Understanding students' readiness for interprofessional learning in an Asian context: a mixed-methods study

Impact of interprofessional student led health clinics for patients, students and educators: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

Although interprofessional student led health clinics have been implemented worldwide, the impact of this model await confirmation.

OBJECTIVES

To conduct a critical analysis of the literature on interprofessional student led clinics, and the views of stakeholders on feasibility and the barriers and facilitators to implementation.

DESIGN

A scoping review, evidence synthesis and quality appraisal were conducted using PRISMA Scr. Eight databases were searched from 2003 to 2023: Medline (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), CINAHL (EBSCO), Cochrane, Scopus, ERIC, Web of Science and Informit Health Collection. A qualitative descriptive approach was used to analyse data from patients, students and educators and inductive thematic analysis identified emergent themes.

RESULTS

Forty-six studies were included from a yield of 3140 publications. A key theme to emerge was that patients perceived improvements in their health and wellbeing and valued gaining health information from student led clinics. Student experiences were mostly positive although some found it challenging to work in interprofessional teams and roles were not always clear. The clinics enabled students to improve communication skills and autonomy. Clinical educators reported that students benefited from experiential learning within an interprofessional context. The clinics were feasible, provided that sufficient funding, infrastructure, staff and resources were available. Barriers to implementation included lack of funding, excessive waiting times and non-aligned student timetables. Pre-clinic orientation and support from on-site clinical educators facilitated implementation.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite some challenges with implementing interprofessional student led clinics, they can have a positive impact on student learning and patient experiences.

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

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

Effectiveness of online interprofessional education-communication course during the COVID-19 pandemic

A developed IPE (Interprofessional Education)-communication course was first implemented at Universitas Pelita Harapan/UPH via online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to analyze the effectiveness of a newly developed IPE-online communication course offered to medical (MS) and nursing (NS) students. This study was a quantitative study using a pre-post design without control. The IPAS (Interprofessional Attitude Scale) assessed students' attitudes toward IPE. Satisfaction with the program was also measured following its completion. The questionnaire was administered via Survey Monkey to 535 respondents (MS = 250; NS = 285). Univariate and bivariate statistical analyses were employed. Before and after the IPE program, 161 MS and 146 NS completed the IPAS questionnaire (n = 307). The attitude of MS and NS were not improved significantly (p-value >0.05). Moreover, several subscales of attitudes decreased significantly, including "Diversity and Ethics" with a low-size effect for medical students and "Teamwork, Roles, and Responsibilities" and "Patient-Centeredness" with a low-size effect for nursing students. Both students (n = 307) were also satisfied with the IPE course (Mean MS: 4.28 and NS: 4.34). This study suggests that online IPE communication course may not be effective in fostering student attitudes. The IPE communication course should be accomplished through in-person class instead of online learning. Further IPE course evaluations are required to improve the acceptability, applicability, and effectiveness of IPE in health education.

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

INTRODUCTION

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

METHODS

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

RESULTS

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

CONCLUSION

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

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

BACKGROUND

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

METHODS

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

RESULTS

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

CONCLUSIONS

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

Medical Students' Perception of Interprofessional Education: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background and objective Interprofessional education (IPE) involves learners from multiple health professions learning collaboratively to improve patient care. This study assessed medical students' perceptions of IPE at Taibah University in Saudi Arabia. Methods In this cross-sectional study, 319 medical students in years two to six of graduate medical school and internships completed the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) questionnaire between April 2022 and July 2022. RIPLS consists of 19 items measuring teamwork/collaboration, negative/positive professional identity, and roles/responsibilities. Comparisons were made based on gender and academic level by using the Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Results Students generally expressed positive attitudes towards IPE. The majority agreed that IPE improves teamwork, communication, and patient care. In our cohort, 148 students (46.4%) strongly agreed and 140 (43.9%) agreed that shared learning enhances understanding of clinical problems. However, 186 students (60%) disagreed that clinical problem-solving is profession-specific. On the teamwork/collaboration subscale, 279 students (87.7%) strongly agreed that learning with others makes them more effective team members. Regarding negative identity, 186 students (58.3%) disagreed that learning with other students wastes time. By gender, males had lower ranks for negative identity (p=0.03) and positive identity (p=0.03) versus females. As for academic level, clinical students and interns had higher and lower ranks, respectively, for negative identity (p<0.01). Conclusion Based on our findings, medical students generally hold favorable views toward IPE and recognize its benefits for collaboration, communication, and patient care. Incorporating IPE throughout medical training may further improve attitudes and interprofessional skills.

