Implementation and evaluation of an interprofessional simulation-based education program for undergraduate nursing students in operating room nursing education: a randomized controlled trial

Learning better together? A scoping review of in-person interprofessional undergraduate simulation

BACKGROUND

Given the increasing complexity of contemporary clinical practice, there has never been a more important time to provide interprofessional educational (IPE) activities across the learning continuum to develop collaborative practice. From the outset of health professional training, it is crucial that students not only develop their own professional skills but also gain an awareness of the capabilities of other healthcare professionals and how best to work collaboratively. Despite simulation being a common teaching modality in many undergraduate curricula, little is known about the range of interprofessional activities within these settings. Therefore, this study aims to address the following research question: What is known about undergraduate in-person (IP) simulation-based education (SBE)?

METHODS

We conducted a scoping literature review, adhering to the PRISMA-ScR extension guidelines, and used the Arksey and O'Malley framework. Our search covered three electronic databases: Web of Science (WOS), MEDLINE, and Embase. We utilised Covidence systematic review software to assist in screening articles. To support data charting, we developed a data extraction tool and employed both qualitative and quantitative techniques through numerical and thematic analysis to ensure a comprehensive representation of our data.

RESULTS

A total of 97 studies were included, with most publications originating from the USA, UK, and Australia. Two main themes emerged regarding the impact of IP SBE at an individual level: confidence and role identification. Several themes related to the impact on teams included knowledge of other professional roles/values, communication, and teamwork. The studies identified various barriers and enablers to simulation, particularly logistical barriers and financial challenges associated with complex technologically enabled simulation. Faculty collaboration and resources were reported as primary enablers in facilitating the delivery of simulation activities.

CONCLUSIONS

The impact of IP-SBE on learners and interprofessional teams is predominantly positive, with reported benefits including increased confidence, enhanced role identification, and improved communication and teamwork skills. However, challenges such as logistical barriers and resource constraints highlight the need for collaborative faculty efforts and adequate infrastructure to support IP-SBE implementation. Despite the growing interest in IP-SBE, there remains a notable lack of standardised reporting on simulation design and debriefing processes in both teaching practice and research.

"Challenges in the implementation of inter-professional education programs with clinical simulation for health care students: A scoping review"

INTRODUCTION

Interprofessional education in health professions was developed to address the challenges of teamwork in health-related issues as realistically as possible. Based on the available evidence, a comprehensive perspective is necessary to learn from experience.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the challenges associated with the implementation of interprofessional education based on clinical simulation for students in health science programs.

METHODOLOGY

A scoping review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology guidelines, with results reported using the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, between September and November 2023. Databases such as PUBMED, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Research Rabbit were consulted, using the keywords: "Interprofessional Education by Simulation," "Clinical Simulation in Interprofessional Education," and "Interprofessional Simulation and Implementation." Articles with qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches of any design that described the implementation of interprofessional education based on clinical simulation in health science programs were included. The time frame spanned from 2015 to 2023, and articles were selected in English, Spanish, French, or Portuguese.

RESULTS

A total of 409 articles were retrieved; after removing duplicates and applying inclusion criteria with critical reading, 23 studies were included: 10 with a quantitative approach, 11 with a qualitative approach, and 2 with a mixed methods approach. Four key challenges in the implementation of SIM-IPE were highlighted. These challenges included logistical aspects, the importance of faculty training, issues with understanding the roles of other health disciplines, and obstacles in program coordination. Achieving successful implementation involved efficiently managing resources, overcoming curricular and technical obstacles, preparing for interprofessional reflection sessions, and addressing logistical and planning challenges through collaboration between academic programs.

CONCLUSIONS

Four fundamental challenges were identified and analyzed, with a particular focus on logistical aspects, faculty training, interprofessional understanding, and program coordination.

What is the effect of different interprofessional education teaching strategies on healthcare professions students' interprofessional learning outcomes? A systematic narrative review

AIM

To explore different types of interprofessional education (IPE) teaching strategies used in pre-licensure interprofessional learning programmes and the effective components of these strategies in promoting student learning, IPE skills, behavioural change, organisational practice, or patient health outcomes.

