies that explored the impact of IPE on the change in empathy level in pre-licensure healthcare students were reviewed. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the Mixed-Method Appraisal Tool. Findings from the qualitative and quantitative aspects were analysed and synthesized separately using thematic and narrative synthesis. The findings were integrated by convergent synthesis.

RESULTS

A total of 36 studies involving 3887 participants were included in this review, consisting of five quantitative, 14 qualitative and 17 mixed-methods studies. This review found that IPE enhanced the empathy level of students by improving their understanding of empathy and various empathic responses. Through IPE activities, students demonstrated empathy towards both patients and interprofessional peers. Three themes were generated through the synthesis of qualitative and quantitative results: (1) Empathy Awareness, (2) Internal Empathic Processes, and (3) Intentional Actions. The results showed that healthcare students exhibited empathic care behaviours towards patients and their interprofessional peers.

CONCLUSION

The findings of this review suggested that IPE was effective in improving awareness and knowledge of empathy and in providing empathy care to patients and interprofessional peers. This review encourages educators to implement IPE to pre-licensure healthcare students to increase their knowledge of the importance of providing empathic patient care and interprofessional empathy. Future research could explore more on the processes of interprofessional empathy in students.

Interprofessional education in cancer care - a scoping review

BACKGROUND

Comprehensive cancer care requires effective collaboration by interprofessional healthcare teams. The need to develop educational initiatives to improve interprofessional collaboration is increasingly recognised. However, there is no agreement regarding the interprofessional competencies required for effective cancer care leading to much variation on the focus of research, planning and managing change. A scoping review was conducted to identify the current status of IPE in cancer care and to summarise the results of previous research in order to guide the development of interprofessional education in cancer care.

METHODS

The JBI Scoping Review guidelines were used to guide the process of the review. A search of the available literature was conducted in CINAHL, MEDLINE (Ovid), PubMed, PsycInfo, Scopus databases from January 2012 to March 2023 to investigate IPE for health professional clinicians working in cancer care.

RESULTS

Of the 825 initial references and 153 studies imported for screening, a total of 28 studies were included in the final review. From those studies, seven focused on the need for IPE and interprofessional competence for oncology healthcare professionals, four reviewed existing IPE programs and 17 described the development and evaluation of interprofessional education. Findings show variation and lack of concept definitions underpinning research in IPE in cancer care settings. Variation also exists in the range of research activities in IPE, most notably related to communication, teamwork and the development of interprofessional practice. The evaluation of impact of IPE is mainly focused on health care professionals' self-evaluation and general feedback. Impact on patient care was only evaluated in one study.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the results, interprofessional education research in the field of cancer care is limited in Europe. Thus, there is a significant increase in publications in the last five years. A more systematic focus on the theoretical framework and definition of concepts would be of value. Research and programme development should be based on a shared understanding on what constitutes the interprofessional competences and IPE. Programmes to develop interprofessional practice should be developed and implemented systematically with inclusion of validated assessment methods, and evaluated and improved regularly.

Evaluation of an On-Site Disaster Medical Management Course in Nepal

The great 2015 Nepal earthquake of magnitude 7.6 killed about 9000 people. To better ensure a more coordinated disaster response, a Basic On-Site Disaster Medical Support (BOS-DMS) course was designed in 2017. This study evaluates the effectiveness of the BOS-DM course. The course was conducted twice and attended by 135 participants, of whom 113 (83.7%) answered pre-test and post-test based multiple-choice questions. Qualitative and quantitative feedback was provided by 94 participants (69.6%). Mean test scores for the participants increased from 4.24 ± 1.42 to 6.55 ± 2.16 (p-value < 0.0001; paired t-test). More than 92.0% of participants felt that the course prepared healthcare workers to manage acute medical situations at a disaster site. Subject knowledge scores increased from 34.8% to 90.2%. A three-day BOS_DMS course has the potential to improve on-site disaster management knowledge. Our study noted that precise scheduling, making attendance compulsory, translating course materials into the local language, inclusion of disaster exercises and training local master trainers can enhance course effectiveness.

Interprofessional learning in practice-based settings: AMEE Guide No. 169

The provision of optimum health care services requires collaboration of health care professionals in integrated interprofessional (IP) teams. This guide addresses the practical aspects of establishing and delivering pre-licensure IP programs to prepare graduates of health professional programs to work in teams and wider collaboration, and consequently enhance the quality of health care. The main updated IP frameworks are presented to highlight commonalities that represent the essential competencies and outcomes of programs implementing interprofessional education (IPE). We discuss how these may be adapted to the local context, and present examples of models of implementation to guide the initial steps of establishing similar programs. Examples of pre-licensure IP practice-based learning, such as community-based, simulation-based, student-run and led clinics, and interprofessional training wards, and post-licensure interprofessional learning (IPL), are described. We consider assessment of IPL along the continuum of learning IP. This guide also emphasises the need to tailor faculty development programs for local contexts and consider factors affecting sustainability such as funding and accreditation. We finish with the governance of IP programs and how global IP networks may support interprofessional practice-based learning from development to delivery.

Interprofessional education in undergraduate dental curricula: A systematic review

INTRODUCTION

Health professionals who effectively communicate and coordinate their work increase patient safety and quality of care. Therefore, an interprofessional education (IPE) program may be a valuable addition to the curriculum of health science courses. This study aims to verify how IPE has been implemented in undergraduate dental program curricula.

METHODS

This is a qualitative systematic review performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines with qualitative and qualitative-quantitative studies selected in the period between 2011 and 2021. The guiding question was as follows: how has IPE been implemented in undergraduate dentistry curricula around the world? The quality of the included articles was assessed using the CASP Qualitative Checklist (2018).

RESULTS

After the review, 22 studies were selected and data were extracted following the acronym PICo (Population, phenomenon of Interest, and COntext). The majority of studies in which IPE is included in Dentistry come from North American universities. Regarding the IPE teaching methodology, the use of active methodologies was observed and the interprofessional skills most common were role clarity, teamwork, and communication.

CONCLUSION

This systematic review indicated that Dentistry is included in interprofessional activities in many studies around the world, and primarily with colleagues in medicine, nursing, and pharmacy programs. IPE teaching takes place through the use of active methodologies and develops important skills for interprofessional work.

EPIS-RI: Indonesian translation, cultural adaptation and construct validation of an interprofessional identity measure

Interprofessional Education (IPE) as a preparatory stage for Interprofessional collaboration (IPC) is overlooked in some low-and middle-income countries, including Indonesia. One of the driving forces behind IPC is the development of Interprofessional Identity (IPI), which has yet to be assessed in the Indonesian context. Our study aims were translating and culturally adapting the Extended Professional Identity Scale (EPIS) and confirming its construct validity. We invited third-year students from three programs (medicine, nursing, and dietetics) without previous IPE experience to participate in the study. Using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), we examined the construct validity, analyzed internal consistency, and conducted a Kruskal-Wallis test to identify variations across professions. Of 513 students approached, 335 participated (response rate 65.3%). The CFA showed factor loadings ranging between .59 and .86, while correlations among subscales varied from .55 to .86. All five goodness-of-fit indices were sufficient. The internal consistency of subscales interprofessional belonging, commitment, and beliefs was .82, .84 and .87, respectively, and .90 for the overall scale. Interprofessional belonging and commitment were different among various students (p-value = .009 and .004) and the dietetics students had lower scores than other students. The Indonesian EPIS (EPIS-RI) demonstrated reliability and construct validity.