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

BACKGROUND

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

METHODS

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

RESULTS

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

CONCLUSIONS

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

Awareness, Attitudes, and Perceptions of Oral Healthcare among First Year Dental, Medical, and Nursing Students

BACKGROUND

It has been reported that poor oral health can worsen general health conditions. Good collaboration between health professionals is important to provide proper oral healthcare. Thus, there is a need for oral healthcare interprofessional education (IPE). This study aimed to determine the baseline level of awareness, attitudes, and perceptions of oral healthcare among first-year students of dentistry, medicine, and nursing at Universitas Indonesia.

METHOD AND PARTICIPANTS

A cross-sectional descriptive analytical study using a previously published questionnaire was conducted involving 442 students, consisting of dental students (DS), medical students (MS), and nursing students (NS) in Universitas Indonesia.

RESULTS

Most students have shown good oral healthcare awareness, attitudes, and perception with no statistically significant difference between the groups (p < 0.05). The majority of the students did not perceive that (1) geriatric and nursing knowledge are required to practice oral care, (2) oral healthcare should be provided in cancer hospitals, and (3) oral healthcare can prevent cardiovascular disease and improve anorexia.

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed that there were aspects of oral healthcare that should be improved in all student groups. Thus, oral healthcare IPE should be given to all students working in healthcare to develop knowledge and interprofessional collaboration in oral healthcare.

Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Among Students of Four Undergraduate Health Professions Education Programs

BACKGROUND

In interprofessional learning, students from different professions learn about, from, and with each other so that they can collaborate effectively, deliver high-quality healthcare, and achieve positive health outcomes. This study aimed to explore the readiness of students from four health professions education programs for interprofessional learning.

METHODS

A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out on 339 students. The Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) was used to collect data. Descriptive statistics were used. Paired-samples t-test and ANOVA test were used to compare the responses of participants. Correlations between dependent and independent variables were explored by Pearson's correlation test. The statistical significance level was set at p < 0.05.

RESULTS

The reliability study of the collected data showed excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's ɑ = 0.819). Results revealed a statistically significant difference between the responses of students from the four programs regarding the "Roles and Responsibilities" subscale (p = 0.000). A statistically significant difference between male and female students regarding two statements within the "Teamwork and Collaboration" subscale and one statement within the "Negative Professional Identity" subscale (p < 0.05) was also detected. The correlation study showed a weak but statistically significant correlation between RIPLS mean scores and the students' study program (p < 0.015).

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the students showed readiness for IPL as evidenced by their positive perception of the interprofessional learning concepts.

Interprofessional education during international electives: Perceptions of health professions students from selected institutions in Africa

Although international electives provide important opportunities for the development of interprofessional education and collaboration practice skills, there is limited literature that describes students' perceptions in various training institutions in Africa. This study aimed to address this gap by establishing the student's perceptions of interprofessional education during international electives from four African health professional training universities. This was a cross-sectional quantitative study. Data were collected online using the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale from 135 student participants. Linear regression and multilinear regression were used to establish relationships between socio-demographic characteristics and the student's perception of interprofessional education during international electives. There was a high overall positive perception (76 SD± 8.1) among the student participants of interprofessional education during international electives. Almost all the students (88.9% n = 120) thought interprofessional education during international electives would help them become better team workers during future practice and enhance their communication skills. There were high mean scores regarding positive perceptions of teamwork and collaboration (39.5 SD± 4.9), positive professional identity 17.6 (SD± 2.6), and understanding roles and responsibilities (7.4 SD± 2.0). There is a generally positive perception of interprofessional education during international electives among health professions students from various African university institutions.

Does Online Interprofessional Case-Based Learning Facilitate Collaborative Knowledge Construction?