BACKGROUND

IPE is rapidly becoming a core element of health professions preparation programmes worldwide, but the differential effects of different ways of delivering IPE are not well documented.

DESIGN

Systematic narrative review.

METHOD

Systematic searches were completed in four major biomedical databases from inception until 2023. The most dominant approach for each study was used to classify the studies. The standardised effect of different IPE interventions on healthcare professional students' interprofessional learning outcomes were extracted and compared.

RESULTS

Simulation was commonly used by IPE educators in undergraduate health education settings, changing participants' attitudes toward interprofessional learning. In addition, role-play, group discussion, and case studies showed significant benefits in improving communication and collaboration abilities. Based on the component analysis of the included 24 studies, IPE developers were recommended to consider key elements in designing effective education interventions, including a specific teaching setting, a well-designed strategy, an appropriate guiding theory, and suitable educational outcomes which target the learning elements that the intervention was designed to affect.

CONCLUSION

The available data suggested that no single teaching strategy was superior in improving health students' interprofessional learning outcomes. Controlled intervention studies that randomise similar student populations to different IPE strategies are needed to improve understanding of their comparative effects on different learning outcomes.

A methodology to evaluate the effectiveness of interprofessional education strategies based on the Medical Research Council (MRC) framework among vocational healthcare students in China

Interprofessional education (IPE) is rapidly becoming a core element of health professions preparation programs worldwide, but the effectiveness of different IPE strategies and their impacts in different regions and populations remain unclear, especially in the vocational education setting. This article describes the overall research design including the development, testing and preliminary evaluation of the IPE education interventions for Chinese vocational healthcare students, following the procedure outlined in the UK Medical Research Council (MRC) framework for developing and implementing complex interventions in healthcare. The objective is to develop and adapt role-based IPE strategies and evaluate their feasibility and effectiveness on interprofessional competencies of vocational healthcare students in China, with nursing students being our focus.•This study adopts a mixed-methods approach to develop two IPE strategies related to role interaction (role-taking and role-playing) in comparison to one conventional IPE strategy (pure group discussion) and investigate the different effectiveness in vocational healthcare students' attitudes to IPE, perception of professional roles, and interprofessional collaborative competencies by three valid scales.•The study is divided into four stages: development, feasibility testing, evaluation and final experimental verification.•This study helps provide scientific and appropriate IPE strategies for vocational healthcare educators, so as to improve the interprofessional learning and collaborative ability of vocational healthcare students.

Exploring perception and attitude of nursing students towards interprofessional education in Saudi Arabia

INTRODUCTION

Interprofessional education is a process designed to facilitate knowledge exchange between healthcare professionals with the aim of improving learning, collaboration, and patient care. It helsps students gain a better understanding of communication, teamwork, and each profession's role. This study aims to examine Saudi undergraduate nursing students' attitudes and readiness for engagement in high-fidelity simulation interprofessional education and practice after training nurse educators in HFS.

METHODOLOGY

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 311 nursing students. The process of sampling was done by convenience and was not probabilistic. Participants were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire. The survey included demographic information as well as the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale.

RESULTS

There was a positive attitude toward Interprofessional education among nursing students and a reasonable level of readiness. The Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale score was significantly associated with academic years (p ≤ 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Nursing students have a positive attitude towards interprofessional education and are willing to engage in high-fidelity simulation activities. The integration of high-fidelity simulation in interprofessional education can significantly benefit nursing students by enhancing their clinical skills, decision-making abilities, and teamwork dynamics in a controlled environment.

Essential Elements of Preregistration Nursing Interprofessional Simulation Training

BACKGROUND

Internationally, interprofessional simulation (IPS) training increasingly is being included in nursing curricula. This systematic review examined the elements of IPS training that prepare nursing students for clinical practice.