The status of interprofessional education (IPE) at regional and global levels - update from 2022 global IPE situational analysis

This short report is based on the 2022 Global IPE Situational Analysis Results e-Book that is available at https://interprofessionalresearch.global/. As an up-to-date global environmental scan of interprofessional education (IPE), this cross-sectional study investigated institutional, administrative, and system-level processes that support IPE program development and implementation globally. Conducted by InterprofessionalResearch.Global (IPR.Global), the survey included 17 quantitative questions that were analyzed at global and regional levels. Three open-text questions were thematically analyzed. In total, 152 institutions from six regions worldwide contributed to this study. Results revealed that only 51.97% of all responding institutions have an established IPE program, with Canada and the USA having the highest (84%) and Africa (26%) having the lowest numbers. Globally, 37.33% of respondents reported no formal leadership positions and 41.33% reported the absence of a designated IPE Director or Coordinator. In addition, IPE funding varies considerably across the world, with 32.65% of institutions reporting no financial support. Over 48.22% of respondents indicated their institutions are rarely or not involved in IPE-related scholarly work or research. The open-text analysis revealed that supportive senior leadership, a culture of collaboration, and recognition of IPE as a strategic direction and/or priority at the institutional level, could foster the successful implementation of IPE. On the other hand, inadequate administrative support, lack of funding, poor attitudes regarding IPE, and limited dedicated time for research, seemed to impair successful implementation of scholarly activities in the field.

Insights of undergraduate health sciences students about a French interprofessional training initiative

BACKGROUND

Incorporating interprofessional collaboration within healthcare is critical to delivery of patient-centered care. Interprofessional Education (IPE) programs are key to promoting such collaboration. The 'Public Health Service' (PHS) in France is a mandatory IPE initiative that embodies this collaborative spirit, bringing together students from varied health undergraduate training programs-nursing, physiotherapy, pharmacy, midwifery, and medicine- in a common training program focused on primary prevention. The aim of the study was to assess the experience and attitudes of students in the five health training programs regarding the interest of IPEs in the PHS.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was administered to 823 students from the 2022-2023 cohort at a French university. The questionnaire was designed with 12 Likert-scale questions specifically created to evaluate the students' experiences, knowledge, and attitudes focused on IPE during the practical seminars, school interventions, and the overall PHS. Additionally, an open-ended question was utilized to gather qualitative data. Statistical analyses assessed satisfaction levels across undergraduate training programs, while thematic analysis was applied to the qualitative responses.

RESULTS

Within the surveyed cohort, 344 students responded to the survey. The findings showed that students were satisfied with the interprofessional collaboration, both in practical teaching sessions (75% satisfaction) and in primary prevention projects conducted in schools (70% satisfaction), despite their having faced challenges with coordination. Pharmacy students, in particular, highlighted the need for adjustments in program scheduling. The qualitative feedback underscored the positive value of IPE, notwithstanding the organizational difficulties stemming from different academic timetables.

CONCLUSION

The student feedback indicated a high level of satisfaction with the interprofessional work carried out in both the practical teaching and the primary prevention projects. To further enhance the educational impact and address the scheduling complexities, it is recommended that program refinements be made based on student feedback and pedagogical best practices.

Behavioural outcomes of interprofessional education within clinical settings for health professional students: A systematic literature review

Interprofessional education facilitates collaborative practice, which promotes high-quality patient care and patient safety. Interprofessional education (IPE) experiences within clinical settings provide an opportunity for the development of interprofessional collaborative practice competence. The aim of this systematic review was to review the literature evaluating interprofessional education for health professional students within clinical settings and summarize the behavioral outcomes. Databases searched were PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, Taylor & Francis Online, ERIC and PsycINFO. Full-text articles were independently screened by two reviewers and included if agreed. Outcomes were analyzed using Kirkpatrick's model modified for IPE. Studies with behavioral change outcomes were analyzed and synthesized using narrative methods. Included studies provided evidence that IPE experiences in clinical settings can enable students to develop and integrate interprofessional collaborative practice competencies, across diverse types of settings. Key tasks enabling students to achieve these learning outcomes included synchronous patient consultations, collaborative development of integrative health-care plans outside of patient consultations, and participation in socialization with health-care teams. There were limitations in the methodological design of the included studies, with limited use of comparator groups and validated tools, high usage of self-report data and serious risk of bias identified across all quantitative included studies. In conclusion, high-quality research designed to measure the construct of behavioral change is lacking. Such research could further investigate the key tasks in IPE experiences in clinical settings that are necessary for students to develop the range of required collaborative practice competencies and integrate these. This could provide clarification regarding if and how this could be achieved across different types of clinical placements.

Perceptions of interprofessional collaborative practice in South Africa: A systematic review

Background

Interprofessional education (IPE) and interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP) were developed to address the health needs of communities through collaborative practice across healthcare disciplines. The impact of IPE on IPCP and clinical service delivery in South Africa is not evident, possibly because of the lack of IPCP experiences among healthcare professionals.

Aim

International literature reports facilitators and barriers of IPCP implementation, but there was a need to filter the evidence to identify literature from the South African context regarding the perceptions of healthcare workers' perceived barriers and facilitators of IPCP.

Setting

South African literature.

Methods

A systematic review was conducted to synthesise evidence from articles published between January 2017 and December 2021. Only qualitative studies targeting health professionals in South Africa who had been exposed to IPCP were included. Consistent with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis, a multi-database search yielded 424 articles, which were screened for relevance and appraised for quality using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) tool. A thematic synthesis of the findings was conducted by applying ethical principles.

Results

Synthesis of barriers and enablers for IPCP implementation in the South African context included key aspects of healthcare systems, management and team leadership.

Conclusion

The integration of IPCP into clinical practice in South Africa is still limited as healthcare professionals operate in silos.

Contribution

Recommendations of this study include greater integration of services combined with competent management and visionary leadership, together with the incorporation of IPE into undergraduate professional training programmes.

A study of the impact of an interprofessional education module in Vietnam on students' readiness and competencies

INTRODUCTION

The literature puts forward a range of challenges of interprofessional education (IPE) related to its planning, initiation, implementation, and especially to IPE assessment. The present study aims to map changes in students' readiness and interprofessional collaboration competence (IPCC) in implementing an innovative IPE module. Potential differences in impact related to the health education programs and IPCC scores resulting from self-, peer-, and tutor assessments will also be analysed.

METHODS

A pre-post design was adopted. The student's readiness for interprofessional learning was assessed using the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale, and the student's IPCC score was calculated based on self-, peer-, and tutor assessments with the interprofessional collaborator assessment rubric.

RESULTS

Students' mean post-test readiness scores and mean post-test IPCC scores were significantly higher than the total and subscales/domain pre-test scores (p<0.01). No significant within-subject differences were observed in students' readiness total or subscale scores when comparing health educational programs. However, significant differences were observed in students' mean total IPCC scores between programs (p<0.01). Significant differences in students' average IPCC scores were found when comparing self-, peer- and tutor assessment scores in six domains (p<0.01). Also, significant correlations between peer and tutor assessment scores were observed (p<0.01).

CONCLUSION

The IPE module, designed and implemented to focus on patient-centred practice within a primary care context, positively impacted students' readiness and IPCC development. These results offer insights to expand the implementation of the IPE module to all health educational programs.

Exploring experiential learning within interprofessional practice education initiatives for pre-licensure healthcare students: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

Interprofessional collaborative team-based approaches to care in health service delivery has been identified as important to health care reform around the world. Many academic institutions have integrated interprofessional education (IPE) into curricula for pre-licensure students in healthcare disciplines, but few provide formal initiatives for interprofessional practice (IPP). It is recognized that experiential learning (EL) can play a significant role supporting IPP education initiatives; however, little is known of how EL is used within education for IPP in healthcare settings.

METHODS

We conducted a scoping review to map peer-reviewed literature describing IPP education initiatives involving EL for pre-licensure students in healthcare disciplines. A literature search was executed in MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, ERIC, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Social Services Abstracts. After deduplication, two independent reviewers screened titles and abstracts of 5664 records and then 252 full-text articles that yielded 100 articles for data extraction. Data was extracted using an Excel template, and results synthesized for presentation in narrative and tabular formats.

RESULTS

The 100 included articles represented 12 countries and IPP education initiatives were described in three main typologies of literature - primary research, program descriptions, and program evaluations. Forty-three articles used a theory, framework, or model for design of their initiatives with only eight specific to EL. A variety of teaching and learning strategies were employed, such as small interprofessional groups of students, team huddles, direct provision of care, and reflective activities, but few initiatives utilized a full EL cycle. A range of perspectives and outcomes were evaluated such as student learning outcomes, including competencies associated with IPP, impacts and perceptions of the IPP initiatives, and others such as client satisfaction.