Introduction

COVID-19 pandemic has caused an impact on various sectors of life, including the education sector. During the COVID-19 pandemic, education from various levels could only be carried out online by utilizing various on-line media. In Health professional education context, one of the learning activities that must be shifted in online format was interprofessional education (IPE) program. This study aimed to evaluate students' collaborative knowledge construction to evaluate the effectiveness of online interprofessional case-based learning (CBL) activities.

Methods

This interventional study using quantitative and qualitative method involved a total of 476 students; consisted of 204 medical students, 39 midwifery students and 233 nursing students; who took part online interprofessional CBL. All students were divided into 34 mixed profession groups with 14 students each. To evaluate students' collaborative knowledge construction during CBL, data were collected using the Maastricht Peer Activity Rating Scale (MPARS). Qualitative data exploring students' perception regarding online IPE activity and their online CBL process were collected using Focus Group Discussion (FGD). Quantitative data were analysed using statistical tests, and the qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis.

Results

Students' scores for constructive, collaborative, and motivational activities evaluated using MPARS were considered as average to high. However, nursing students scored the lowest compared to the other two fellow professions: medical and midwifery students, on all items of the MPARS. Medical students had the highest MPARS scores. Several themes could be explored during the FGD.

Discussion

This study revealed that students could engage in collaborative knowledge construction in interprofessional education implementing online interprofessional CBL. However, students thought that offline collaborative practice will better improve team bonding which is considered as prominent aspect for collaboration. This thought gives idea to the implementation of hybrid online offline learning for IPE.

Assessment of nursing undergraduate's perceptions of Interprofessional learning: A cross-sectional study

Background

Inter-Professional Learning (IPE) is based on mutual respect, and it improves collaboration and teamwork, and satisfaction among students and professionals.

Objective

This study aimed to assess the perceptions of IPE among Nursing students in Saudi Arabia.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional survey-based study conducted among students from three different universities in Saudi Arabia, among nursing students over 6 months from May 2021 to October 2021. Descriptive analysis was used to assess the perceptions of IPE and inferential testing was used to assess the association of perception scores among variables using a statistical package for social science version 26 (SPSS).

Results

A total of 517 participants responded to the questionnaires. A higher proportion (n = 281, 54.4%) of the participants were females and were between 21 and 24 (n = 350; 67.7%) years old. The mean age of the participants was 21.35 (SD = 1.46). The majority of them were from King Saud University (n = 273, 52.8%), followed by King Khalid University (n = 127, 24.6%). Of the participants (80.4 %) agreed learning with other students will help them to become more effective members of a healthcare team. The mean overall score for RIPLS was 70.85 (SD = 6.611). The mean score for teamwork and collaboration was 37.19 (SD = 4.79), professional identity, 23.23 (SD = 2.89), roles and responsibilities 10.42 (SD = 2.20). The mean score is significantly associated with the university type (p = 0.0001), and previous knowledge of IPE (p = 0.0001).

Conclusion

The majority of the students had positive perceptions of understanding IPE and a good level of preparation for IPE. This means that if IPE is conducted among Saudi students, students will benefit from it, and it has the potential to improve their capacity to deliver holistic nursing care to their patients.

Are we ready to collaborate? The interprofessional collaborative competencies of healthcare professionals in the Global South context

Background

Current evidence of interprofessional collaboration suggests the importance of measuring and identifying the current state of the health professions’ interprofessional competencies. Therefore, this study was aimed at measuring the interprofessional competencies of health professionals in the Global South context using the validated CICS29.

Materials and methods

This was a cross-sectional study involving 300 healthcare professionals of a newly established teaching hospital. Prior to the measurement of interprofessional competencies, the 29-items CICS29, which has been translated into Indonesian language, was revalidated using a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The 29 items of CICS29 were grouped into six subscales and each item was measured using a 5-point Likert scale. Data on gender, age, type of profession, and the length of working experience was also collected to identify whether discernible differences between grouping variables exists.

Results

Prior to measuring the interprofessional competencies, the validity of the instrument was established. Based on the CFA, the same six-factor model was found in the current study. The Indonesian CICS29 was reliable, with Cronbach alpha values of 0.921 for the whole instrument and that of each subscale ranged between 0.656 and 0.726. The mean total score of CICS29 was 128.53 (out of 145), ranged from 123 to 133.40 obtained by pharmacists and dentists respectively. No significant differences of CICS29 scores were found between grouping variables.