METHOD

Five databases (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature [CINAHL], ProQuest, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar) were searched for articles published from 2000 through 2020. Search terms included interprofessional, interdisciplinary, collaboration, collaborative care, teamwork, undergraduate nursing, and simulation. Thematic analysis of included studies was conducted using Braun and Clarke's (2006) six-phase approach.

RESULTS

Twenty-one studies were included. Five key themes emerged: (1) foster safe learning spaces, (2) realism matters, (3) effective debriefing is essential, (4) communication and teamwork increase patient safety, and (5) learning about scopes of practice and roles enables better care.

CONCLUSION

IPS training provides nursing students with learning opportunities that can fundamentally shape their capacity to work effectively in interprofessional and multi-disciplinary settings. [J Nurs Educ. 2023;62(1):28-35.].

Effectiveness of interprofessional simulation-based education programs to improve teamwork and communication for students in the healthcare profession: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND

Factors, such as the dynamic and variable structure of healthcare services, the introduction of new care models and technological developments, and requirements for patient safety, quality, and accreditation, require new content, goals, and models in the education and practice of health disciplines. Curriculum studies should be planned by today's requirements and competencies to be gained in interprofessional simulation-based education.

OBJECTIVES

This systematic review and meta-analysis study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of interprofessional simulation-based education programs for improving teamwork and communication among students in the healthcare profession.

METHODS

In this study, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Springer Link, Science Direct, Ovid, PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest, EBSCOhost/CINAHL Complete, and MEDLINE databases were searched without year limitations until April 2022. Two independent researchers reviewed the studies and analyzed the data. Two researchers evaluated the methodological quality of the studies using the Cochrane Collaboration tool (RoB 2.0). This study was prepared in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) statement. Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) 3 software was used for meta-analysis.

RESULTS

Eight randomized controlled trials conducted with 819 participants were included in this study. The evaluation of meta-analysis data showed that interprofessional simulation-based education programs significantly improved teamwork (Hedge's g = 0.41, p < 0.001, 95 % CI = 0.25 to 0.56) and communication (Hedge's g = 0.54, p < 0.001, 95 % CI = 0.26 to 0.82). The results of the sensitivity analysis showed that teamwork and communication were stable.

CONCLUSION

Interprofessional simulation-based education programs seem to be an appropriate method for improving teamwork and communication among healthcare students. In the future, it is thought that there is a need to individualize interprofessional simulation-based education programs based on cultural differences and socio-demographic characteristics of healthcare students and to plan studies that examine long-term results.

REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42022325514 (PROSPERO).

In-service training programme for health and social care workers in the Philippines to strengthen interprofessional collaboration in caring for older adults: a mixed-methods study

BACKGROUND

A growing number of older adults require complex care, but coordination among professionals to provide comprehensive and high-quality care is perceived to be inadequate. Opportunities to gain the knowledge and skills important for interprofessional collaboration in the context of geriatric care are limited, particularly for those already in the workforce. A short-term training programme in interprofessional collaboration for health and social care workers in the Philippines was designed and pilot tested. The programme was devised following a review of the literature about geriatric care education and group interviews about training needs. The objectives of this paper are to introduce the training programme and to evaluate its influence on attitudes and readiness to collaborate among participants using both quantitative and qualitative methodologies.

METHODS

A total of 42 community health workers and 40 health institution workers participated in the training in July 2019. Quantitative indicators were used to evaluate attitudes towards and readiness for collaboration before and after the training. Content analysis was performed of responses to open-ended questions asking participants to evaluate the training. A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was applied to determine the patterns of similarities or differences between the quantitative and qualitative data.

RESULTS

Significant improvements were seen in scores on the Attitudes Towards Health Care Teams Scale among community health (P < 0.001) and health institution (P < 0.001) staff after the training. Scenario-based case studies allowed participants to work in groups to practise collaboration across professional and institutional boundaries; the case studies fostered greater collaboration and continuity of care. Exposure to other professionals during the training led to a deeper understanding of current practices among health and social care workers. Use of the scenario-based case studies followed by task-based discussion in groups was successful in engaging care professionals to provide patient-centred care.