CONCLUSION

Few educational frameworks specific to EL have been used to inform EL teaching and learning strategies to consolidate IPE learning and prepare students for IPP in healthcare settings. Further development and evaluation of existing EL frameworks and models would be beneficial in supporting robust IPP educational initiatives for students in healthcare disciplines. Intentional, thoughtful, and comprehensive use of EL informed by theory can contribute important advances in IPP educational approaches and the preparation of a future health care workforce.

Perceptions of readiness for interprofessional learning among Ethiopian medical residents at Addis Ababa University: a mixed methods study

BACKGROUND

Interprofessional learning is an important approach to preparing residents for collaborative practice. Limited knowledge and readiness of residents for interprofessional learning is considered one of the barriers and challenges for applying Interprofessional learning. We aimed to assess the perceptions of readiness of medical residents for interprofessional learning in Ethiopia.

METHODS

We conducted a parallel mixed-methods study design to assess the perceptions of readiness for interprofessional learning among internal medicine and neurology residents of Tikur Anbessa Specialized Teaching Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from May 1 to June 30, 2021. One hundred one residents were included in the quantitative arm of the study, using the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) tool. All internal medicine and neurology residents who consented and were available during the study period were included. SPSS/PC version 25 software packages for statistical analysis (SPSS) was used for statistical analysis. Descriptive statistics were summarized as mean and standard deviation for continuous data as well as frequencies and percentages to describe categorical variables. Data were presented in tables. In addition, qualitative interviews were undertaken with six residents to further explore residents' knowledge and readiness for IPL. Data were analyzed using a six-step thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Of the 101 residents surveyed, the majority of the study participants were male (74.3%). The total mean score of RIPLS was 96.7 ± 8.9. The teamwork and collaboration plus patient-centeredness sub-category of RIPLS got a higher score (total mean score: 59.3 ± 6.6 and 23.5 ± 2.5 respectively), whereas the professional identity sub-category got the lowest score (total mean score: 13.8 ± 4.7). Medical residents' perceptions of readiness for interprofessional learning did not appear to be significantly influenced by their gender, age, year of professional experience before the postgraduate study, and department. Additionally, the qualitative interviews also revealed that interprofessional learning is generally understood as a relevant platform of learning by neurology and internal medicine residents.

CONCLUSIONS

We found high scores on RIPLS for internal medicine and neurology postgraduate residents, and interprofessional learning is generally accepted as an appropriate platform for learning by the participants, which both suggest readiness for interprofessional learning. This may facilitate the implementation of interprofessional learning in the postgraduate medical curriculum in our setting. We recommend medical education developers in Ethiopia consider incorporating interprofessional learning models into future curriculum design.

Which factors influenced the adoption of interprofessionality in health based on the reports of the PET-Health Interprofessionality projects in Brazil? A document analysis

The Program of Education through Work - Health (PET-Health) Interprofessionality is one of the strategic actions of the "Plan for the Strengthening of Interprofessionality" in healthcare in Brazil. Based on the experience of the program, this paperexamines the aspects that impact the adoption and strengthening of interprofessional education and collaborative practices, and issues recommendations for the strengthening of interprofessionality as a guiding principle of training and working in healthcare. This is a document analysis of partial reports from the six- and 12-months of execution of 120 PET-Health Interprofessionality projects in Brazil. The data were analyzed based on content analysis and the categories elaborated a priori. The aspects that impact the adoption and strengthening of interprofessionality in training and working in healthcare, and future recommendations, were organized in the relational, processual, organizational, and contextual dimensions, according to the framework by Reeves et al. The PET-Health Interprofessionality expanded the understanding of elements of interprofessional education and practice and showed that the discussion must take on a more political, critical, and reflexive character. The analysis points to the need for continuity of teaching-learning activities as a strategy to foster interprofessional capacity in healthcare services and consequent strengthening of the Unified Healthcare System in Brazil.

Interprofessional Learning in Multidisciplinary Healthcare Teams Is Associated With Reduced Patient Mortality: A Quantitative Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study is to identify quantitative evidence for the efficacy of interprofessional learning (IPL) to improve patient outcomes.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of quantitative patient outcomes after IPL in multidisciplinary healthcare teams reported in the Medline, Scopus, PsycInfo, Embase, and CINAHL databases.

RESULTS

In 2022, we screened 15,248 reports to include 20 and extracted rates of mortality and primary outcomes in conventional care groups and intervention groups (involving initiatives to promote IPL in multidisciplinary teams). The meta-analysis of the 13 studies reporting mortality outcomes demonstrated that the 7166 patients in the intervention group had a significant 28% (95% confidence interval [CI], 40%-14%; P < 0.0003) reduced risk of dying compared with the 6809 patients in the conventional care group. The meta-analysis of the 14 studies reporting other treatment-related adverse outcomes demonstrated that the 4789 patients in the intervention group had a significant 23% (95% CI, 33%-12%; P < 0.0001) reduced risk of experiencing an adverse outcome during care compared with the 4129 patients in the conventional care group. Sensitivity analysis, involving the exclusion of the 20% of individual studies with the widest 95% CIs, confirmed the precision and reliability of our findings.

CONCLUSIONS

We believe that our results are the first to demonstrate significant quantitative evidence for the efficacy of IPL to translate into changes in clinical practice and improved patient outcomes. Our results reinforce earlier qualitative work of the value of IPL, but further prospective quantitative and mixed-methods research is needed to better define such benefits.

Characterization of interprofessional education experiences in health education at the University of São Paulo

OBJECTIVE

To map the experiences of Interprofessional Education (IPE) in Health at the São Paulo campus of the University of São Paulo.

METHOD

This is a descriptive, exploratory study with a quantitative approach and data collection through an online questionnaire addressed to teachers from eight teaching units and 14 health courses. The data was analyzed using absolute and percentage frequencies.

RESULTS

The majority of teachers do not take part in IPE experiences (70.4%). Most of the experiences are between six and ten years old, involving up to four teachers and small groups of students, mostly extracurricular or extension activities. The teaching and assessment strategies are diverse and open to students of all years.

CONCLUSION

IPE experiences involve a small number of students and teachers and, although consolidated in terms of the time they have been offered, are limited to extracurricular spaces. Factors such as improvements in institutional support and teacher development are pointed out as important for making progress in strengthening IPE in the analyzed context.

Evidence of successful interprofessional education programs-models, barriers, facilitators and success: a systematic review of European studies

PURPOSE

Interprofessional education (IPE) has been highly promoted as a means of enhancing interprofessional practice and thereby having a positive impact on healthcare systems and patient outcomes. Various documents mention that sufficient evidence has been accumulated to demonstrate the effectiveness of IPE, yet it is not completely clear what type of evidence is being alluded to. The objective of this review was to gather evidence about IPE programs that resulted in effective long-term outcomes in healthcare. Secondary outcomes included identification of the types of models that met the success criteria, barriers and facilitators of such successful programs if any.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH

A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL and Scopus. The review considered studies that targeted undergraduate and postgraduate students among more than one health profession and included those in the English language published between 2010 and end of 2020.

FINDINGS

Five studies have been identified and described in this review. These papers evaluated different IPE programs and models.

RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS

1. This systematic review investigated the evidence of the existence of IPE programs and the findings show there is no robust specific evidence of long-term impact on healthcare and on patients' outcomes. 2. The conclusion from this review is that it is still unclear what format constitutes a successful and efficient program. 3. Appropriate longitudinal studies need to be designed to identify the impact of IPE on long-term health outcomes.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE

Overall, the studies show that although there is an emphasis on practice-based learning, there is no robust specific evidence of long-term impact on healthcare and on patients' outcomes. Appropriate longitudinal studies need to be designed to identify the impact of IPE on long-term health outcomes.

Comparison of students' readiness from six health education programs for interprofessional learning in Vietnam: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Interprofessional education (IPE) is expected to help prepare undergraduate health profession students to collaborate with other healthcare professionals in realising quality of care. Studies stress the necessity of students' readiness for interprofessional learning (IPL) in view of designing IPE programs. The present study aims to determine students' IPL-readiness and looks at related differences in students enrolled in different programs and at different phases in their educational program.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey study was set up among 1139 students from six health programs at HueUMP, using the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS). Statistical analysis was performed using Kruskal-Wallis H and Mann-Whitney U tests.

