Are female students in general and nursing students more ready for teamwork and interprofessional collaboration in healthcare?

Medication reconciliation: impact of an educational intervention on the knowledge, attitude and practices of healthcare professionals - a prospective quasi-experimental study in a Saudi referral hospital

BACKGROUND

Medication reconciliation has been acknowledged as a key intervention against medication errors. More than half of the medication errors that happen during care transitions are caused by unjustified medication discrepancies and up to one-third of these mistakes may be harmful. The study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) of health care providers in on medication reconciliation process, pre and post educational intervention.

METHODS

A hospital-based prospective quasi-experimental pre-post intervention study was conducted from November 2023 to February 2024 among 346 healthcare professionals (medical doctors, pharmacists and nurses) practicing in King Saud Hospital (KSH), Unayzah, Saudi Arabia. The subjects were recruited using the convenience sampling method.An educational intervention workshop was conducted among the healthcare professionals. The KAP was assessed before and after the educational intervention using a content and face validated self-administered questionnaire. The statistical analyses were conducted using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test was used to differentiate the mean response scores for knowledge, attitude, and practice domains, between pre and post intervention. Kruskal Wallis Test followed by Dunn's post hoc test was used to compare the mean response scores for knowledge, attitude and practice domains based on educational qualification and practicing experience for the pre and post-test period. The level of significance is determined at P < 0.05.

RESULTS

There was a significant improvement in the participants' knowledge, attitude and practice after the educational intervention with mean scores of 0.72 (SD = 1.67, p < 0.0001*), 0.76 (SD = 1.97, p < 0.0001*), and 0.56 (SD = 2.05, p = 0.001*) respectively. The overall KAP scores showed a statistically significant enhancement after the education intervention with a mean score difference of 2.04 (SD = 4.76, p < 0.0001*).Our study upholds that MedRec is highly valued by the participants due to its significant role in reducing medication errors and enhancing patient safety, and that it has the ability to recognize medication discrepancies and reduce adverse drug events.

CONCLUSION

The education intervention effectively influenced the knowledge, attitude and practice of healthcare professionals regarding medication reconciliation. This study underscores the importance of continuous education and training for healthcare professionals to minimize medication discrepancies and improve patient care.

Needs assessment for interprofessional education module on prevention and early detection of oral cancer among dental interns: a cross- sectional survey

BACKGROUND

The challenges associated with ensuring widespread system changes to enable early diagnosis and prevention of oral cancer could benefit from interprofessional practice. A needs assessment study was conducted to inform the Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice (IPECP) course related to oral cancer. The primary objectives of this study were 1) to establish a tool assess the knowledge attitude and practice (KAP) related to prevention and early detection of oral cancer of health professional students, and 2) to assess the same KAP of pre-licensure dental students. Additional objectives were to consider the possibility that dental students would demonstrate good scores related to early detection and prevention of oral cancer thus indicating their readiness for interprofessional learning and collaborative practice.

METHODS

Two questionnaires were utilized for this study which included 1) Readiness for interprofessional learning was assessed using the pre- validated tool of Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) 2) A questionnaire to assess the KAP related to early diagnosis and prevention of oral cancer which was developed, validated, and evaluated. Statistical analysis includes, descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U test, Ordered logistic regression and Probit analysis. p value was set at < 0.05.

RESULTS

A total of 130 dental students (74.6% female) were included in the study. Mean scores related to KAP were 15.96 ± 1.394, 4.70 + 1.146, 7.02 ± 1.019 respectively. The mean score of RIPLS was 73.15 ± 15.961. The probability of overall samples to have good RIPLS scores was around 0.68 to 0.76 (Male 0.68-0.82 & Female 0.68 -0.74). The percentage of students having good knowledge score was 93.8%, good attitude score was around 54.6% and good practice score was around 90%.

CONCLUSION

Knowledge and practice related to prevention and early detection of oral cancer were scored highly. Attitude scores were lower in a relatively higher proportion of participants and needed to be addressed in the curriculum. RIPLS score indicates a positive attitude towards interprofessional learning.

Building patient safety culture by using interprofessional simulation with nursing, paramedic and emergency telecommunication students: A mixed-methods research study

AIM

The aim of this study was to investigate student attitudes toward interprofessional education and collaborative practice and their perceptions of simulation design elements after participating in an interprofessional simulation educational activity.

BACKGROUND

Patient safety continues to be an international healthcare priority. However, critical incidents to patients continue to persist due to poor communication between professionals and poor teamwork.

DESIGN

A mixed methods design.

METHOD

The study sample consisted of Bachelor of Nursing (n=81), Paramedic (n=38) and Emergency Telecommunication (n=11) students randomized into interprofessional groups. Following the interprofessional learning experience, students completed two standardized self-reporting instruments, Students Perceptions of Interprofessional Clinical Education, National League for Nursing Simulation Design Scale and open-ended questions of their perceptions on teamwork and collaboration, communication skills, transfer of care and patient safety.

RESULTS

Students in each program reported high scores for attitudes toward the importance of teamwork and collaborative practice. There were significant differences in scores between programs for the ranking factors 'Teamwork and Team-Based Practice' (BN=4.74 SD 0.72, PM=4.66 SD 0.81, ET=4.95 SD 0.15 *; p = 0.00005) and 'Roles & Responsibilities' (BN=3.78 SD 1.12, PM=3.55 SD 0.92, ET=4.67 SD 0.85*; p= 0.012). Themes included: communication and collaboration in teamwork; roles, responsibilities and leadership; patient-centred care and safety; and emotional dynamics and professional growth.

CONCLUSION

An interprofessional simulation is an effective strategy to practice teamwork and collaboration and communication skills during transfer of care. Ensuring earlier education of roles and responsibilities during transfer of care needs review as do strategies for structured handover communication tools.

Shaping tomorrow's dentists: a multi-institutional survey of undergraduate dental students' perceptions towards interprofessional education

BACKGROUND

Interprofessional education (IPE) is essential to foster collaboration among healthcare professionals for holistic patient care. However, Malaysian dental education remains discipline-centric, hindering multidisciplinary learning approaches. Hence, this study aimed to explore Malaysian undergraduate dental students' perceptions of IPE.

METHODS

The present cross-sectional study employed convenience sampling to survey undergraduate dental students from four Malaysian institutions using a modified questionnaire with 20 close-ended and 2 open-ended questions. The questionnaire covered three domains (effectiveness, preference, importance) to assess students' perceptions using a five-point Likert scale. Psychometric validation was performed to assure validity and reliability of the modified questionnaire. Quantitative analysis (descriptive and inferential statistics), and qualitative analysis (content analysis) were subsequently performed.

RESULTS

397 students responded, and positive perceptions were generally noted with mean scores ranging from 4.13 to 4.35 across all domains. Questions 2 and 3, assessing the improvement in understanding the roles and responsibilities, and communication among healthcare professionals, received the highest mean scores. Meanwhile, Question 15 concerning the incorporation of IPE into educational goals received the lowest mean score. Regression analysis identified gender and clinical phase as significant factors, with females and preclinical students exhibiting more favourable perceptions. Motivators for IPE included a keen interest in diverse perspectives and recognising the importance of teamwork, while barriers encompassed tightly packed schedules, lack of understanding about IPE, misconceptions regarding dental education, and students' nervousness and fear of participation.

CONCLUSION

This study produced a valid and reliable instrument to measure undergraduate dental students' perceptions towards IPE. Strategic planning, such as overcoming logistical challenges, improving awareness, and creating a supportive learning environment are crucial for successful IPE integration into existing curricula, especially in resource-constrained developing countries like Malaysia.

Relationship between readiness for interprofessional learning and academic self-efficacy among nursing students: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Modern medicine emphasizes that medical professionals engage in interprofessional collaboration to better meet the diverse needs of patients from physical, psychological, and social perspectives. As nursing students are the future reserve of the clinical nursing workforce, nursing educators worldwide should pay close attention to nursing students' interprofessional learning attitudes and take responsibility for training qualified interprofessional nursing personnel. However, little is known about the relationship between nursing students' readiness for interprofessional learning and academic self-efficacy. Thus, this study aims to investigate the level of readiness for interprofessional learning and academic self-efficacy among nursing students, and to explore the relationship between the two.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted with a sample of 741 undergraduate nursing students pursuing four-year degrees from a school in Jinan, Shandong Province, China from November to December 2021. The social-demographic questionnaire, Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale, and Academic Self-efficacy Scale were used for data collection. Descriptive statistics used to analyze the data included: Cronbach's alpha, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation, and multiple linear regression analysis.