Conclusion

The current study has revealed relatively good interprofessional competencies of healthcare professionals working in a newly established teaching hospital in the Global South healthcare context. Measuring the interprofessional competencies serves as baseline for further intervention to nurture and maintain collaborative practice. In addition, the current study has further proven the cross-cultural validity of CICS29, thus appropriate to be utilized in different setting and context.

Dental students' attitudes and perceptions about intraprofessional collaboration/education

Objectives

To investigate dental students' attitudes and perceptions about intraprofessional collaboration/education (IPC/IPE) and shared learning, and to explore the impact of IPC/IPE on the personal and professional development of participating students.

Methods

A custom-designed questionnaire was used in this cross-sectional study. The questionnaire comprised 17 questions targeting to capture the student's perceptions about IPC/IPE using three factors: (1) dental students' preference/opinion about the IPC/IPE; (2) dental students' experience about the impact of IPC/IPE on learning outcomes and professional development; and (3) students' feedback about the significance of IPC/IPE in clinical/clinical simulation labs and workplace setting. The students rated each of the 17 statements on the 5-point Likert scale (range: 1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree).

Results

A total of 259 responses were analysed (response rate = 65%). All students were aware of IPC/IPE in the field of dentistry (mean score = 4.22). The students preferred collaborative/shared learning with their own classmates. There was a consensus among students about the positive impact of IPC/IPE on enhanced learning, enhancement of communication skills, and enrichment of professional relationships with supporting staff as well as with the patients. There was also improved analytical and psychomotor skills, understanding of complex problems in the clinic, and understanding of strengths and limitations leading to self-improvement and increased efficiency and productivity.

Conclusion

IPC/IPE had a compelling, powerful, and positive impact according to the experience of the participating dental students. It is recommended that a standardized curriculum be designed and guidelines set for IPC/IPE at dental institutions for effective interactions among students of all stages.

Preparedness for practice of newly qualified dental professionals in Australia - educator, employer, and consumer perspectives

BACKGROUND

Limited data regarding the perspectives of other observers (i.e. those who educate, employ or receive care from) of new graduates' preparedness to practice is available. The present study aimed to explore perceptions of different observers regarding the preparedness to practice and work readiness of newly qualified dental professionals. This broader range of perspectives is crucial to inform the development of educational programs, including continuing professional development, for newly qualified dental professionals, by clarifying the skills, knowledge and behaviours expected by the dental profession and wider public.

RESULTS

Nineteen individual qualitative interviews were undertaken. Interview participants included clinical demonstrators (n = 9; 2 Oral Health Therapists; 5 Dentists; and 2 Prosthetists), dental course convenors (n = 4), representatives of large employers (n = 2), and consumers (n = 4). According to this diverse group of respondents, dental students receive adequate theoretical and evidence-based information in their formal learning and teaching activities, which prepares them for practice as dental professionals. There were no specific clinical areas or procedures where preparedness was highlighted as a major concern. Notwithstanding this, specific graduate skills which would benefit from further training and consolidation were identified, including areas where higher levels of experience would be beneficial. Nonetheless, respondents indicated that new graduates were aware of their limitations and had developed self-discipline and ethics that would allow them to identify conditions/situations where they would not have the experience or expertise to provide care safely.

CONCLUSIONS

From an observer perspective, dental students appeared to have gained adequate theoretical and evidence-based information in their formal learning and teaching activities to prepared them to commence practicing safely as dental professionals. Areas were identified in which new graduates were underprepared and when transitional support may be required.

The effect of ISBARR on knowledge of and attitudes about interprofessional communication skills among Chinese undergraduate nursing students

BACKGROUND

Interprofessional communication is essential for the coordination and collaboration of healthcare team members during patient care, especially in critical situations. Therefore, nursing students must learn and practice interprofessional communication skills throughout their education and clinical training. Previous studies evaluating standardized communication frameworks in the United States (e.g., ISBARR [identify, situation, background, assessment, recommendation, and repeat]) suggest that nursing students feel more confident about interprofessional communication and collaboration through familiarity with these frameworks.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of an ISBARR workshop on knowledge of and attitude about effective communication among Chinese undergraduate students.

DESIGN

A pre- and posttest quasi-experimental study.