RESULTS

The overall mean RIPLS score was 68.89. RIPLS scores significantly differed between programs and between phases in the educational programs. Medical students presented a lower readiness level for IPL than students from other programs. In contrast to a significant increase in RIPLS scores of students in the clinical phase in Vietnamese traditional medicine, medicine, and pharmacy, a decrease in RIPLS scores was observed in students in the clinical phase in odonto-stomatology.

CONCLUSIONS

The differences could be related to differences in educational programs and the study phases in a particular program. These results offer insights to direct the design and implementation of IPE in health education curricula and especially underscore the need to provide IPE throughout the curriculum.

What Do Medical Students Learn about Community Care from Discussions with General Physicians? A Thematic Analysis

Background and Objectives: Sustainable healthcare is fundamentally rooted in community medicine education. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted global advancement in integrating traditional teaching and experiential learning. Additionally, an alarming decline in interest in community care has been observed among senior medical students. Here, we examined the perspectives on community care obtained from conversations with general physicians in rural medical universities. Materials and Methods: Using a constructivist lens, a qualitative methodology was employed to examine the perceptions of second-year medical students from Shimane University Medical School regarding community care, informed by dialogues with general physicians. We conducted a thematic analysis at Shimane University, Japan, an area known for its aging population. In 2023, 116 second-year students participated, none of whom had prior formal training in community care. The study was structured into three phases: (1) Pre-education: Students wrote essays about their initial understanding of community care, its advantages, disadvantages, and potential improvements; (2) Dialogue: Grouped by topic, students engaged in discussions that culminated in a comprehensive session with general physicians; and (3) Reflection: After discussions, students wrote essays reflecting any shift in their views on community care. A thematic analysis of essays from the pre-education and reflection phases provided a comparative perspective on the students' understanding. Results: Five dominant themes emerged from the thematic analysis: (1) Re-evaluating community care: Recognizing diversity and addressing societal challenges; (2) Interdisciplinary collaboration: Promoting shared roles and teamwork; (3) Learning and practice: Emphasizing hands-on experience and self-reflection; (4) Technological influence: The mutual relationship between community care and technological advancements; and (5) Challenges and resolutions: Identifying problems and crafting solutions. Conclusions: This study sheds light on the evolution of medical students' views on community care and underscores the importance of continuous adaptation in medical education programs.

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

Background

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.

Objective

To explore how mixed-discipline professionals describe expectations and experiences related to collaborating with pharmacy students who join their team for training.

Methods

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.

Results

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.

Conclusions

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.

Nursing students' interprofessional socialisation and readiness for interprofessional learning: A cross-sectional research study

BACKGROUND

Interprofessional education programs in university settings have facilitated the development of student attributes needed to become a team-player, understand roles and responsibilities of other health disciplines, and acquire knowledge to deliver patient-centred care. Although the benefits of interprofessional education are widely acknowledged, there is limited research on interprofessional socialisation within university contexts.

OBJECTIVES

To examine readiness of undergraduate nursing students for interprofessional learning and interprofessional socialisation.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional design was used to examine the correlation between interprofessional learning and socialisation, and group differences between mode of study, year level, and prior healthcare experience.

SETTING

A large Australian regional university, across two campuses.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 103 undergraduate nursing students across year levels, including 58 enrolled on-campus, and 45 studying externally.

METHOD

Students completed an online survey using the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale and the Interprofessional Socialisation and Valuing Scale. Data analyses included independent t-tests, and a one-way between subjects ANOVA.

RESULTS

No significant differences in student readiness for interprofessional learning or interprofessional socialisation were found between on-campus and external modes of study and between healthcare experience and no prior healthcare experience. Participants with previous healthcare experience had significantly higher scores for interprofessional socialisation than those with no previous healthcare experience.

CONCLUSIONS

Readiness for interprofessional learning and interprofessional socialisation and were not impacted by the students' mode of study; however, previous experience in the healthcare industry and duration of study significantly improved interprofessional socialisation skills. As nursing students advance through their study, they may experience interprofessional education opportunities that influence their perceived socialisation skills.

Student-led interprofessional global health course: learning impacts during a global crisis

BACKGROUND

This study assesses the impact of the Interprofessional Global Health Course (IPGHC) on students' fundamental global health knowledge and personal viewpoints on global health domains. It explores the evolution of students' understanding of global health specifically in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

Ninety-nine students were selected from 123 McGill student applicants based on their motivation and commitment to take part in IPGHC's ten-week 2020 curriculum. These IPGHC students were eligible to participate in the study. The study's design is sequential explanatory mixed methods. The cross-sectional survey (quantitative phase) appraises students' global health learning outcomes using pre- and post-course surveys, with the use of 5-point Likert-scale questions. The descriptive qualitative survey (qualitative phase) further explores the impact of IPGHC on student's understanding of global health and the reflections of students on the COVID-19 pandemic after IPGHC. The post-course survey included a course evaluation for quality improvement purposes.

RESULTS

Of the 99 students, 81 students across multiple undergraduate and graduate disciplines participated in the study by completing the course surveys. Mean knowledge scores of the following 11 global health topics were increased between pre- and post-course survey: Canadian Indigenous health (P < 0.001), global burden of disease (P < 0.001), global surgery (P < 0.001), infectious diseases and neglected tropical diseases (P < 0.001), refugee and immigrant health (P < 0.001), research and development of drugs (P < 0.001), role of politics and policies in global health (P = 0.02), role of technology in global health (P < 0.001), sexual violence (P < 0.001), systemic racism in healthcare (P = 0.03), and trauma in the global health context (P < 0.001). A positive change in student viewpoints was observed in response to questions regarding their perception of the importance of global health education in their own professional health care programs (P < 0.001), and their understanding of the roles and responsibilities of other healthcare professionals (P < 0.001). In the post-course survey open-ended questions, students exemplified their knowledge gained during the course to create a more informed definition of global health. Several recurring themes were identified in the student reflections on the COVID-19 pandemic, notably policy and politics, followed by access to healthcare and resources.

CONCLUSION

This study emphasizes the need for interprofessional global health education at the university level and demonstrates how rapidly global health learners can apply their knowledge to evolving contexts like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cues Disseminated by Professional Associations That Represent 5 Health Care Professions Across 5 Nations: Lexical Analysis of Tweets

BACKGROUND

Collaboration across health care professions is critical in efficiently and effectively managing complex and chronic health conditions, yet interprofessional care does not happen automatically. Professional associations have a key role in setting a profession's agenda, maintaining professional identity, and establishing priorities. The associations' external communication is commonly undertaken through social media platforms, such as Twitter. Despite the valuable insights potentially available into professional associations through such communication, to date, their messaging has not been examined.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to identify the cues disseminated by professional associations that represent 5 health care professions spanning 5 nations.

METHODS

Using a back-iterative application programming interface methodology, public tweets were sourced from professional associations that represent 5 health care professions that have key roles in community-based health care: general practice, nursing, pharmacy, physiotherapy, and social work. Furthermore, the professional associations spanned Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. A lexical analysis was conducted of the tweets using Leximancer (Leximancer Pty Ltd) to clarify relationships within the discourse.

RESULTS

After completing a lexical analysis of 50,638 tweets, 7 key findings were identified. First, the discourse was largely devoid of references to interprofessional care. Second, there was no explicit discourse pertaining to physiotherapists. Third, although all the professions represented in this study support patients, discourse pertaining to general practitioners was most likely to be connected with that pertaining to patients. Fourth, tweets pertaining to pharmacists were most likely to be connected with discourse pertaining to latest and research. Fifth, tweets about social workers were unlikely to be connected with discourse pertaining to health or care. Sixth, notwithstanding a few exceptions, the findings across the different nations were generally similar, suggesting their generality. Seventh and last, tweets pertaining to physiotherapists were most likely to refer to discourse pertaining to profession.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings indicate that health care professional associations do not use Twitter to disseminate cues that reinforce the importance of interprofessional care. Instead, they largely use this platform to emphasize what they individually deem to be important and advance the interests of their respective professions. Therefore, there is considerable opportunity for professional associations to assert how the profession they represent complements other health care professions and how the professionals they represent can enact interprofessional care for the benefit of patients and carers.