CONCLUSIONS

This pilot test of in-service training in interprofessional collaboration in geriatric care improved community and health institution workers' attitudes towards such collaboration. A 3-day training attended by health and social care workers from diverse healthcare settings resulted in recommendations to enhance collaboration when caring for older adults in their current work settings.

Perioperative nursing education in Brazil: reviewing the past to survive the future

OBJECTIVES

to summarize historical aspects related to perioperative nursing education in Brazil and to outline future perspectives.

METHODS

a descriptive-reflexive essay about the historical process of Brazilian perioperative teaching at undergraduate and graduate levels.

RESULTS

the reflection addresses the historical axes of perioperative nursing, teaching perioperative nursing, curriculum changes, graduate studies and relationship with the perioperative period and trends in perioperative nursing education. Curriculum changes reduced time available for teaching and learning, with a focus on the perioperative period, and diluted contents of surgical nursing in other subjects, which could cause irreversible losses for generalist nurses' training.

FINAL CONSIDERATIONS

when reviewing historical aspects of national nursing curricula, it was found that the nomenclature perioperative nursing was never used in the curriculum, however, the surgical area has always been contemplated in undergraduate and graduate studies. Future trends indicate the need to integrate themes and prepare professionals with perspectives focused on global health and technology.

Analysis of the Effect of Holistic Nursing in the Operating Room Based on PDCA and Evidence-Based Nursing in the Otorhinolaryngology Operating Room: Based on a Retrospective Case-Control Study

Objective

Based on a retrospective case-control study, this study aims to explore the effect of holistic nursing in operating room based on PDCA (plan, do, check, and action) process and evidence-based nursing (EBN) in a ear, nose, and throat operating room.

Methods

About 200 patients who underwent otorhinolaryngology surgery in our hospital from January 2019 to September 2021 were enrolled. According to the difference of nursing mode, patients were assigned into a control group and study group; holistic nursing in operating room was included in control group, and holistic nursing in the operating room based on PDCA and EBN was included in study group. Nursing satisfaction, hypothermia, chills, restlessness, related indexes of operating room, nursing quality scores of operating room, and individual quality control scores were compared.

Results

First of all, we compared the nursing satisfaction, the study group was very satisfied in 69 cases, satisfactory in 30 cases, general in 1 case, the satisfaction rate was 100.00%, while in the control group, 46 cases were very satisfied, 34 cases were satisfied, 13 cases were general, and 7 cases were dissatisfied, the satisfaction rate was 93.00%. The nursing satisfaction of the study group was higher compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Second, we compared the incidence of hypothermia, chills and restlessness. The incidence of hypothermia, chills, and restlessness in the study group was lower compared to the control group (P < 0.05). The time of tracheal tube extubation, PACU stay time, postoperative hospitalization time, hospitalization cost, and operation time in the study group was significantly lower compared to the control group (P < 0.05). In terms of the scores of nursing quality in the operating room, the instruments and equipment management, equipment preparation, nurses' cooperation skills, disinfection and isolation quality, and total score in the study group were higher compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Finally, we compared the scores of individual quality control examination. The scores of ward management, rescue, therapeutic articles, drug management, first-level nursing, nursing documents, and head nurse management in the study group were higher compared to the control group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Incorporating the concepts of PDCA and EBN into the overall care of the operating theatre is effective for patients in the ENT operating theatre. Our results show that this care can be effective in improving patients' surgical indicators, reducing the incidence of postoperative infections, shortening postoperative resuscitation and length of stay, reducing hospital costs, and promoting surgical patient satisfaction. While further multicenter studies are necessary, this series of nursing interventions remains worthy of replication in the clinical setting.