RESULTS

Readiness for interprofessional learning mean score was (3.91 ± 0.44) and mean academic self-efficacy was (3.47 ± 0.42). Significant differences were found in the research variables according to participants' sex, grade, choice of nursing profession, and frequency of communication with health-related major students in studies (p < 0.05, p < 0.001). Pearson correlation analysis showed that academic self-efficacy was positively related to readiness for interprofessional learning (r = 0.316, p < 0.01). The hierarchical regression analysis showed that academic self-efficacy was positively related to readiness for interprofessional learning (β = 0.307, p < 0.001), The model explained 15.6% of the variance in readiness for interprofessional learning (F = 18.038, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Readiness for interprofessional learning and academic self-efficacy were in the middle level among nursing students. Moreover, there was a significant positive correlation between the two. Therefore, it is very important for nursing educators to improve nursing students' academic self-efficacy before improving their readiness for interprofessional learning.

Measuring Veterinarian Professions' Readiness for Interprofessional Learning in a Pre- and Post-Intervention Study

The integration of interprofessional collaboration is becoming increasingly crucial in veterinary care settings, emphasising the need for interprofessional education (IPE) in veterinary programmes. This study explores the readiness for interprofessional learning among German veterinary students, apprentices and related occupations before and after an interprofessional communication course. It assesses the impact of this course on the participants' attitudes using the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS). The course, offered in two iterations, combined asynchronous online modules, live seminars and practical training elements. The RIPLS was administered before and after the course to gauge attitude shifts towards interprofessional learning. Statistical analyses, including McNemar, Cohen's Kappa and exact Fisher tests, were employed to compare pre- and post-test responses. Despite challenges in participant linking, significant findings emerged between the student and apprentice groups in specific areas of the RIPLS, notably in the "Professional Identity" subscale post-course. However, correlations between face-to-face contact and RIPLS ratings were not observed, suggesting a need for more integrated interprofessional learning experiences. While some limitations in sample size and profession distribution hinder generalisability, this study indicates a high receptiveness to interprofessional learning in veterinary education, emphasising the potential for attitude changes with more interactive participation and programme adjustments.

Exploring differences in and factors influencing self-efficacy for competence in interprofessional collaborative practice among health professions students

The value of health care delivered via effective interprofessional teams has created an imperative for interprofessional education (IPE) and interprofessional collaborative practice (ICP). To inform IPE strategies, we investigated differences in perceived self-efficacy (SE) for competence in ICP among health professions students. The study data were collected between 2015 and 2019 from students from 13 different health professions programmes (N = 3,497) before an annual institutional interprofessional programme. Students completed the IPECC-SET-27, a validated instrument evaluating perceived SE for competence in ICP, and rated their 1) amount of previous contact with, and 2) perceived understanding of, the role of different health professions. Students in different health professions education programmes were compared using parametric statistics. Regression analyses explored factors influencing SE for competence in ICP. Findings revealed significant differences in perceived SE for competence in ICP between programmes (p < .05). Specifically, health information management/health informatics, dentistry, medicine, and nursing students expressed relatively higher SE, whereas physical therapy and occupational therapy students expressed relatively lower SE. Perceived understanding of the role of health professions (p < .01) and gender (p < .01) contributed significantly to predicting perceived SE for competence in ICP, while the amount of previous contact with other health professions did not (p = .42). The findings highlight the value of designing IPE with consideration of specific learner needs.

Students' Perception of Servant Leadership by Physical Therapy Faculty Mentors Is Associated With Interprofessional Socialization

INTRODUCTION

Promoting interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP) is necessary. Consequently, investigating strategies associated with increased interprofessional socialization, the beliefs, behaviors, and attitudes underlying socialization toward IPCP is suggested. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship, in the presence of control variables, between students' perception of servant leadership by physical therapy faculty mentors and interprofessional socialization.

REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Although faculty mentors are associated with influencing students' socialization process and servant leadership is suggested to support collaborative care, investigations exploring these concepts within physical therapy education are limited.

SUBJECTS

Three cohorts of students (60 each) at an entry-level physical therapist education program in the Midwest of the United States. One hundred seventy individuals completed an anonymous paper-based composite survey, with 117 identifying the presence of an informal physical therapy faculty mentor.

METHODS

This cross-sectional survey study, inclusive of student demographic control variables, examined the relationship between interprofessional socialization and perceptions of physical therapy faculty mentors, as measured by the Interprofessional Socialization and Valuing Scale (ISVS-21) and the Servant Leadership Measure (SL-7), respectively. Multiple linear regression was used to obtain the semi-partial correlation (sr) between the SL-7 and the ISVS-21, with significance accepted at P < .05.

RESULTS

Upon necessary assumptions being met, 114 participants were included with an analysis of variance identifying the model to be significant (F(8,105) = 2.59, P = .01). Multiple linear regression analysis found that the SL-7, in the presence of control variables, was associated with a significant proportion of ISVS-21 scores (R2 = 0.17, F(8,105) = 2.59, P = .01). Notably, only the SL-7 demonstrated a significant contribution to ISVS-21 estimates (β = 0.358, P < .001), with a significant and positive sr of 0.34 (P < .001).

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Perceptions of servant leadership by faculty mentors were positively correlated with interprofessional socialization. Findings bolster the theoretical link between servant leadership and interprofessional socialization, servant leadership in the development of faculty and mentorship programs, and the relevance of informal social interactions.

Exploring the awareness, attitude, and inclination of healthcare students towards interprofessional education: A cross-sectional study in Saudi Arabia

Background

Interprofessional education (IPE) is acknowledged to enhance understanding between professionals and to facilitate learning. Healthcare professionals may be better equipped to accept and esteem other healthcare professionals, if interprofessional education is incorporated into undergraduate curricula. The management of challenging patient issues may also significantly benefit from this. As a result, the current study examined interprofessional education in their institutions and students' knowledge of and attitudes toward it.

Methodology

We conducted a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study among students from a university in the southwest of Saudi Arabia, who were enrolled in courses in medical, pharmacy, nursing, dentistry, allied health, and public health. Following validation, the questionnaire included six questions to probe their knowledge, ten questions to gauge their attitude, and eleven questions to inquire about the growth and use of IPE in their institutions. Multiple regression and the Kruskal-Wallis test were used to examine the data.

Results

The survey involved 600 students, and 66.8% of the respondents were male. Less than one-third of students studying medicine replied to the survey, while students in the public health department had the lowest response rate. Compared to students in other programs, pharmacy students achieved a higher mean attitude score toward IPE (P < 0.001). Additionally, nursing and pharmacy students' mean IPE awareness scores were higher than those of medical students (P < 0.001). However, all program participants firmly agreed that integrating IPE into the curriculum was a good idea.

Conclusions

The study found that students of a few programs had awareness and a positive attitude toward interprofessional education. Nonetheless, all of them favored its inclusion in their curriculum. They also stressed the need to educate teaching faculty on interprofessional education, to develop skilled facilitators within their institutions.

Academic emotions and attitudes regarding interprofessional collaboration in health care activities: a prospective study among newly arrived physicians participating in a fourteen-week course

BACKGROUND

One way of facilitating entrance into the Swedish health care system, for newly arrived physicians from outside the European Union/European Economic Area, could be to set up and offer a course aimed to enhance understanding of it. This course was offered to increase insight about clinical practices, interprofessional teamwork and topics such as, Swedish health care laws, culture, and ethics. Acceptance of, and a flexible attitude towards, interprofessional teamwork are important for maintaining both the physician's professional identity and a high quality of patient care. The aim of this study was to investigate newly arrived physicians', academic emotions, experience of stress and flow during a fourteen-week course, as well as attitudes to interprofessional collaboration, both before and after.

METHOD

A prospective study was conducted, with participants asked to respond on one questionnaire every course day, by using the Contextual Activity Sampling System methodology. The participants were asked to complete a questionnaire comprising ten questions about ongoing activity and in what way they experience, e.g., collaboration, interprofessional teamwork, academic emotions, flow, and stress. Furthermore, the participants were asked to score their attitude towards interprofessional teamwork by using the interdisciplinary education perception scale both before and after the course.

RESULTS

The total sample comprised 27 qualified physicians, from outside the European Union/European Economic Area. In the interdisciplinary education perception scale category, "perception of actual cooperation¨, the participants had significantly higher scores after the course. Flow and academic emotions were felt mostly during own periods of study, seminars, and lectures. The academic emotions were apathy, anxiety, and boredom. The most frequently experienced academic emotion was apathy. Course participants rated stress highest in connection with the examination.