Implementation and impact of an interprofessional education curriculum on medical, pharmacy, and social work students' attitudes, perceptions, and self-assessed teamwork skills

Health professionals are actively contributing to interprofessional collaboration, yet implementation and assessment of interprofessional education (IPE) within Family Medicine is not well documented. From October 2014 to December 2018, social work, pharmacy, and medical students worked as an IP team involving inpatient, outpatient, and home visit experiences. Students completed two validated surveys pre- and post- their interprofessional education rotation: the Interdisciplinary Education Perception Scale (IEPS) and the Teams Skills Scale (TSS). Paired t-test analyses were conducted on individual pre- and post-survey scores. Twenty-seven (77%) of the 35 participating students completed pre- and post-surveys. Significant differences were found in mean change in pre-IEPS mean scores (4.95) and post-IEPS mean scores (5.29), with a mean difference in matched pairs of 0.31 (p < .001, p = 27). A significant difference was found in student pre-TSS mean scores (3.52) and post-TSS mean scores (4.31), with a mean difference in matched pairs of 0.79 (p < .0001, p = 27). Our findings demonstrate that the IPE curriculum had a positive impact on students' attitudes and self-assessed teamwork skills, with greater learning outcomes identified amongst pharmacy and social work students than medical students. Implementing IP curriculum into Family Medicine experiences is both feasible and worthy of further investigation.

Interprofessional education at a Brazilian public university: A document analysis

Background

Interprofessional Education is considered a necessary approach to develop skills for collaborative work in the training of professionals in order to improve the quality of health care. The curricula are the guiding documents for training and should explain how Interprofessional Education is adopted in undergraduate health courses.

Objective

To analyze curricula of undergraduate health courses, from the perspective of Interprofessional Education, in a Brazilian public university.

Design

Qualitative study of document analysis.

Settings

Undergraduate health courses at a Brazilian public university.

Methods

13 undergraduate health courses were analyzed. Data collection was conducted based on an adapted quality assessment script for Interprofessional Education. From the thematic content analysis, three analytical categories emerged.

Results

In the category "Curriculum organization and interprofessionality", the courses do not make free periods available in the curriculum, and each of the courses provide space for elective subjects at different times. In the category "Training guided by social reality and health needs" the courses propose training based on the health needs of patients from the Brazilian public health system. In the category "Learning for interprofessional action", the term "multiprofessional" characterizes learning for teamwork, with a discrete number of interprofessional disciplines.

Conclusions

The theoretical bases of IPE and organizational goals are necessary to establish training objectives, specific shared times, and mutual interests that are directed to interprofessionality. Interprofessional Education can be expanded from activities that already exist in the curricula of undergraduate courses.

Student pharmacist practice-based interprofessional education in Scotland: a qualitative study of stakeholders' views and experiences

Scottish Government funding supports practice-based experiential learning (EL) for student pharmacists. We explored views and experiences of key stakeholders on current practice and future development of interprofessional education (IPE) in EL including barriers and enablers. A pre-piloted schedule was used for online qualitative semi-structured interviews. eMail invitations were sent to 37 stakeholders with an information sheet and consent process. Interviews were analyzed thematically by two researchers independently. Recruitment continued until data saturation and wide representation were achieved. Twenty interviews were conducted with eight EL facilitators, seven faculty and five policy stakeholders. "Nature and experience of current IPE in EL activities" and "Future developments" were the two main themes. Barriers and enablers were also identified at macro, meso, and micro socio-institutional levels. The essence of the analysis highlighted stakeholders' views of the importance of building on current IPE while challenging the ethos and culture of EL practices. All stakeholders should be involved in co-production, training, piloting, and evaluation of curricular developments to overcome logistic barriers and enhanced enablers. Finally, the importance of workload management strategies and continuity of funding for success was also stressed by those interviewed. Future research could include designing frameworks for developing and implementing IPE within EL.

Characteristics of Successful International Pharmacy Partnerships

Recommendations for global pharmacy collaborations are predominately derived from US institutions. This study utilized semi-structured interviews of global collaborators to assess important partnership components. Interviewees stated personal connections and understanding of each other's programs/systems were key components. Additionally, collaborators indicate that mutual benefits between partners can exist without the requirement for bidirectional exchange of learning experiences, and request and value partners and learners who are culturally aware, global citizens. This structured interview approach provided key insight into how to develop mutually beneficial, sustainable partnerships and provides additional confirmation that the five pillars of global engagement align with an international audience.

Developing an interprofessional education programme for a health science faculty in South Africa: A multi-method study

Objective

Work-ready graduates need to be equipped with expertise and therefore, critical changes are required in the curricula for health professions. Here, we aimed to review the design of an interprofessional education programme (IPE) with regards to appropriateness and implementation for the Faculty of Health Sciences at North-West University, South Africa.

Methods

This study employed a sequential multi-method design to develop an IPE programme for a health science faculty in South Africa. A scoping review was conducted to synthesise the structure, development and implementation processes of IPE programmes globally. This was followed by an analysis of IPE programmes from institutions on five continents. Subsequently, the perspectives of international experts on the development and implementation of IPE programmes were explored in a qualitative study. This was followed by a university context analysis and the development of a draft IPE programme was designed based on the data synthesised from all preliminary studies. The programme was presented to faculty to evaluate and provide input by applying a nominal group technique.

Results

For the scoping review, ten steps to the IPE programme development process were developed. For the qualitative document analysis, a step-by-step guide and to-do list were provided to guide educators in conceptualising, developing, implementing and reviewing their IPE programmes. For the qualitative exploratory descriptive design, four themes were identified after the analysis of transcripts. An optional 3-year IPE programme was developed to serve as a precursor for full credit integration of the IPE into the faculty of health science curricula during future development of the health science curricula.

Conclusion

The optional 3-year IPE programme developed will serve as a precursor for the integration of a credit-bearing IPE programme into the Faculty of Health Sciences curricula during future development.

Responding to the need of postgraduate education for Planetary Health: Development of an online Master's Degree

Planetary Health has emerged as a new approach to respond to the existential risks that the clime and global environmental crises pose to human societies. As stated by various stakeholders, the challenges involved in Planetary Health are of such magnitude that education must be at the forefront to obtain a meaningful response. Universities and higher education institutions have been specifically called to embed the concept of planetary stewardship in all curricula and train the next generation of researchers and change makers as a matter of urgency. As a response to this call, the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), and the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) developed the first online and asynchronous Master in Science (MSc) in Planetary Health. The aim of the programme is to train a new generation of academics and professionals who understand the challenges of Planetary Health and have tools to tackle them. This article describes the development of the curriculum of this MSc, presents the main characteristics of the programme and discusses some of the challenges encountered in the development of the programme and its implementation. The design of this MSc was based on: the alignment of the programme with the principles for Planetary Health education with a focus on human health; a multi-, inter-, and trans-disciplinary approach; the urgency to respond to the Anthropocene challenges; and the commitment to the 2030 Agenda. The MSc was recognized as an official degree by the Agency for Quality of the Catalan University System, included in the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education, and the Spanish National Academic Coordination body in April 2021 and launched in October 2021. There are currently more than 50 students enrolled in the program coming from a broad range of disciplines and geographic locations. The information presented in this article and the discussion on challenges encountered in developing and implementing the programme can be useful for those working in the development of similar programs.

Short and medium-term effects of different teaching strategies for interprofessional education in health professional students: A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Interprofessional education (IPE) is recognized as important for teaching in healthcare. However, few studies comparing active versus traditional strategies for this teaching approach have been conducted.

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to compare the use of different educational strategies (i.e. active learning versus formal lectures) for teaching interprofessional geriatric competencies in health professional students from different healthcare courses.

DESIGN

Randomized controlled trial.

SETTINGS

Public university.

PARTICIPANTS

Health professional students (nursing, physiotherapy, medicine, nutrition and psychology courses).