Educação em enfermagem perioperatória no Brasil: rever o passado para sobreviver ao futuro

RESUMO Objetivos: sumarizar aspectos históricos relacionados ao ensino de enfermagem perioperatória no Brasil e traçar perspectivas futuras. Métodos: trata-se de um ensaio descritivo-reflexivo acerca do processo histórico do ensino perioperatório brasileiro no âmbito da graduação e pós-graduação. Resultados: a reflexão aborda os eixos histórico da enfermagem perioperatória, ensino da enfermagem perioperatória, mudanças curriculares, pós-graduação e relação com o perioperatório e tendências do ensino de enfermagem perioperatória. Alterações curriculares reduziram o tempo disponível de ensino-aprendizagem, com enfoque no perioperatório, e diluíram os conteúdos de enfermagem cirúrgica em outras disciplinas, podendo causar perdas irreversíveis para a formação de enfermeiros generalistas. Considerações Finais: ao rever aspectos históricos dos currículos nacionais da enfermagem, constatou-se que a nomenclatura enfermagem perioperatória nunca foi utilizada nos currículos, contudo a área cirúrgica sempre foi contemplada na graduação e pós-graduação. Tendências futuras assinalam a necessidade de integrar temáticas e preparar profissionais com perspectivas direcionadas à saúde mundial e tecnologia.

Improving Community Health Workers' Attitudes toward Collaborative Practice in the Care of Older Adults: An In-Service Training Intervention Trial in the Philippines

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of an in-service, short-term training program in improving the attitudes toward, and readiness and activities for collaboration among community health workers (CHWs) in a primary care setting in the Philippines. A randomized controlled trial was adopted dividing participants into an intervention (n = 42) and a control group (n = 39). Attitudes toward, and readiness and activities for collaboration were measured using three standardized scales before and at 6 months after the training. A significant difference (p < 0.001) was observed in the Attitudes Toward Health Care Teams Scale (ATHCTS) scores between pre- and post-test in the intervention (6.3 ± 8.3 [Mean ± SD]) and control groups (0.7 ± 8.2). Multivariate linear regression analysis showed an independent positive association between the intervention and greater improvement in the ATHCTS score (Coefficient β = 6.17; 95% CI = 0.82, 11.53; p = 0.03) at follow-up, after adjustment for age, years in current occupation, and social support role of participants. The results demonstrated the efficacy of the intervention for improving the attitudes of CHWs toward collaborative practice in the care of older adults.

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

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

Nursing Students' Experiences Related to Operating Room Practice: A Qualitative Study

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of nursing students concerning operating room (OR) practice.

DESIGN

A qualitative design was used in this study.

METHODS

Data were collected from second-year nursing students using the semistructured interview form including open-ended questions about their OR experiences. Perspectives of phenomenological approach including existentials of lived body, lived relations, lived space, and lived time were used in data analysis.

FINDINGS

The study data regarding experiences of nursing students concerning OR practice were organized under three themes, namely, "OR environment," "emotions," and "career plans after graduation." Nine subthemes emerged: educational experience, teamwork, and communication, excitement, enjoyment, anxiety, fear, different emotions, working as a surgical nurse, and working in departments other than OR.

CONCLUSIONS

In clinical environments, student nurses should be supported by staff and instructors to facilitate learning and create meaningful learning experiences.

Determining the effectiveness of an interprofessional educational intervention for teamwork competencies among nursing, physical therapy, and pharmacy students

Interprofessional education is recognized widely as an essential component to improving patient outcomes but little progress has been made toward understanding the impact of specific educational interventions on interprofessional competencies. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a case study exercise aimed at improving students' teamwork competencies. A pre and posttest design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of two approaches to an educational intervention. The treatment group combined nursing, physical therapy, and pharmacy students; the control group involved only nursing students. The Team Skills Scale (TSS) was used to measure interprofessional teamwork competencies and open-ended questions were used to elicit students' views. Mean pretest scores were similar for both the treatment and control groups. Following the intervention, posttest TSS scores were significantly higher for both the treatment group and control groups. However, posttest scores for the treatment group were significantly higher than the control group (mean score change 19.2 for treatment group versus 10.0 for control group), indicating that the face-to-face interaction between students of different professions had a greater impact. Themes that emerged from the open-ended questions support the quantitative findings, indicating that the intervention was useful for improving teamwork competencies.