CONCLUSION

The results show that the course had a positive impact on the participants perception of actual cooperation. It appears that participating in this kind of course was a positive experience for the participants, since they mostly experienced high levels of flow. Collaborating with others was experienced as positive, with participants reporting a high degree of flow in activities during collaboration.

Interprofessional education and collaborative practice in Nigeria - Pharmacists' and pharmacy students' attitudes and perceptions of the obstacles and recommendations

INTRODUCTION

Many countries have implemented interprofessional education (IPE) and interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP), but there is a dearth of information on the state of IPE in Nigeria. We evaluated the attitude of Nigerian pharmacy students and pharmacists towards IPE and IPCP and the perceived barriers to and recommendations for the implementation of IPE and IPCP.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey of 238 community and hospital pharmacists and 765 pharmacy students in Nigeria was conducted with an online questionnaire using the Interprofessional Attitude Scale. Information on the perceived barriers to and recommendations for implementing IPE was also collected.

RESULTS

Two hundred and seven pharmacists (87%) and 629 (82.2%) pharmacy students agreed that it is necessary for health profession students to learn together. Perceived barriers to the implementation of IPE and IPCP included professional pride [pharmacists = 51 (21.42%), pharmacy students = 55 (7.19%)], prejudice against other health professions [pharmacists = 35 (14.7%), pharmacy students = 74 (9.67%)], uni-professional training [pharmacists = 5 (2.1%), pharmacy students = 7 (0.92%)], and government policies that discourage IPE and IPCP [pharmacists = 10 (4.2%), pharmacy students = 20 (2.61%)]. Recommendations proposed were the integration of IPE in undergraduate pharmacy curricula, cooperation among health professionals to curb professional rivalry, and the provision of necessary facilities and resources by the government.

CONCLUSIONS

Nigerian pharmacists and pharmacy students had positive attitudes towards IPE and IPCP. The perceived barriers to implementing IPE in Nigeria include discouraging government policies. Deliberate and implementable government policies on IPE are needed.

Potentialities and limitations of Interprofessional Education during graduation: a systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative studies

BACKGROUND

Rapid demographic, epidemiological, technological, cultural/behavioural, and educational transitions, as they become more complex, demand new integrated and complementary professional skills and abilities. Interprofessional Education (IPE) is a promising alternative to deal with these changes, especially in courses in the health area. This systematic review was to explore the potentialities and limitations of IPE, from the perspective of undergraduate students, through a thematic synthesis of qualitative studies.

METHODS

A thematic synthesis of qualitative studies was conducted. The question elaborated for this review was: "What is the impact of interprofessional education on the teaching and learning of students in the health area inserted in Higher Education Institutions?". The search strategy was performed in the electronic databases PubMed, Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences (LILACS), Cochrane Library, and Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO). In addition, searches were carried out in grey literature on the ERIC platforms, ProQuest Disserts and Theses, and Academic Google. The assessment of the quality of the studies was carried out using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool. Data were summarized through thematic synthesis. From the databases, 8,793 studies were identified. After standardized filters procedures, critical summaries, and assessment of relevance to the eligibility criteria, 14 articles were included.

RESULTS

The synthesis of the studies revealed the potential of this teaching approach, arranged in three analytical themes: learning from each other and about them; the value of education and interprofessional practice; patient-centred health care. On the other hand, some limitations were also identified, such as barriers related to EIP; the difficulties related to teaching methodologies.

CONCLUSION

Overcoming the identified limitations can enhance the results of the IPE, in view of its impact on the education of students and on the health care of the population.

The impact of learning styles on attitudes to interprofessional learning among nursing students: a longitudinal mixed methods study

BACKGROUND

A functional interprofessional teamwork improves collaborative patient-centred care. Participation in interprofessional education promotes cooperation after graduation. Individuals tend to use different approaches to learning depending on their individual preferences. The purpose of this study was to explore nursing students' experiences of professional development with a focus on the relationship between attitudes to interprofessional learning and learning styles.

METHODS

A longitudinal parallel mixed-methods design. The study was carried out at a Swedish three-year nursing program from August 2015 to January 2020. On enrolment, thirty-four students self-assessed their attitudes to interprofessional learning according to the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale, and their learning style according to Kolbs' Learning Style Inventory. In the final semester the students participated in an interview focusing on their experiences and perceptions of teamwork and they self-assessed their attitudes to interprofessional learning again.

RESULTS

Our findings indicated that 64.7% had a predominantly concrete learning style and 35.3% had a predominantly reflective learning style. No significant relationship with internal consistency reliability was identified among the participants between attitudes to interprofessional learning and learning styles. The content analysis resulted in four main categories: Amazing when it's functional; Deepened insight of care; Increased quality of care; Understanding own profession which were summarized in the theme: Well-functioning teams improve patients' outcome and working environment.

CONCLUSION

The students' attitudes to interprofessional learning were positive and it was considered as an opportunity to participate in interprofessional cooperation during internship. Transformative learning is a useful strategy in fostering interprofessional relationships due to the interdependence of various professions in interprofessional teams. When students are guided to use reflection to develop new perspectives and meaning structures, they acquire emotional and rational skills beneficial for interprofessional cooperation.

Future physicians' behavioral intentions towards collaborative practice - a qualitative study on polish final-year medical students guided by the theory of planned behavior

BACKGROUND

Interprofessional collaboration constitutes a vital part of modern patient care, and many of its benefits for patients, medical staff, and the healthcare system have been described. However, little is known about factors influencing medical students' intentions to work in a collaborative practice after graduation. Therefore, with the theory of planned behavior by Ajzen as a framework, this study aimed to evaluate their intentions and identify factors that influence their attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control.

METHODS

For this purpose, eighteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with medical students following a thematic guide developed according to the theory. They were thematically analyzed by two independent researchers.

RESULTS

The results showed that their attitudes contained positive (better patient care, comfort and safety of work, learning and development opportunities) and negative examples like the fear of conflicts, losing authority and mistreatment. Sources of social pressure regarding the behavior (subjective norms) involved their peers, other physicians, representatives of other medical professions, patients, and managing bodies. Finally, perceived behavioral control included limited occasions for contacts and interprofessional learning during the studies, existing stereotypes and prejudices, legal regulations and systemic solutions, organizational aspects, and existing relations at the ward.

CONCLUSIONS

Analysis showed that Polish medical students generally seem to hold positive views on interprofessional collaboration and feel positive social pressure to get involved in interprofessional teams. However, factors listed in perceived behavioral control may act as barriers in the process.

The Significance of Cooperation in Interdisciplinary Health Care Teams as Perceived by Polish Medical Students

Teamwork, as the preferred method of cooperation in healthcare, became prevalent in the 1960s, and since then has been universally recognized as a measure to improve the quality of healthcare. Research indicates that medical care based on interdisciplinary cooperation is associated with increased patient safety, lower hospitalization rates, and reduced rates of complications and medical errors. Furthermore, it enhances the coordination of care and improves patient access to medical services. This model of providing medical care also results in considerable benefits for medical professionals. These include greater job satisfaction and a reduced risk of professional burnout syndrome.

AIM

The aim of the study was to explore the opinions of medical students with regard to cooperation in the interdisciplinary team, as well as the factors affecting the formation of opinions.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study was conducted using the Polish version of the questionnaire Attitudes Towards Interprofessional Health Care Teams. The study involved 1266 participants, including students of medicine (n = 308), midwifery (n = 348), nursing (n = 316) and physiotherapy (n = 294).

RESULTS

According to the opinions of the students participating in the study, the therapeutic process based on the interdisciplinary model improves the quality of medical care provided, increases patient safety, and improves communication between members of the therapeutic team. The factors affecting the assessment of cooperation in interdisciplinary medical care teams included the faculty and the year of studies, gender, as well as participation in the multidisciplinary courses.

CONCLUSIONS

Students recognize the need for interdisciplinary medical teams. The training of future medical professionals should incorporate the elements of interprofessional education. This form of education allows students to develop both a professional identity and identification with their own profession, as well as encourages teamwork skills and shapes the attitude of openness towards representatives of other medical professions. However, in order to provide the students with the relevant knowledge, skills and competencies, it is essential to respect their diversity in terms of the faculty, as well as to account for the impact of gender and the year of studies which may affect their readiness to engage in teamwork.