METHODS

Different theoretical educational strategies (active learning in intervention group versus formal lectures in control group) were associated with case-based group discussions. The RIPLS (Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale), IEPS (Interdisciplinary Education Perception Scale) and TSS (Team Skills Scale) instruments were applied at 3 timepoints: on first day of class, on last day of class and at 6 months post-intervention.

RESULTS

Of 151 eligible students, 99 concluded all stages of the study and were subsequently included in the analysis. A significant increase in scores on the RIPLS, IEPS and TSS was measured on the last day of class and this performance gain persisted after 6 months for both strategies. However, no significant performance difference between the two strategies was found. Similarly, although student satisfaction was very good, no difference in ratings between the strategies was evident.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this project, besides developing and fostering important discussion on IPE, can add to the literature and aid researchers in IPE by furthering knowledge on how different teaching strategies can impact future health professionals.

Nurse-Physician Inter-Professional Collaboration and Associated Factors at Public Hospitals in Dessie City, Amhara, Northeastern Ethiopia, 2021

Introduction

Nurse–physician collaboration is an integral part of quality improvement in health care. Collaboration enables individuals to work together to achieve defined and common health purposes. There is limited evidence related to nurse–physician inter-professional collaboration and its associated factors in Ethiopia, particularly in Dessie city public hospitals.

Objective

To assess nurse–physician inter-professional collaboration and associated factors at public hospitals in Dessie city, Ethiopia, 2021.

Methods

An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted among nurses and physicians at public hospitals in Dessie city. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Stratified simple random sampling techniques were used to select study participants proportional to the sample size allocation. The final sample size was 260 and allocated proportionally to Dessie Comprehensive Specialized Hospital and Boru Meda General Hospital. The data were entered and analyzed using EPI-data version 4.6 and SPSS version 26 software respectively. During analysis, p-values less than 0.25 in binary logistic regression were entered into multivariable logistic regression. Finally, p-values less than 0.05 in multi-variable logistic regression were considered statically significant.

Results

The mean score for inter-professional collaboration was 97.40 ± 19.6SD. In this study, inter-professional collaboration among nurses and physicians was 44.2%. This study showed that favorable attitude [AOR=3.205; CI: 1.781–5.766], respondents working in the gynecological department [AOR=0.210; CI: 0.052–0.849], satisfied organizational support [AOR=2.062; CI: 1.140–3.729] and urban residents [AOR=3.996; CI: 1.069–14.931] were factors associated with nurse–physician inter-professional collaboration.

Conclusion

In this study, nurse–physician inter-professional collaboration was low. Training on the importance of health teamwork, timely monitoring and evaluation of organizational support, and professional empowerment towards a favorable attitude of nurse–physician inter-professional collaboration shall be provided at hospital levels. Routine assessment and timely intervention of the gynecological department for nurse–physician inter-professional collaboration shall be done at hospital levels. Moreover, both quantitative and qualitative research shall be performed for future research.

Teaching staff in interprofessional education: A proposed terminology

Different terms (e.g., interprofessional, multiprofessional, interdisciplinary) are used in interprofessional education and collaboration without sufficient differentiation or precision in regard to meaning. In recent years academic publications in English and German have contributed to clarifying this issue. However, there are no definitions internationally or in the German-speaking countries (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) specifically referring to the people engaged in teaching interprofessional education. Teaching in interprofessional education has evolved from the traditional role of expert to one of mentor or facilitator. It is also evident that those who teach play a central role in the success of interprofessional courses. While many different designations are used to refer to interprofessional teachers in the relevant literature and in the language of daily use, a uniform and adequate terminology should be used to refer to such teaching staff. Based on literature reviews, this commentary seeks to propose terms for teaching staff active in the area of interprofessional education and thus provide a basis for discussion in the German-speaking countries. Taking the results of the literature analysis and the roles of teachers in interprofessional settings into consideration, we propose that the English term "IP facilitator" (IP for interprofessional) should also be used in the German-speaking world and "facilitateur IP" in the French-speaking world. A French translation is included in attachment 1 to enable broader discussion in Switzerland.

Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Among First Year Medical and Dental Students in Nepal

Introduction

Health professional education curricula in Nepal do not include interprofessional education (IPE). Though a previous study conducted in Nepal identified positive attitudes among medical and nursing students, so far there are no studies assessing the health professional students' readiness toward IPE. The aim of the study was to assess the readiness for IPE among medical and dental students.

Methods

The present cross-sectional study explored the readiness of conveniently selected first-year medical and dental students towards IPE and compared readiness among subgroups of respondents. The readiness was assessed through an online survey using the standard Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) during June 2021. The nineteen questions in RIPLS were categorized under four domains: teamwork and collaboration (items 1-9), negative professional identity (items 10-12), positive professional identity (items 13-16), and roles and responsibilities (items 17-19). The individual statements were scored and assessed as per the study objectives. The scores were not normally distributed, so non-parametric tests (Mann-Whitney U-test and Kruskal Wallis test) were used.

Results

A total of 83 students (69 medical and 14 dental) students responded. The median total score was 75, IQR 6 with the maximum score being 95. The median (IQR) scores for the domains teamwork and collaboration were 38 (IQR 3), negative professional identity 11 (IQR 2), positive professional identity 16 (IQR 3), roles and responsibilities 10 (3). The scores were different between students aged 20 years and below = 37, and above 20 years = 38; (p =< 0.001) in the negative professional identity domain and the total score (p = 0.001). The scores were also different among those with and without previous learning exposure with other discipline students in the same class (p = 0.046). A high median score of 5 was achieved for 8 out of 19 statements in the questionnaire.

Conclusion

The findings showed a high level of readiness for IPE among student respondents. Study findings can be considered as a positive factor for implementing IPE sessions.

Using Interprofessional Simulation with Telehealth to Enhance Teamwork and Communication in Home Care

Interpersonal communication and teamwork are critical to patient safety. There is evidence supporting the effectiveness of formalized team training strategies such as simulation-based learning experiences to permit opportunities for deliberate practice and skill acquisition. However, there is a paucity of evidence examining the best method for delivery of simulation-based interprofessional education activities (Sim-IPE). The purpose of this project was to explore the effectiveness of using a Sim-IPE with a home-based patient assessment and intervention for students in undergraduate nursing, nurse practitioner, and physical therapy programs with the goal of enhancing interprofessional team communication and team performance. A mixed-methods, observational research design was used to evaluate teamwork and communication following virtual/web-based deliberate practice and a subsequent face-to-face Sim-IPE with telehealth. There were two distinct stages: (1) provision of interprofessional education elements of teamwork and communication via a virtual web-based platform to interprofessional student teams; (2) participation of all 29 student teams in a Sim-IPE activity using a standardized patient in a simulated home-based setting. Teams scored very high on an interprofessional communication and teamwork scale, and students strongly agreed that the prebriefing, scenario, and debriefing assisted in their learning. Students also valued exposure to telehealth and the ability to work with students from other health professions.

Position paper of the GMA Committee Interprofessional Education in the Health Professions - current status and outlook

In the wake of local initiatives and developmental funding programs, interprofessionality is now included in national curricula in the German-speaking countries. Based on the 3P model (presage, process, product), this position paper presents the development of interprofessional education in recent years in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and places it in an international context. Core aspects as legal frameworks, including amendments to occupational regulations as well as the formation of networks and faculty development are basic requirements for interprofessional education. New topics and educational settings take shape in the process of interprofessional education: patient perspectives and teaching formats, such as online courses, become more important or are newly established. The influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on interprofessional education is explored as well. Among many new interprofessional courses, particularly the implementation of interprofessional training wards in Germany and Switzerland are positive examples of successful interprofessional education. The objective of interprofessional education continues to be the acquisition of interprofessional competencies. The main focus is now centered on evaluating this educational format and testing for the corresponding competencies. In the future, more capacities will be required for interprofessional continuing education and post-graduate education. Structured research programs are essential to ascertain the effects of interprofessional education in the German-speaking countries. In this position paper the GMA committee on interprofessional education encourages further advancement of this topic and expresses the aim to continue cooperating with other networks to strengthen and intensify interprofessional education and collaboration in healthcare.