Interprofessional collaborative team development in china: A grounded theory study

AIMS

To generate a theory of interprofessional collaborative team development in China.

BACKGROUND

Interprofessional collaborative practice is an important approach to improve the patient-centred care.

METHODS

Theoretical sampling was used to recruit individuals who had collaboration experiences. They each participated in face-to-face interviews lasting 40-60 min. Major categories describing the team development process for collaboration were extracted according to the grounded theory methodology.

FINDINGS

The interprofessional collaborative team development was guided by a common purpose-"patient-centredness." Three stages involved in team development were identified: exploration, integration and continuous adjustment. Various strategies described for each stage are required to move successfully through the process.

CONCLUSION

Interprofessional team development is a dynamic process with three primary stages. The culture in which a teamworks is reflected in each stage of team development and collaboration.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT

Understanding interprofessional collaborative team development and the strategies required will help nurse managers to better design interprofessional teamwork opportunities and provide necessary support to achieve the effective interprofessional collaborative practice.

Designing and Evaluating a Virtual Patient Simulation—The Journey from Uniprofessional to Interprofessional Learning

“Ready to Practice?”(R2P) is a virtual patient simulation designed for undergraduate medical and pharmacy students. After initial prototyping, R2P developed into a screen-based virtual patient (VP) simulation with an intuitive interface using photorealistic images of people and places with speech bubbles and decision menus. We describe the design of the VP, findings from student experiences with the software, and the potential of VPs for interprofessional learning. We used a mixed methods study to assess students’ perceptions of the VP as a learning tool. Qualitative data were gathered using semi-structured interviews and observations, and quantitative data through the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) and an evaluation questionnaire. Overall, participants showed significantly improved RIPLS scores after participation in the simulation (78.78 to 82.25, p < 0.0001), including in the Positive Professional Identify domain (p < 0.001). Students also showed significant improvement in RIPLS scores in the Teamwork and Collaboration domain when pharmacy and medical students were working together in interprofessional pairs (40.75 to 43.00, p < 0.006) but not when working alone (n.s.). Five themes emerged from interviews where participants identified specific interprofessional insights into each other’s roles and skills. Students found the VP engaging and valuable for their learning and their understanding of teamwork.

Interprofessional simulation in undergraduate nursing program: An integrative review

OBJECTIVES

Interprofessional (IP) competencies are critical for successful collaborative practice. Nurse education, through interprofessional simulation, plays a critical role in preparing nursing students achieve these competencies. Although considerable research has been conducted on this topic, a broader perspective is lacking. This review systematically appraised and synthesized evidence examining the effects of interprofessional simulation on nursing students' outcomes.

DESIGN

An integrative review method guided this review.

DATA SOURCES

Five databases (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, SCOPUS, PubMed, PsychINFO, and MEDLINE) were searched to locate articles published from 2010 onwards. Search and MeSH terms included: interprofessional, interdisciplinary, simulation, nurse education, nursing, and student. Thirty (30) articles were included in this review.

RESULTS

Findings of content analysis revealed five essential themes: interprofessional communication, appreciation of interprofessional team roles, interprofessional teamwork or collaboration, self-confidence or self-efficacy, and positive attitudes or readiness toward interprofessional learning.

CONCLUSIONS

This review provides a current state of knowledge on the efficacy of interprofessional simulation in enhancing interprofessional learning and competencies in nursing students. However, more research should be done utilizing a more robust method of research and reliable assessment methods. Through interprofessional simulation experiences, nurse academe can adequately prepare nursing students for future collaborative practice. Inclusions of interprofessional simulation activities in all clinical nursing courses can help prepare nursing students achieve inter-professional learning.