Medical and Dental Students' Perception of Interdisciplinary Knowledge, Teaching Content, and Interprofessional Status at a German University: A Cross-Sectional Study

Although oral health is considered a key indicator of overall health, dentistry is still neglected in medical education at the university level. Interprofessional education (IPE) is an important tool to promote collaboration among health care providers and to reduce barriers to access in health care. In this cross-sectional study, medical and dental students at Mainz University, Germany, were surveyed regarding their perception of interdisciplinary knowledge, teaching content, interprofessional standing, and attitudes toward IPE. Spearman's rank correlation was used to identify associated statements. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed to understand how sex, study progress, and prior education might influence student attitudes. In total, 426 medical students and 211 dental students were included in the study. Dental students rated their interdisciplinary knowledge higher than medical students. The relevance of IPE as assessed by the students correlated significantly with their motivation to continue IPE after graduation. Both groups of students valued the other discipline but rejected a combined graduate program. Students with prior professional training valued the synergy of medicine and dentistry more the students without prior training. Interprofessional knowledge and interest in IPE was higher among dental students. Understanding students' attitudes toward IPE is an important prerequisite for adapting university curricula to strengthen students' attitudes and motivation.

Association of Personality Traits with Life and Work of Medical Students: An Integrative Review

BACKGROUND

Personality traits are the basic components of an individual's personality. Although there are many published articles about the impact of personality traits on medical students, there is a lack of integrative reviews of existing articles. To close this gap, this review aims to summarize the impact of personality traits on medical students from two perspectives: life and work.

METHODS

The search was performed using the following databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and EMBASE. All publications that assessed the impact of personality traits on life and work until February 2022 were selected.

RESULTS

Ninety-seven studies were included. The results suggest that personality traits could affect life performance, health outcomes, life satisfaction, the formation of doctor-patient relationships, mastery of knowledge, academic performance, and career planning. Different personality traits can have positive or negative impacts on these aspects.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this review suggest that personality traits can affect medical students' lives and work. Therefore, based on the evaluation of the personality traits of medical students, it is necessary to design targeted courses and training for students to improve their personality traits, to bring about better results in their lives and work.

Awareness of interprofessional learning as a tool to improve a Brazilian university curriculum

Interprofessional education is a key driver for patient-centered care. Interprofessionality in healthcare encourages team engagement and commitment, resulting in better outcomes and adherence to treatment. The present study aimed to use the adapted Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) to analyze and correlate receptiveness to interprofessional education among Brazilian undergraduate students, to improve educational strategies. This research conducted a cross-sectional observational study of the perceptions and attitudes of healthcare students using an electronic questionnaire based on the RIPLS. The sample consisted of 938 students from seven healthcare courses of study at a public university. Students in psychology scored lowest overall. Men scored slightly higher (M = 103.9) than women (M = 101.9; p = .002). No significant differences were found in age, year of study, and previous higher education experience. The differences observed between students in the various courses reflects a process of curriculum improvement and promotion of change in institutional teaching and learning. The current study from Brazil presents the receptiveness of students from seven healthcare-related higher education courses to interprofessional education, providing a panel of data that can inform discussions of the possible causes of discrepancy between different courses of study.

Does Interprofessional Scenario-Based Simulation Training Change Attitudes Towards Interprofessional Learning - A Pretest-Posttest Study

Purpose

To investigate readiness for interprofessional learning (IPL) among Norwegian health-care students at bachelor-, postgraduate- and master’s level, before and after participating in a one-day scenario-based simulation-training course.

Participants and Methods

A pretest-posttest study using readiness for interprofessional learning scale (RIPLS) was conducted with bachelor nursing students (n = 123, 4th semester), postgraduate nursing students from anesthesia, operating theatre and intensive care (n = 61, 1st semester) and medical students (n = 78, 10th semester).

Results

Bachelor nursing students and postgraduate nursing students scored significantly higher in the posttest on all four subscales and on the total scale. Between professions, medical students scored significantly higher on subscale 1 (teamwork and collaboration) and subscale 3 (positive professional identity) and significantly lower on subscale 4 (roles and responsibilities) in the pretest. In the posttest bachelor nursing students scored significantly higher on subscale 2 (negative professional identity) and medical students scored significantly lower on subscale 4. The internal consistency for RIPLS was acceptable, except for subscale 4.

Conclusion

The study indicates readiness for IPL in our sample of Norwegian health-care students. RIPLS had the ability to measure significant changes in attitudes both within each profession and between professions.

Evaluating Clinical Educators' Competence in an East Asian Context: Who Values What?

Background

How to evaluate clinical educators is an important question in faculty development. The issue of who are best placed to evaluate their performance is also critical. However, the whos and the hows of clinical educator evaluation may differ culturally. This study aims to understand what comprises suitable evaluation criteria, alongside who is best placed to undertake the evaluation of clinical educators in medicine within an East Asian culture: specifically Taiwan.

Methods

An 84-item web-based questionnaire was created based on a literature review and medical educational experts' opinions focusing on potential raters (i.e., who) and domains (i.e., what) for evaluating clinical educators. Using purposive sampling, we sent 500 questionnaires to clinical educators, residents, Post-Graduate Year Trainees (PGYs), Year-4~6/Year-7 medical students (M4~6/M7) and nurses.

Results

We received 258 respondents with 52% response rate. All groups, except nurses, chose “teaching ability” as the most important domain. This contrasts with research from Western contexts that highlights role modeling, leadership and enthusiasm. The clinical educators and nurses have the same choices of the top five items in the “personal qualities” domain, but different choices in “assessment ability” and “curriculum planning” domains. The best fit rater groups for evaluating clinical educators were educators themselves and PGYs.

Conclusions

There may well be specific suitable domains and populations for evaluating clinical educators' competence in East Asian culture contexts. Further research in these contexts is required to examine the reach of these findings.

Perceived team roles of medical students: a five year cross-sectional study

INTRODUCTION

Despite the increasing importance of teamwork in healthcare, medical education still puts great emphasis on individual achievements. The purpose of this study is to examine medical students' team role preferences, including the association with gender and specialty; and to provide implications for policy makers and medical educators.

METHODS

We used an exploratory methodology, following a cross-sectional design. Data was collected from first year master students in medicine (n = 2293) during five consecutive years (2016-2020). The Belbin Team Role Self Perception Inventory (BTRSPI) was used to measure medical students' self-perceptions of their team role.

RESULTS

The Team Worker was the most preferred team role among medical students (35.8%), regardless of gender or specialty. Female and male students had similar team role patterns, although female students scored higher on Team Worker (40.4% vs. 29.1%, P < .001) and Completer-Finisher (14.0% vs. 8.0%, P < .001). With regard to specialties, the Team Worker role was more often chosen by general practitioners than by person-centered and technique-oriented specialties (47.1% vs. 41.8% vs. 29.1%, P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings contribute to an increased scientific understanding of how medical students perceive their own team role, and how this is related to gender and specialty. This is valuable due to the increased importance of interdisciplinary teamwork in healthcare. Medical schools should prioritize stimulating teamwork skills through the implementation of different interventions at all stages (i.e. from the admission process to curricula to residency) and all levels (i.e. explicit and implicit curricula).

Perceptions of chiropractic students regarding interprofessional health care teams

OBJECTIVE

To describe perceptions of knowledge of interprofessional teams and value of interprofessional education (IPE) among 3 distinct years of chiropractic students at 1 chiropractic college.

METHODS

A 24-item cross-sectional survey was administered to 247 chiropractic students in years 1-3 within a single institution. Surveys included 5 demographic questions and the 19-item Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS). The RIPLS collected information on perceptions and value of interprofessional health care in a health care training program. Each question is scored on a 1-5 scale, with 5 indicating a stronger agreement. Multivariable analysis was used for comparison.

RESULTS

Out of a total 321 eligible students, 247 (148 male) students completed the survey from year 1 (n = 66), year 2 (n = 102), and year 3 (n = 79), respectively. Most students (68%) were 18-25 years old. The mean compiled score of all 3 years (n = 231) was 77.2 (SD = 9.1). Each individual's year scores were as follows: year 1 (n = 60, mean = 79.7, SD=7.4), year 2 (n = 95, mean = 76.9, SD = 9.1), and year 3 (n = 76, mean = 75.4, SD = 9.9). Of the 247 students who responded, 87% of participantsagreed with "shared learning with other health care students will increase my ability to understand clinical problems."

CONCLUSION

Most participants demonstrated a positive response to IPE and collaborating with health care teams. Participants in earlier years demonstrated a more positive response compared to later years. While positive perceptions to IPE were demonstrated, chiropractic students lacked knowledge and understanding of their role within an interprofessional health care team.