A Comparison of Nursing and Pharmacy Students’ Perceptions of an Acute Care Simulation

Patient outcomes are improved when healthcare professionals work collaboratively. In order for future professionals to have these entry-level skills, students from different disciplines must work together in scenarios simulating patient care. This paper provides an overview of a large-scale, acute care simulation involving students of different disciplines, including nursing and pharmacy. A survey using the validated Student Perceptions of Interprofessional Clinical Education Revised (SPICE-R2) tool was administered to students participating in the simulation prior to and within 1 week of the simulation. There were between-group statistically significant differences on two items on the pre-simulation survey and two items on the post-simulation survey. Student participants reported more positive perceptions after the simulation on every item except for “During their education, health professional students should be involved in teamwork with students from other health professions to understand their perspective roles”. The authors concluded that an interprofessional acute care simulation allowed students in both professions to recognize the value of a team approach to patient care.

The Moderating Role of Team Conflict on Teams of Nursing Students

Inter-professional education has become a widespread trend in healthcare education around the world. This study examined whether conflict moderated the correlation between swift trust and creativity for nursing students on teams in inter-professional education courses in Taiwan. A cross-sectional survey study with comparative, quantitative analysis was conducted to describe relationships between the studied variables. This study collected self-report data from 270 nursing students who attended interdisciplinary team-based capstone courses, and this study divided them into 54 teams. Each team consisted of five members. The study results showed cognition-based team swift trust had a positive correlation with team creativity. The negative association was revealed between relationship conflict and team creativity. Moderation models demonstrated that relationship conflict (95% C.I. [-0.70, -0.21]) negatively moderated the correlation between cognition-based swift trust and team creativity among nursing student teams. This research found that greater levels of cognition-based swift trust may enhance nursing students' team creativity in inter-professional education courses. However, relationship conflicts may limit the positive outcomes of that association. Nursing educators should incorporate conflict management particularly aiming at relationship conflicts into their interdisciplinary nursing courses to support creative outcomes.

Preparedness of Medical Graduates to serve in clinical settings independently: An exploratory qualitative study

Objectives

To assess the preparedness of fresh medical graduates to perform the duties of an effective house officer in clinical settings independently.

Methods

A qualitative exploratory descriptive study was conducted at a public sector tertiary care teaching hospital from September to October, 2021. A total of 14 interviews of the serving house officers were conducted (7 were from Medicine and Allied and seven were from Surgical and Allied). A verbatim Thematic analysis was done.

Results

Initial analysis revealed 45 codes which were ultimately reduced to five main themes namely 1. Transition from studentship to house officers with sub-themes (1a) Sense of responsibility, (1b) Hectic and long duty hours, (1c) Proper orientation and guidance, 2. Deficient skill Training during educational journey with, (2a) Deficiency of practical and applied aspects, (2b) inconsistent and varying training patterns, (2c) self-perception and evaluation of preparedness, 3. Lack of awareness about Hospital settings and working system with sub-themes (3a) Support from other doctors, (3b) Being recognized as a doctor in hospital, 4. Inter-professional co-ordination gaps having sub-themes (4a) Communication gap, (4b) Mutual respect as a team and 5. Impact of COVID-19 with sub-theme (5a) Online teaching with no interaction and (5b) segue and progressive skill training.

Conclusion

Medical graduates are not confident and well prepared to take the responsibility of patient care independently in clinical settings. Reforms in undergraduate curricula regarding skill training, hospital setup and workings and inter-professional education are advocated by young doctors to enhance their competencies for professional life.

Mapping student perceptions of experiential interprofessional learning to the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) competencies

INTRODUCTION

Introductory pharmacy practice experiences (IPPEs) and advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs) provide opportunities for interprofessional education (IPE) in doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) programs by facilitating student engagement with other healthcare professionals. It is unknown how well these experiences align with competencies required for interprofessional collaborative practice. This study describes the alignment of student reflections from experiential rotations with the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) competencies.

METHODS

Following completion of experiential rotations from June 2017 to August 2019, a retrospective analysis of IPE surveys submitted by students was performed to assess types of interprofessional interactions and alignment of student reflections with IPEC competencies.

RESULTS

A total of 1360 surveys were analyzed. More than 75% of all PharmD students enrolled in IPPEs or APPEs during the study period completed at least one survey. Across all experiences, survey responses mapped to IPEC competencies at the following rates: Values/Ethics (25%), Roles/Responsibilities (48%), Interprofessional Communication (36%), and Teams/Teamwork (48%). More reflections from inpatient experiences, compared to outpatient experiences, aligned with Roles/Responsibilities and Teams/Teamwork, while fewer inpatient experience reflections aligned with Interprofessional Communication. Active engagement with other health professions increased as students progressed from IPPEs to APPEs.

CONCLUSIONS

As PharmD students progress through the experiential curriculum, they engage with IPEC competencies during each professional year. Inpatient and outpatient experiences may highlight different aspects of the IPEC competencies and advanced rotations are more likely to facilitate active engagement with other healthcare professionals.

Undergraduate-level teaching and learning approaches for interprofessional education in the health professions: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Although most systematic reviews of interprofessional education (IPE) evaluated the impact of IPE on the students' acquisition of knowledge in relation to other professions, the development of teamwork skills, and the changes in collaborative behaviour, the processes involved in IPE (i.e., approaches to teaching and learning) are under-researched. The purpose of the study was to conduct a systematic review to establish how IPE has been implemented in university-based undergraduate curricula, focusing on the teaching and learning approaches.

METHODS

The systematic review was performed in 2020 with three databases: PubMed, Science Direct, and the Cochrane Library. Titles and abstracts were included based on pre-identified eligibility criteria. We used the article entitled 'Systematic reviews in medical education: a practical approach: AMEE guide 94' as the basis to establish the aim and methods of the current systematic review from 2010 to 2019.

RESULTS

We found 16 articles that met the inclusion criteria and reported the implementation process of IPE in universities from Western, Asian, and African countries. A combination of at least two teaching and learning approaches was used to deliver IPE. The findings indicated that of all the teaching and learning approaches, simulation-based education, e-learning, and problem-based learning were the most prevalent approaches used to deliver IPE. This systematic review also revealed a lack of IPE programmes in the Middle East region.

CONCLUSIONS

The evidence synthesised in the current systematic review could support IPE curriculum planners and educators when planning an IPE programme. More global IPE initiatives are required to meet the global health workforce needs. Further studies are required to identify the effectiveness of the different teaching and learning approaches in the development of IPE competencies.

Socialisation into interprofessional teams: A mixed-methods study among early health professional learners who engaged in a teams and teamwork module / Sozialisierung in interprofessionellen Teams: Eine Mixed-Methods-Studie zum Effekt eines Team- und Teamwork-Moduls bei Auszubildenden im Gesundheitswesen

Introduction

Early health profession learners hold stereotypes about their own and other professions. Socialising students through interprofessional education (IPE) early in their training facilitates the development of their beliefs and values surrounding their professional and interprofessional identities. This study evaluates the effect of a 3-week, virtual IPE intervention in early health professional learners.

Methods

Students reflected on their functioning as an interprofessional team through discussion and written prompts which were coded by two faculty members for themes and trends. Exposure to developing an interprofessional identity and socialisation within an IPE team were measured through pre- and post-intervention surveys containing the Interprofessional Socialisation and Valuing Scale (ISVS).

Results

Students increased their positive attitudes towards IPE from pre- to post-intervention module as well as socialisation and readiness across all ISVS subscales: self-perception of working together, value, and comfort (all p < .001). Students reflected that ‘taking time to get to know each other’ (n = 23 teams; 42%) and ‘allowing everyone to contribute’ (= 17; 31%) were key factors for team development. Individual reflections on what students would work on the next time they worked in an interprofessional team revealed ‘communication’ as important (n = 87; 45%).

Discussion

Health profession students who engaged in the module reflected on how their interprofessional team functioned and identified what helped or hindered them to work as a team. The opportunities to reflect on how their own professional identity within the context of an interprofessional team led to evidence of socialising into an interprofessional team. Students who are challenged to socialise into a team early in their education will better understand their beliefs and values surrounding interprofessional collaboration.