Implementation of an interprofessional team-based learning program involving seven undergraduate health and social care programs from two universities, and students' evaluation of their readiness for interprofessional learning

BACKGROUND

Interprofessional learning is gaining momentum in revolutionizing healthcare education. During the academic year 2015/16, seven undergraduate-entry health and social care programs from two universities in Hong Kong took part in an interprofessional education program. Based on considerations such as the large number of students involved and the need to incorporate adult learning principles, team-based learning was adopted as the pedagogy for the program, which was therefore called the interprofessional team-based learning program (IPTBL). The authors describe the development and implementation of the IPTBL program and evaluate the effectiveness of the program implementation.

METHODS

Eight hundred and one students, who are predominantly Chinese, participated in the IPTBL. The quantitative design (a pretest-posttest experimental design) was utilized to examine the students' gains on their readiness to engage in interprofessional education (IPE).

RESULTS

Three instructional units (IUs) were implemented, each around a clinical area which could engage students from complementary health and social care disciplines. Each IU followed a team-based learning (TBL) process: pre-class study, individual readiness assurance test, team readiness assurance test, appeal, feedback, and application exercise. An electronic platform was developed and was progressively introduced in the three IUs. The students' self-perceived attainment of the IPE learning outcomes was high. Across all four subscales of RIPLS, there was significant improvement in student's readiness to engage in interprofessional learning after the IPTBL. A number of challenges were identified: significant time involvement of the teachers, difficulty in matching students from different programs, difficulty in making IPTBL count towards a summative assessment score, difficulty in developing the LAMS platform, logistics difficulty in managing paper TBL, and inappropriateness of the venue.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite some challenges in developing and implementing the IPTBL program, our experience showed that TBL is a viable pedagogy to be used in interprofessional education involving hundreds of students. The significant improvement in all four subscales of RIPLS showed the effects of the IPTBL program in preparing students for collaborative practice. Factors that contributed to the success of the use of TBL for IPE are discussed.

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

BACKGROUND

The World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners identify interprofessional (IP) collaboration in education and practice as an innovative strategy that plays an important role in mitigating the global health workforce crisis. Evidence on the practice of global health level in interprofessional education (IPE) is scarce and hampered due to the absence of aggregate information. Therefore, this systematic review was conducted to examine the incidences of IPE and summarize the main features about the IPE programs in undergraduate and postgraduate education in developed and developing countries.

METHODS

The PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were searched from their inception to January 31, 2016 for relevant studies regarding the development of IPE worldwide, IPE undergraduate and postgraduate programs, IP interaction in health education, IPE content, clinical placements, and teaching methods. Countries in which a study was conducted were classified as developed and developing countries according to the definition by the United Nations (UN) in 2014.

RESULTS

A total of 65 studies from 41 countries met our inclusion criteria, including 45 studies from 25 developed countries and 20 studies from 16 developing countries. Compared with developing countries, developed countries had more IPE initiatives. IPE programs were mostly at the undergraduate level. Overall, the university was the most common academic institution that provided IPE programs. The contents of the curricula were mainly designed to provide IP knowledge, skills, and values that aimed at developing IP competencies. IPE clinical placements were typically based in hospitals, community settings, or both. The didactic and interactive teaching methods varied significantly within and across universities where they conducted IPE programs. Among all health care disciplines, nursing was the discipline that conducted most of the IPE programs.

CONCLUSION

This systematic review illustrated that the IPE programs vary substantially across countries. Many countries, especially the academic institutions are benefiting from the implementation of IPE programs. There is a need to strengthen health education policies at global level aiming at initiating IPE programs in relevant institutions.

Interprofessional Competency Toolkit for Internationally Educated Health Professionals: Evaluation and Pilot Testing

INTRODUCTION

Internationally Educated Health Professionals (IEHPs) constitute a major health care workforce in Canada. Interprofessional education is particularly important for IEHPs to integrate into the Canadian health care system. We designed an online interprofessional education curriculum for IEHPs. The curriculum is designed to cover the six interprofessional competency domains defined in the Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative National Interprofessional Competency Framework. In this article, we are presenting findings from the pilot testing of the curriculum with a cohort of IEHPs and educators.