Gender Differences in the Relationship Between Workplace Civility and Burnout Among VA Primary Care Providers

BACKGROUND

Civility, or politeness, is an important part of the healthcare workplace, and its absence can lead to healthcare provider and staff burnout. Lack of civility is well-documented among mostly female nurses, but is not well-described among the gender-mixed primary care provider (PCP) workforce. Understanding civility and its relationship to burnout among male and female PCPs could help lead to tailored interventions to improve civility and reduce burnout in primary care.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze gender differences in civility, burnout, and the relationship between civility and burnout among male and female PCPs.

DESIGN

Multi-level logistic regression analysis of a cross-sectional national survey.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 3216 PCP respondents (1946 women and 1270 men) in 135 medical centers from a 2019 national Veterans Health Administration (VA) survey.

MAIN MEASURES

Outcomes: burnout; predictors: workplace civility and gender; controls: race, ethnicity, VA tenure, and supervisory status.

KEY RESULTS

Workplace civility was rated higher (p<0.001) among male (mean = 4.07, standard deviation [SD] = 0.36, range 1-5) compared to female (mean = 3.88, SD = 0.33) PCPs. Almost half of the sample reported burnout (47.6%), but this difference was not significant (p = 0.73) between the genders. Higher workplace civility was significantly related to lower burnout among female PCPs (odds ratio [OR] = 0.46, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.31 to 0.69), but not among male PCPs (OR = 0.71, 95% CI = 0.42 to 1.22). Interactions between civility and other demographic variables (race, ethnicity, VA tenure, or supervisory status) were not significantly related to burnout.

CONCLUSION

Female PCPs report lower workplace civility than male PCPs. An inverse relationship between civility and burnout is present for women but not men. More research is needed on this phenomenon. Interventions tailored to gender- and primary care-specific needs should be employed to increase civility and reduce burnout among PCPs.

How gender shapes interprofessional teamwork in the operating room: a qualitative secondary analysis

BACKGROUND

Despite substantial implications for healthcare provider practice and patient outcomes, gender has yet to be systematically explored with regard to interprofessional operating room (OR) teamwork. We aimed to explore and describe how gender and additional social identity factors shape experiences and perceptions of teamwork in the OR.

METHODS

This study was a qualitative secondary analysis of semi-structured interviews with OR team members conducted between November 2018 and July 2019. Participants were recruited across hospitals in Ontario, Canada. We conducted both purposive and snowball sampling until data saturation was reached. Transcripts were analyzed thematically by two independent research team members, moving from open to axial coding.

RESULTS

Sixty-six interviews of OR healthcare professionals were completed: anesthesia (n=17), nursing (n=19), perfusion (n=2), and surgery (n=26). Traditional gender roles, norms, and stereotypes were perceived and experienced by both women and men, but with different consequences. Both women and men participants described challenges that women face in the OR, such as being perceived negatively for displaying leadership behaviours. Participants also reported that interactions and behaviours vary depending on the team gender composition, and that other social identities, such as age and race, often interact with gender. Nevertheless, participants indicated a belief that the influence of gender in the OR may be modified.

CONCLUSIONS

The highly gendered reality of the OR creates an environment conducive to breakdowns in communuication and patient safety risks in addition to diminishing team morale, psychological safety, and provider well-being. Consequently, until teamwork interventions adequately account for gender, they are unlikely to be optimally effective or sustainable.

A Holistic Approach of Personality Traits in Medical Students: An Integrative Review

Personality is one of the most crucial aspects of human life, since it influences all human behaviours in both personal and social life, and might also trigger important conflicts with a person’s surroundings in the setting of incompatible traits and characteristics. It is true that ‘one must be born’ for a certain medical specialty, but several components of personality might be educated with proper training. Increased levels of Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, and Openness associated with lower levels of Neuroticism might represent the key combination for achieving professional satisfaction in the medical profession. Medical students should receive proper interprofessional education, since effective interprofessional relationships among healthcare providers definitely improve patients’ safety. Empathy contributes to effective patient–physician communication, improving patient trust, compliance, and satisfaction, being positively correlated with Openness, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness and Extraversion. Emotional intelligence—the capacity to respond to one’s own and others’ emotions—was proven to contribute, in a synergistic way with empathy, to increasing empathic ability. Clinical communication skills represent a key component in medical students in order to achieve the best patient care, and they are certainly related and/or influenced by empathy, interprofessional collaboration skills, emotional intelligence and, especially, personality traits. Taking into account the complex interactions mentioned above, the implementation of effective courses based on these concepts in medical students, intending to promote the development of clinical communication skills, represents a real emergency, since it might result in a reduction in medical errors and subsequent related deaths. A thorough understanding of students’ personality is mandatory before designing these courses in order to provide a training tailored to their personality styles.

Impact of interprofessional education on the teaching and learning of higher education students: A systematic review

AIM

This systematic review was to explore the potentialities and limitations of Interprofessional Education (IPE), from the perspective of undergraduate students.

BACKGROUND

The increasing complexity in health increasingly demand professionals with the capacity to act in the face of new global challenges. Thus, this pedagogical approach presents itself as one of the most promising choices in facing these new obstacles.

DESIGN

A synthesis of quantitative studies and mixed methods.

METHODS

Studies involving quantitative analyzes were included, with no restriction on the date of publication and language. The search strategy was carried out in the electronic databases: PubMed, Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences (LILACS), Cochrane Library and Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO). In addition, searches were carried out in gray literature on the ERIC platforms (ProQuest), ProQuest Disserts and Theses Full text and Academic Google. The assessment of the quality of the studies was carried out using the instrument by Downs and Black. The risks of bias in the studies were examined with the aid of the adapted version of the Cochrane Collaboration tool, with the domains of the Downs and Black instrument.

RESULTS

After standardized filter procedures, critical summaries and assessment of relevance to the eligibility criteria, 11 articles were included. The results showed that most students have a positive perception of IPE, with different factors influencing this research finding. The need to develop more robust assessment instruments is highlighted, in view of the insufficiency of tools with sufficient methodological rigor to measure real changes in attitudes among different groups of students.

CONCLUSION

More consistent research is needed, which assesses, in a longitudinal way, the effects that the IPE has on the teaching and learning of undergraduate students and its impact after professional training.

Factors associated with self-directed learning among undergraduate nursing students: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Self-directed learning (SDL) is encouraged in professional education because it nurtures students' self-motivation and promotes accountability to their own learning. SDL is crucial to fostering collaborative skills for multi-disciplinary practice in today's healthcare settings.

OBJECTIVE

To identify factors associated with SDL ability among undergraduate nursing students.

DESIGN

A systematic review was conducted.

METHODS

The PICO (population, intervention, comparison and outcomes) strategy was used as a guide. Searches were done of studies published between May 2010 and April 2020 via MEDLINE, CINAHL, and EMBASE, as well as print. Screening, selection, and data extraction were performed by two independent reviewers. All discrepancies were resolved through discussion or by consulting a third reviewer.

RESULT

A total of 18 of 1576 articles were selected based on the PRISMA process. The methodological quality of all included studies was mostly moderate. Factors associated with SDL were identified from both quantitative and qualitative evidence. Upon the integration of all evidence, the results showed that SDL is developed with the interaction environmental influence (types of study programmes, study years, and teaching-learning strategies) and personal influence [personal characteristics (age and gender) and learning attributes (problem-solving ability, self-efficacy, learning attitude and learning interest). Strategies employing individual study and small group learning with adequate support by educators exert a great deal of positive effect on SDL improvement.

CONCLUSION

All identified factors improve students' SDL. The results of the review revealed SDL development with the interaction of environmental/situation influence and personal influence. Nurse educators should be more aware of the effects of these factors on SDL development during different stages of study. Strategies with independent learning and small group learning are effective to enhance students' learning attributes. Importantly, continuous support and guidance provided by educators is crucial to achieve students' SDL enhancement for lifelong learning during study.