Insights into Delivering Cross-Cultural Medical Education in the UK and Malaysia

Newcastle University UK operates an international campus, NUMed, in Malaysia. NUMed delivers the same medical degree programme as in the UK, within a different cultural context. In this paper, medical education faculty and NUMed graduates with experience working in both the UK and Malaysia provide insights into cross-cultural diversity in approaches to learning. Observations from small and large group teaching and approaches to assessment are discussed in relation to students' cultural backgrounds including previous learning experiences and English language abilities. We provide practice points for educators preparing a diverse range of students to work in global healthcare settings.

Wow, woo, win"- Healthcare students' and facilitators' experiences of interprofessional simulation in three-dimensional virtual world: A qualitative evaluation study

BACKGROUND

In an age disrupted by COVID-19 pandemic, three-dimensional virtual world (3DVW) offers an opportunity for healthcare students from different higher education institutions to participate in interprofessional education. Despite its growing evidence, there is a need to unravel the complex learning process in order to ensure high quality of interprofessional education delivery.

AIM

This study aimed to explore the experiences of healthcare students and facilitators on the use of 3DVW for interprofessional team-based virtual simulation.

METHODS

Interprofessional teams, each comprising six different healthcare students (Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, and Medical Social Work) and two clinicians who acted as facilitators, logged into the 3DVW from their own remote locations to participate in team-based care delivery that included an interprofessional bedside round and a family conference. A qualitative descriptive study was conducted on a purposive sample of 30 healthcare students and 12 facilitators using focus group discussions and individual interviews.

RESULTS

Four themes emerged from their experiences: the "wow experience", authentic experience on collaborative care, ease of learning, and preeminent role of the facilitator. The simulation provided the "wow" experiences through contextual, collaborative and experiential learning approaches. Despite technical challenges, the participants were wooed by the comforts of learning from home and the psychological safety in virtual environment. The facilitators played a critical role in optimizing learning engagement to win learners over.

CONCLUSION

Our study explicates how attention to the "wow, woo and win" trilateral factors can transform the interprofessional learning experiences offered by 3DVW simulation. Future developments in the use of this learning technology should include developing the clinicians' facilitation skills and the provision of technical support to make this 3DVW a success calls in winning students' learning engagement.

Utilizing a faculty-led student assessment team to evaluate international interprofessional service learning opportunities

INTRODUCTION

Globalization, combined with health professional students increasingly seeking international interprofessional service learning (IISL) experiences, presents new challenges and opportunities for faculty establishing these programs. This paper describes the novel process of utilizing a faculty-led team of health professions graduate students to evaluate IISL opportunities with an international partner.

METHODS

An interprofessional task force recruited student volunteers to travel abroad for the purpose of evaluating the potential learning opportunities at an international site. Faculty and students utilized an assessment tool adapted from the University of Minnesota's "Health and Safety Site Visit Checklist" to evaluate various aspects of the site. Findings were compiled, and students developed a program-specific list of potential collaborative opportunities with a corresponding evaluation of the value and feasibility of these learning experiences.

RESULTS

Five students representing the schools of pharmacy, physical therapy, and physician assistant studies were accompanied by two faculty task force members. Compilation of faculty and student assessments revealed general congruence between both evaluation findings and subsequent recommendations for collaboration. There was an expected difference in the focus of faculty and student observations, though all evaluators were in agreement regarding the potential to develop a seven to 10 day IISL experience at the site. Overall, students provided positive feedback regarding their experience as part of the site evaluation team.

CONCLUSIONS

Incorporating students as part of the site evaluation process is a valuable and effective method for assessing the logistical and educational characteristics of an IISL experience when developing a relationship with an international partner.

Defining global health: findings from a systematic review and thematic analysis of the literature

INTRODUCTION

Debate around a common definition of global health has seen extensive scholarly interest within the last two decades; however, consensus around a precise definition remains elusive. The objective of this study was to systematically review definitions of global health in the literature and offer grounded theoretical insights into what might be seen as relevant for establishing a common definition of global health.

METHOD

A systematic review was conducted with qualitative synthesis of findings using peer-reviewed literature from key databases. Publications were identified by the keywords of 'global health' and 'define' or 'definition' or 'defining'. Coding methods were used for qualitative analysis to identify recurring themes in definitions of global health published between 2009 and 2019.

RESULTS

The search resulted in 1363 publications, of which 78 were included. Qualitative analysis of the data generated four theoretical categories and associated subthemes delineating key aspects of global health. These included: (1) global health is a multiplex approach to worldwide health improvement taught and pursued at research institutions; (2) global health is an ethically oriented initiative that is guided by justice principles; (3) global health is a mode of governance that yields influence through problem identification, political decision-making, as well as the allocation and exchange of resources across borders and (4) global health is a vague yet versatile concept with multiple meanings, historical antecedents and an emergent future.

CONCLUSION

Extant definitions of global health can be categorised thematically to designate areas of importance for stakeholders and to organise future debates on its definition. Future contributions to this debate may consider shifting from questioning the abstract 'what' of global health towards more pragmatic and reflexive questions about 'who' defines global health and towards what ends.

Inside-out: normalising practice-based IPE

Practice-based interprofessional education (IPE), a key feature in developing a collaboration-ready workforce, is poorly integrated in healthcare curriculums. This study aimed to synthesise educator perspectives on implementing practice-based IPE and develop recommendations to inform sustainable practice-based IPE. An ethnographic case study was carried out at a school of allied health. Data collection involved six observations, 11 interviews and a review of eight documents. Reflexive thematic analysis, informed by Normalisation Process Theory, established two key themes. First, we found that strategic planning is needed, with a coherent implementation agenda and planned reflection on activities. Second, building partnerships with placement partners was identified as essential. This can be achieved by supporting and championing practice-based IPE activities developed by placement sites and establishing how university and clinical educators can work collaboratively to deliver sustainable practice-based IPE. These conditions create a favourable environment for normalising practice-based IPE in healthcare curriculums, benefitting students, patients, and the overall healthcare service.

Research Topics and Trends in Interprofessional Education in Nursing: A Text Network Analysis

To provide nurse-led interprofessional practices in a healthcare setting, carrying out effective research that identifies the trends and characteristics of interprofessional education is necessary. This study aimed to objectively ascertain trends in the field through text network analysis of different types of interprofessional education literature. Titles and thesis abstracts were examined for terms "interprofessional education" and "nursing" and were found in 3926 articles from 1970 to August 2018. Python and Gephi software were used to analyze the data and visualize the networks. Keyword ranking was based on the frequency, degree centrality, and betweenness centrality. The terms "interprofessional," "education," "student," "nursing," and "health" were ranked the highest. According to topic analysis, the methods, provided programs, and outcome measures differed according to the research field. These findings can help create nurse-led research and effective future directions for interprofessional education pathways and topic selection. This will emphasize the importance of expanding research on various education programs and accumulating evidence regarding the professional and interdisciplinary impact these programs have on undergraduate and graduate students.

Interprofessional education - a case for Gerodontology training

Increasing life expectancy, concepts of patient well-being, and the multiplicity of needs of the geriatric population, demand contribution, and collaboration of physicians, dentists, psychologists, pharmacists, and other allied health disciplines, to provide quality care to patients. Interprofessional education (IPE) is an approach to education that improves collaboration among health professionals and it can aid in better management of geriatric patients. Communication and cooperation affect health care performance and hence, influence patient outcomes. Currently, each of the disciplines mentioned has customized undergraduate and/or postgraduate training in geriatric care. Though a uni-disciplinary educational approach increases knowledge and skills of individual professions separately, IPE offers significant advantages. IPE seeks to have students learning together, as well as from each other to develop exemplary collaborative practice. The World Health Organization (WHO) has proposed that IPE will ensure optimum health care. However, IPE is yet to find its proper place in dental education. It would help dental students to develop a positive attitude toward geriatric patients and increase their empathy and efficiency in the management of these patients. This manuscript seeks to highlight the concept of interprofessional education (IPE) in gerodontology and develop recommendations for implementation of IPE in India.