METHODS

We conducted surveys and interviews with IEHPs and educators from four provinces (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba). We aimed to include seven healthcare professionals: licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, registered psychiatric nurses, pharmacists, physicians, occupational therapists, and physical therapists. We also used a pre- post- self-assessment tool and a set of reflective questions to measure the effectiveness of the curriculum.

RESULTS

Thirty IEHPs and five educators reviewed the online curriculum and participated in this evaluation. Postintervention confidence scores for all items under the role clarification and patient-centered care domains increased significantly (P = <0.01) after module completion. The scores also increased for most questions in team functioning, collaborative leadership, and communication domains. The postassessment scores increased for only half of the questions in conflict management domains. Participants agreed with the appropriateness of the content in terms of language, scenarios, and cultural aspects covered in the online curriculum on interprofessional education.

DISCUSSION

The content of the curriculum improved IEHPs' understanding of interprofessional collaboration in Canada. The interprofessional curriculum is a creative and useful resource to improve collaborative practice among internationally educated health professionals in Canada.

A pilot program to improve nursing and surgical intern collaboration: Lessons learned from a mixed-methods study

BACKGROUND

Inter-professional collaboration is an integral component of a successful healthcare team. We sought to evaluate the impact of nursing student participation in a one-day intensive inter-professional education (IPE) training session with surgical interns on participant attitudes toward inter-professional collaboration.

METHODS

Following IRB approval, pre and post IPE session survey responses were compared to determine the impact on participant attitudes toward inter-professional collaboration. Pre and post session semi-structured interviews were transcribed and analyzed to identify relevant themes.

RESULTS

Surgical interns (n = 38) more than nursing students (n = 11), demonstrated a measurable improvement in attitude towards 'collaboration and shared education' (interns: median score pre = 26, post = 28, p = 0.0004; nursing student: median score pre = 27, post = 28, p = 0.02). Qualitative analysis of interviews identified major themes that supplemented this finding.

CONCLUSION

An eight hour, one day IPE session has a positive impact on collaborative attitudes and supports the case for increased inter-professional education amongst interns and nursing students.

Currently Available Tools and Teaching Strategies for the Interprofessional Education of Students in Health Professions: Literature review

Interprofessional education (IPE) is designed to provide students from different health sectors with opportunities to work together to enhance future collaboration. The implementation of IPE activities is a current trend in various countries. This review exclusively targets IPE issues involving undergraduate health profession students and highlights various approaches in different regions. A total of 28 articles published in peer-reviewed journals between January 2012 and July 2015 were assessed to determine recent trends in IPE implementation. Nine main strategies were identified: simulation-based education programmes; rotations in rural and community settings; interprofessional training wards; patient-centred case studies; theme-centred workshops; student seminars; student-delivered lectures; health promotion activities; and interactive lectures in a common setting. Many of these institutions had not restricted themselves to a single strategy and supplemented these activities with additional teaching or learning methods. Recommendations gathered from these diverse approaches may assist the development of sustainable strategies for implementing IPE in undergraduate medical curricula.

Effectiveness of an interprofessional workshop on pain management for medical and nursing students

Interprofessional (IP) care is critical for effective pain management, but evidence is lacking about the best way to teach pain management skills to medical and nursing students using IP strategies. In 2013 and 2014, 307 medical and 169 nursing students participated in an IP case-based pain management workshop. The aims of this study were to determine (1) if students who participate in IP case-based learning groups will have improved pain management skills compared to students who participate in uniprofessional case-based learning groups, and (2) if students mentored by faculty with IP training will have improved pain management skills compared to students who are not mentored by IP-trained faculty. Student learning was assessed and compared using scored checklists for each group's pain management plans. Findings show that IP mentorship and IP group participation improved medical students' pain management skills but did not have the same effect on nursing student performance. Continued work is needed to develop, refine, and integrate innovative and tailored IP strategies into the curricula of medical and nursing schools to advance the pain management competencies of students before they enter clinical practice.