Medical Students' Personalities: A Critical Factor for Doctor-Patient Communication

The aim of this study was to assess the level of creativity and personality traits and their mutual influence on medical students using the DECAS and BWAS. We performed a prospective descriptive study on 119 medical students from Târgu Mureș, Romania between November 2020 and July 2021, who answered questions relating to the BWAS and DECAS scales to evaluate their creativity and personality traits. Our findings pointed out a reverse correlation between age and both the original and revised BWAS (r = -0.2037, p = 0.0263; r = -0.1931, p = 0.0354). In terms of extraversion, we found a significant positive correlation for both openness (r = 0.3032, p = 0.0008) and emotional stability (r = 0.2868, p = 0.0016) and a negative correlation between extraversion and agreeability (r = -0.2394, p = 0.0087). Regarding creativity, we found positive correlations between emotional stability and both the original and revised BWAS (r = 0.20, p = 0.0279; r = 0.20, p = 0.0245). Medical students' creativity might be positively influenced by emotional stability and seems to decrease with age. Higher extraversion scores could be related to increased openness and emotional stability as well as decreased agreeability.

Perception of the Online Learning Environment of Nursing Students in Slovenia: Validation of the DREEM Questionnaire

At the time of the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, several measures were in place to limit the spread of the virus, such as lockdown and restriction of social contacts. Many colleges thus had to shift their education from personal to online form overnight. The educational environment itself has a significant influence on students’ learning outcomes, knowledge, and satisfaction. This study aims to validate the tool for assessing the educational environment in the Slovenian nursing student population. To assess the educational environment, we used the DREEM tool distributed among nursing students using an online platform. First, we translated the survey questionnaire from English into Slovenian using the reverse translation technique. We also validated the DREEM survey questionnaire. We performed psychometric testing and content validation. I-CVI and S-CVI are at an acceptable level. A high degree of internal consistency was present, as Cronbach’s alpha was 0.951. The questionnaire was completed by 174 participants, of whom 30 were men and 143 were women. One person did not define gender. The mean age of students was 21.1 years (SD = 3.96). The mean DREEM score was 122.2. The mean grade of student perception of learning was 58.54%, student perception of teachers was 65.68%, student academic self-perception was 61.88%, student perception of the atmosphere was 60.63%, and social self-perception of students was 58.93%. Although coronavirus has affected the educational process, students still perceive the educational environment as positive. Nevertheless, there is still room for improvement in all assessed areas.

The role of gender, profession and informational role self-efficacy in physician-nurse knowledge sharing and decision-making

While gender and professional status influence how decisions are made, the role played by health care professionals' informational role self-efficacy appears as a central construct fostering participation in decision-making. The goal of this study is to contribute to a better understanding of how gender and profession affect the role of self-efficacy in sharing expertise and decision-making. Validated questionnaires were answered by a cross-sectional sample of 108 physicians and nurses working in mental health care teams. A moderated mediation analysis was performed. Results reveal that the impact of sharing knowledge on informational role self-efficacy is negative for nurses. Being a nurse negatively affects the relation between informational role self-efficacy and participating in decision-making. Informational role self-efficacy is also a strong positive predictor of participation in decision-making for male physicians but less so for female physicians.

Facilitating Interprofessional Education in an Online Environment during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mixed Method Study

With the COVID-19 crisis and rapid increase in cases, the need for interprofessional education (IPE) and collaborative practice is more important than ever. Instructors and health professionals are exploring innovative methods to deliver IPE programs in online education This paper presents a mixed methods study where an interprofessional education program was delivered/taught using online instruction. Using a survey/questionnaire adapted from the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) and qualitative discussions, students' readiness towards online IPE program and the importance of such preparation was examined. Out of two hundred fifteen students who completed the IPE program, one hundred eighty five students from clinical and non-clinical health disciplines responded to the questionnaire (86.04% response rate). Additional qualitative content analysis was conducted on a total of seven hundred and thirty six online discussions. Data analysis across all the four subscales of RIPLS suggests that students felt positively about teamwork and collaboration, and valued opportunities for shared learning with other healthcare students. Qualitative data analysis demonstrated that IPE increases awareness of team members' roles, enhances communication and collaboration and can lead to better care for COVID-19 patients.

Interprofessional collaboration among sport science and sports medicine professionals: an international cross-sectional survey

As in other areas of healthcare, the quality of patient care in the field of sport science and sports medicine (SSSM) could benefit from interprofessional collaboration between the professions involved. As a prerequisite, healthcare providers in the SSSM field should be equipped with positive attitudes and perceptions toward interprofessional collaboration (IPC) and interprofessional education (IPE), however detailed investigations are lacking. This study aimed to collect and compare socio-demographic data as well as interprofessional attitudes of SSSM professionals from an international perspective. Subjects were invited via professional SSSM organizations, personal networks and social media to participate in a cross-sectional online survey. Three-hundred and twenty complete datasets of SSSM professionals from the regions USA (n = 83), Canada (n = 179) and Europe (n = 58) were evaluated. In this survey, socio-demographic data as well as attitudes toward IPC and IPE using the 4 subscales of the University of West of England interprofessional Questionnaire (UWE-IP) were collected and analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics. In the socio-demographic data, there was a diversity of participants representing different regional healthcare, sports and educational framing conditions. On average, in all regions clear positive attitudes were shown in the UWE-IP subscales communication & teamwork, interprofessional learning and interprofessional relationship, whereas in the subscale interprofessional interaction negative perceptions were observed on average across all regions. Significant effects of participants' demographic variables region, age and gender on some of the subscales were detected. Practitioners in the SSSM field have a high willingness and a beneficial preparedness for IPC and IPE, however, the framing conditions and the systems the respondents surveyed are working in do not support IPC. Interprofessional settings in learning and in workplace (e.g., theme-centred workshops, patient-centred case studies, health promotion activities) may help to improve interprofessional interactions in SSSM.

Perspectives of Healthcare Professionals Toward Interprofessional Collaboration in Primary Care Settings in a Middle Eastern Country

Background

Primary healthcare (PHC) setting is regarded as a central pillar to the healthcare system as it tends to be the first point of contact for patients. Interprofessional collaboration between healthcare professionals (HCP) in PHC settings remains unexplored in the Middle East.

Aim

The objective of this study was to explore the perspectives of HCP in PHC centers towards interprofessional collaboration and to identify the facilitators and the barriers to collaborative practice.

Methods

A cross-sectional, web- and paper-based survey involving HCP in PHC centers was conducted in Qatar. Descriptive statistics as well as Student's t-test and One Way ANOVA test were performed to determine statistical differences in Readiness for Interprofessional Learning (RIPLs) scores between demographic groups.

Results

Overall, 1415 participants out of a potential 2500 HCP practicing in Qatar completed the survey (response rate, 56.6%). HCP generally indicated a positive attitude and readiness towards interprofessional collaboration. Furthermore, physicians had slightly more positive readiness towards understanding their professional identity than other healthcare professionals. Participants with previous interprofessional collaboration or interprofessional education experiences exhibited greater, but non-significant positive attitudes toward interprofessional collaboration compared to those without previous experiences. Identified barriers and facilitators included are conceptual rather than structural. Facilitating factors included HCP readiness and perceived benefit of interprofessional collaboration effectiveness in the work setting, increased professional satisfaction, respect between healthcare professions, appreciation of others' contribution, leadership, and institutional support. Top perceived barriers included leadership and support, time commitment, and resources constraints.

Conclusion

HCP in PHC settings have demonstrated the willingness and readiness to engage in interprofessional collaboration. Recent reforms within the PHC setting consist of promoting interprofessional teams and collaborative culture. However, it is imperative to provide training and education to foster and support interprofessional collaborative practices.

Perception of interprofessional education and educational needs of students in South Korea: A comparative study

Due to the recent emphasis on the importance of interprofessional education (IPE) in healthcare fields, interest in IPE introduction is increasing in South Korea. The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in perceptions of medical, nursing, and pharmacy students regarding IPE. Also, the study aimed at identifying the priority rankings of educational needs by analyzing the differences between students’ perceptions of the importance level and the present level for each interprofessional competency. A cross-sectional study was carried out using a survey. A total of 1,500 questionnaires were distributed, of which 1,084 were returned (response rate, 72.3%). The participants were 559 medical, 393 nursing, and 96 pharmacy students. The questionnaire comprised items on the students’ perception of IPE and their interprofessional competency. The questionnaire comprised 12 items on their IPE perception and 9 items on their interprofessional competency. These items were developed by examining the content validity by medical educational specialists and conducting a factor analysis for verification. Data were analyzed using the t-test and ANOVA, and Borich’s formula was used to calculate the rank of educational needs.89.6% did not know the meaning of IPE. The difference in students’ perception of IPE was not significant by grade. Further, the level of IPE perception was higher for female than male students and for students who knew the meaning of IPE than those who did not. The nursing students’ perception of the importance, preference, and effectiveness of IPE was the highest, whereas medical students’ perception was the lowest. All students perceived their present level to be lower than the importance level for each interprofessional competency. Interprofessional communication skills (6.791) were highly necessary for students. These results will serve as baseline information for developing IPE programs in South Korea.

Personality and learning styles in relation to attitudes towards interprofessional education: a cross-sectional study on undergraduate medical students during their clinical courses

BACKGROUND

Interprofessional Education (IPE) is now included in curricula in universities worldwide. It is known that there are differences in attitudes towards IPE among students, but less is known regarding how students' personalities and learnings styles correspond with those attitudes. The aim of this study was to investigate whether personality traits and learning styles have any impact on medical students' attitudes towards IPE.

METHODS

Seventy nine medical students in their 9th term (63% females, mean age 29 years) were questioned regarding their attitudes towards IPE according to the Interdisciplinary Education Perception Scale questionnaire, the Kolb's learning style and Big Five Inventory questionnaires. For all three instruments we used the Swedish translated versions.

RESULTS

When investigated with a logistic regression, adjusting for age and gender, there were no significant associations between Big Five inventory, Kolb's learning style and IEPS, except for the Reflective-Pragmatic learning style that was moderately associated with a higher IEPS score.

CONCLUSION

There was no clear correlation between personality, learning style and attitude towards IPE as measured by the IEPS among medical students in our study population. Further investigations would benefit from a combination of qualitative and quantitative design.

Attitudes of medical students towards interprofessional education: A mixed-methods study

BACKGROUND

Interprofessional Education (IPE) aims to improve students' attitudes towards collaboration, teamwork, and leads to improved patient care upon graduation. However, the best time to introduce IPE into the undergraduate curriculum is still under debate.

METHODS

We used a mixed-methods design based on a sequential explanatory model. Medical students from all six years at the University of Bern, Switzerland (n = 683) completed an online survey about attitudes towards interprofessional learning using a scale validated for German speakers (G-IPAS). Thirty-one medical students participated in nine semi-structured interviews focusing on their experience in interprofessional learning and on the possible impact it might have on their professional development.

RESULTS

Women showed better attitudes in the G-IPAS across all years (p = 0,007). Pre-clinical students showed more positive attitudes towards IPE [Year 1 to Year 3 (p = 0.011)]. Students correctly defined IPE and its core dimensions. They appealed for more organized IPE interventions throughout the curriculum. Students also acknowledged the relevance of IPE for their future professional performance.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings support an early introduction of IPE into the medical curriculum. Although students realise that interprofessional learning is fundamental to high-quality patient care, there are still obstacles and stereotypes to overcome.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ISRCTN 41715934.

Are Filipino students ready to collaborate? Comparing the readiness of healthcare students for interprofessional education in the Philippines

The inclusion of interprofessional education in healthcare curricula in the Philippines has paved the way for the researchers to examine students' readiness to learn with, about, and from one another to foster collaboration in providing quality patient care. In view of this, we examined the differential attitude of 423 Filipino students to get involved in interprofessional learning using the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale. Using multivariate analysis of variance, we found differences across gender, program, and year level among students from medical technology, pharmacy, physical therapy and occupational therapy in terms of teamwork and collaboration, negative professional identity, positive professional identity, and roles and responsibilities. These differences can inform the development of an intervention program to elicit a favorable attitude toward interprofessional collaboration. Theoretical, methodological, and practical implications of the findings are discussed.

Establishing a baseline of interprofessional education perceptions in first year health science students

Interprofessional education (IPE) is increasingly utilized to prepare students for their future careers in the health sciences as collaborative practitioners. Although it is considered an accreditation requirement in most health science disciplines, little is known about first year student's perceptions of IPE in Canada. In September of 2018, students from dentistry, kinesiology, medicine, nursing, nutrition, pharmacy, and physiotherapy in their first year of their professional program at the University of Saskatchewan were surveyed to obtain a baseline of perspectives and attitudes toward IPE. The survey consisted of an adaptation of the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) and additional questions to assess students' skills and interest in IPE. Descriptive and univariate statistics were used to determine associations with demographic variables. The response rate was 88% (n= 509). Health science students in all disciplines had positive perceptions of IPE, with overall mean RIPLS scores for domain 1 (teamwork and collaboration), 2 (professional identity), and 3 (roles and responsibilities) of 40.5/45, 33.3/40 and 6.3/10, respectively. Students in kinesiology had significantly lower RIPLS scores than other health science disciplines (p< .05). Female gender, and having a past degree, or previous experience with interprofessional collaboration through school or work were traits that were associated with statistically significantly higher RIPLS scores (p< .05).

Development of a CanMEDS-based instrument for evaluating medical students' perceptions of the key competencies of a socially accountable healthcare practitioner

INTRODUCTION

Numerous frameworks and tools have been developed to assist medical schools striving to achieve their social accountability mandate. The purpose of this study was to design an instrument to evaluate medical students' perceptions of the key competencies of a 'socially accountable' healthcare practitioner using widely accepted frameworks which contain clear measurable outcomes.

METHODS

The instrument was designed in three phases: selection of a competency-based framework, development of items, and validation of the instrument through exploratory factor analysis. Medical students in the 6‑year medical degree program at the University of Cape Town, South Africa were invited to participate in the study. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis was performed using Stata/SE version 13.1.

RESULTS

Of 619 students invited to participate in the study, 484 (78%) responded. The CanMEDS framework was selected for designing the instrument, which comprised 35 statements reflecting five competencies for each CanMEDS role. Exploratory factor analysis of the student responses yielded a 28-item instrument. There was a significant difference in overall Perceptions of Social Accountability Instrument (PSAI) scores between men and women (p = 0.002) but no significant difference between the overall PSAI scores for students in the respective years of study.

DISCUSSION

This study describes the design of an instrument to evaluate medical students' perceptions of the essential competencies of socially accountable healthcare practitioners. Used longitudinally, the data may provide evidence of the successes of our programs and identify areas where further improvements are required.

Medical students' ratings of the relevance and actual implementation of interprofessional education and preferences for teaching formats: comparison by gender and prior education

Objectives: Interprofessional education is becoming increasingly important for collaboration in patient care. In the national context, there are few empirical studies on the assessment of medical students as important stakeholders in their education. Method: Students (N=2,974) participated in a semester-wide online evaluation of the modular curriculum of medicine at the Charité Berlin. Socio-demographic data (including gender, completion of prior education/studies), assessments of the relevance and extent of interprofessional collaboration and preferences for interprofessional education in various teaching formats were collected. Results: In total, data from 1,019 students were included in the evaluation. The relevance of interprofessional collaboration was considered high by medical students. Female students rated the relevance higher than male students. The completion of pre-education (vocational training or study) had no additional influence. The actual implementation of interprofessional education was rated equally low by female and male students. Medical students rated patient-centred, interactive small group formats as particularly suitable for interprofessional education. There were no gender differences, but the effect was more pronounced among students with vocational training. Conclusion: The assessments of female and male students show a large difference between the perceived relevance and the actual implementation of interprofessional collaboration in the modular curriculum of medicine. This study provides an empirical basis for the actual implementation of interprofessional collaboration and students' views on suitable teaching formats for interprofessional education.

Assessment of nursing students perceptions of their training hospital's infection prevention climate: A multi-university study in Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND

The risk of acquiring and spreading infection must be minimized in nursing students because they are exposed to healthcare-associated infections during clinical training. To achieve this goal, students should be knowledgeable and competent in infection control practice before proceeding to their training hospitals.

OBJECTIVES

This study assessed the nursing students' perception of the infection prevention climate in training hospitals in Saudi Arabia. It also examined the predictors of the students' perceptions.

DESIGN

A quantitative, cross-sectional design was used.

METHODS

This investigation was part of a large study conducted in six Saudi universities. A total of 829 Saudi nursing students were included in this study. Data were collected using the Leading Culture of Quality in Infection Prevention scale and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Ethical approval was obtained from the King Saud University, and permission was given by the administration of each participating university.

RESULTS

The overall perception of nursing students indicated a modest infection prevention climate. Prioritization of quality and improvement orientation was rated as the highest dimensions, whereas psychological safety and supportive environment were the lowest. The nursing students in University F had the poorest perceptions among the six universities. The predictors of nursing student perception of their training hospitals' infection prevention climates were the university where they studied, their age, and participation in infection prevention seminars.

CONCLUSIONS

This article describes nursing students' perception of the infection prevention climate of their training hospitals in Saudi Arabia. Results may provide a unique theoretical underpinning on the perception and factors that effect an infection prevention climate. Thereby, previous knowledge and literature may be expanded. Results can be used as a guide in establishing clinical policies in efforts toward improving the infection prevention climate.

Which nursing students are more ready for interprofessional learning? A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

It has been argued that the significance of personality in relation to students' readiness for interprofessional collaboration is an area where more research is needed. Nursing students in particular seem to be unsure about their role in the interprofessional team.

OBJECTIVE

To explore associations between nursing students' readiness for interprofessional learning and personality traits with regard to biological sex, and previous work experience from health care.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional questionnaire study.

SETTING

Nursing students in year one and three enrolled in a three-year undergraduate bachelor in nursing programme.

PARTICIPANTS

Nursing students (n = 284) in semester two and six.

METHODS

The participants completed the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale and the Neuroticism, Extraversion, and Openness to experience Five Factor Inventory-3. The data were statistically analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-tests, correlations and linear regressions.

RESULTS

Four of the five investigated personality traits - Extraversion, Openness to experiences, Agreeableness and Conscientiousness - were associated with nursing students' readiness for interprofessional learning. Moreover, nursing students in semester six were more ready for interprofessional learning regarding Negative professional identity and Roles and responsibilities than students in semester two. Female students were more ready for Teamwork and collaboration than male students.

CONCLUSIONS

Nursing students being more outgoing, open-minded, agreeable or conscientious seem to be more ready for interprofessional learning. Consequently, personality is of significance for nursing students' readiness for interprofessional learning.

A multi-university assessment of patient safety competence during clinical training among baccalaureate nursing students: A cross-sectional study

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To assess the perceived patient safety competence during clinical training of Saudi nursing students.

BACKGROUND

Ensuring safety in healthcare settings requires improvements in the educational and clinical practice of professionals. Experts stressed that shared patient safety culture must be of primary importance; they also emphasised the resolute need for theoretically driven research approaches for patient safety competence in healthcare organisations and educational institutions.

DESIGN

Descriptive, cross-sectional design.

METHODS

This study was conducted in six government universities in Saudi Arabia. A sample of 829 nursing students was surveyed using the health professional education in patient safety survey. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. The study adhered to the STROBE guideline for cross-sectional studies (See Supporting Information Appendix S1).

RESULTS

The percentage of agreement on the items of the health professional education in patient safety survey ranged from 61.5%-76.5%. The dimension "understanding human and environmental factors" received the highest perceived competence, whereas the dimension "working in teams" received the lowest competence. Significant differences in students' patient safety competence from different universities were reported. Male students perceived their competence in "working in teams" higher than the female students. Students in their internship year had significantly higher levels of competence in all the six dimensions of the health professional education in patient safety survey than students in the third- and fourth-year levels.

CONCLUSIONS

Saudi nursing students have positive perceptions towards their patient safety competencies. Significant differences were found in the patient safety competence of nursing students between universities, gender and year of study.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

The results provide valuable insights and guidance for improving the patient safety competence of nursing students. The findings can be used to guide the creation of policies and interventions that may ensure the continuous development of patient safety competence of nursing students as they navigate the clinical area.

Perspectives of pharmacy students in Qatar toward interprofessional education and collaborative practice: a mixed methods study

In an IPE environment, students are expected to have better understanding of the roles, responsibilities, and contribution of other health care professions to enhance interprofessional working and collaboration with an end result of improving patient-centred and team-based care. Although many studies have investigated students' attitudes, very few employ a mixed methods design and hardly are from Middle Eastern countries. A two-staged sequential explanatory mixed method design was used to comprehensively capture the perspectives of pharmacy students toward IPE and collaborative practice. A quantitative survey was conducted as the first stage of the study, followed by an in-depth discussion of these perspectives through a qualitative phase by conducting two focus groups. For the quantitative surveys, the overall response rate was 102/132 (77%) for pharmacy students in Qatar. This was followed by two focus groups with a total of 27 participants from senior and junior students. In exploring the qualitative data, three main themes were identified in relation to the pharmacy students' perspectives. These were on the pharmacy students' perception on the enablers (professional related benefits, patient-related benefits and current positive influences), barriers (previous IPE experiences, educational related issues and current working practices and processes), and recommendations to implementing IPE and collaborative practice (future IPE and pharmacy profession).Overall, the results demonstrate a strong readiness and positive perception by pharmacy students toward IPE and collaborative practice. This study has highlighted different dimensions in pharmacy students' perceptions. It also provided a useful insight into the readiness of pharmacy students in a Middle Eastern university. Students are seeking more IPE experiences formally incorporated into their curriculum and hence educators should capitalise on these positive and enthusiastic attitudes to identify the most effective means for delivering IPE and inform curricula planning. Collaborative practice-ready graduates will produce better-educated professionals delivering higher quality care.

Interprofessional education and collaborative practice: Psychometric analysis of the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale in undergraduate Serbian healthcare student context

BACKGROUND

There is an implicit expectation for medical sciences students to work together effectively as members of health-care team, and interprofessional education is therefore widely accepted. Students' attitudes, which are affected by various factors, have been recognized as the most important predictors of successful implementation of interprofessional education with the aim of developing collaborative practice. The Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale has often been used in studies to measure these perspectives.

OBJECTIVES

To describe the psychometric properties of the Serbian cross-culturally adapted version of the original Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale, to assess the attitudes of undergraduate health science students towards interprofessional education and to evaluate whether a professional group and student characteristics have influence on attitudes towards collaborative practice and shared learning.

DESIGN

A descriptive/analytical and comparative cross-sectional study.

SETTINGS

Faculty of Medicine in Serbia.

PARTICIPANTS

Nursing and medical students after completed first clinical rotations (n = 257).

METHODS

The Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale for assessing attitudes among students towards interprofessional learning, Professional Identity Questionnaire for Nursing Students for assessing professional identity in nursing students, Professional Nursing Image Survey for assessing attitudes of medical students towards the nursing profession, as well as a socio-demographic questionnaire were the instruments used in this research study. The data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics.

RESULTS

Exploratory factor analysis on 19 items revealed two-factors accounting for 51.1% of the total variance with the internal reliability α = 0.90. The mean total score of the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale was 73.5 (SD = 11.5) indicating that students are ready for interprofessional learning. Nursing students, female students; students in their first years of studies, and those with previously completed education in the field of health care, have been more ready for interprofessional learning and collaborative practice. In the multiple linear regression analysis, gender and assessing professional nursing skills and abilities were significant predictors of medical students' readiness for interprofessional learning, whereas professional identity was for nursing students.

CONCLUSION

The Serbian version of the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale has proven to be reliable and valid for the "teamwork, collaboration and shared learning" subscale, while the "role and responsibilities" subscale showed lower stability. The results of this study revealed positive students' attitudes towards interprofessional learning, which is important for Serbia, as a candidate country for European Union membership, and thus making our educational system more inclusive for joining the European Higher Education Area.

Promoting interprofessional learning and enhancing the pre-registration student experience through reciprocal cross professional peer tutoring

BACKGROUND

To improve collaboration and the quality of care, healthcare programmes are increasingly promoting interprofessional education thereby enabling students to learn with, from and about each other. A reciprocal peer learning model has developed among pre-registration physiotherapy and adult nursing students at Plymouth University, England. Embedded within the curriculum, it provides voluntary opportunities for year two students to become cross professional peer tutors to year one students while enhancing interprofessional understanding and skills acquisition.

AIM

To explore participant experiences of two cross professional peer tutored clinical skills workshops delivered to a cohort of nursing (n = 67) and physiotherapy (n = 53) students in 2015.

DESIGN

A mixed methods approach generated qualitative and quantitative data. Qualitative data was gathered via focus groups and individual interviews of peer tutors and learners (n = 27). These were recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed. The Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale questionnaire (n = 84) was completed before and after the workshops to consider any influence on students' attitudes towards interprofessional learning.

RESULTS

Four themes evolved from thematic analysis; benefits of cross professional peer tutoring, interprofessional teamwork, quality of care and factors influencing the delivery of the workshops. Data showed students felt they developed greater understanding of interprofessional roles and acquired new skills. Peer tutors developed confidence in representing their profession while appearing to inspire early stage students. The Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale questionnaire data identified very positive attitudes towards interprofessional learning among the majority of students in both cohorts before and after the workshop.

CONCLUSION

This study endorses the utility of enhancing the Higher Education experience by offering voluntary peer tutoring opportunities. Participating students build confidence in representing their profession, while potentially inspiring early stage students and supplementing interprofessional learning across a cohort.