PARTICIPANTS

A convenience sample of 90 undergraduate nursing students at a vocational health college in China.

METHOD

The two-part ISBARR workshop featured a lecture and a video-simulation exercise. Differences in students' knowledge of and attitudes about interprofessional communication skills using ISBARR were compared pre- and post-workshop.

RESULTS

We observed a statistically significant (p < 0.001) improvement in overall mean scores of students' knowledge of and attitudes about utilizing ISBARR post-workshop. We also observed a statistically significant (p < 0.001) improvement in the overall mean scores of students' knowledge of and attitudes about ISBARR after the video-simulation exercise.

CONCLUSION

The ISBARR workshop improved Chinese nursing students' knowledge and attitudes about interprofessional communication. Incorporating ISBARR into the nursing healthcare team eventually can lead to improved patient safety. Subsequent studies should target nursing faculty and clinical instructors to evaluate their knowledge and attitudes about teaching ISBARR and interprofessional education. Improving these attitudes can help establish a positive interprofessional communication learning environment for nursing students in China and other cultural contexts worldwide.

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

INTRODUCTION

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

METHODS

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

RESULTS

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

CONCLUSION

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

Student readiness for interprofessional learning at a local university in South Africa

Working effectively with other disciplines has become an important competency as a graduate attribute in higher education institutions. Educational experiences should begin to foster the prerequisite competencies needed to collaborate successfully with other healthcare professionals. The purpose of this study was to determine how ready first year students are for interprofessional learning, and whether this readiness improves along the continuum of learning into their final year of undergraduate studies. First year undergraduate students from ten disciplines completed the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale prior to participating in a compulsory interprofessional module, and the results were compared with that of senior students who completed the same questionnaire. Results for the study show that there were significant differences between first and senior-year level students on the subscales of negative professional identity (0.02 < 0.05); positive professional identity (0.00 < 0.05); and teamwork and collaboration (0.00 < 0.05). There was no significant difference found on the subscale roles and responsibilities (0.54 > 0.05). The results clearly show that senior students are more ready for learning interprofessionally compared to first year students. It is recommended that a scaffolded approach to learning be adopted, to ensure that students attain competence in all Interprofessional Education (IPE) core competencies when reaching their final year of study. This type of curriculum, with its specific activities and assessment methods, should be packaged in the form of an IPE model to create a clear understanding of the type of health profession graduate that will be produced.

Interprofessional education in a community-based setting: An opportunity for interprofessional learning and collaboration

BACKGROUND

An interprofessional community-based education provides proper situations that learners can be prepared to play their professional responsibilities and team duties in the community. This study aims to assess the effect of interprofessional community-based education on attitudes and performances of learners toward interprofessional collaboration and their readiness for interprofessional learning.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study is a quasi-experimental design. The learners in six different disciplines, including medicine, pharmacy, nursing, midwifery, public health, and nutrition (n=122) at Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences were participated in the present study. in the present study, interprofessional education intervention was conducted in two steps. First, the interprofessional learning situation brought learners the familiarity with the concepts of interprofessional collaboration, teamwork, and educational medical content, such as backache, fatty liver, diabetes, and HIV. Second, learners from different disciplines participated in interprofessional teams in community settings. These learners taught people about health-related topics, such as backache, fatty liver, and HIV. Participants filled out the questionnaires before and after interventions. Data were analyzed by Student's t-test and one-way ANOVA in SPSS 16.0 software (SPSS, Inc., Chicago, IL, USA).

RESULTS

The present results showed that the scores of learners in readiness for interprofessional learning 3.82 (0.35) versus 4.60 (0.29) (P = 0.001) (P = 0.0001), attitudes to interprofessional teamwork 3.83 (0.40) versus 4.18 (0.30) (P = 0.0001) (P = 0.0001), interprofessional collaboration 7.46 (0.70) versus 8.35 (0.43) (P = 0.001) improved significantly before and after the educational interventions.

CONCLUSION

The present results showed that interprofessional community-based education has improved the readiness of the learners for interprofessional learning. Besides, attitude toward teamwork and interprofessional collaboration performance have also been improved from participants' viewpoints.

Early clinical exposure improves medical students' recognition of the need for professionalism and interprofessional collaboration

BACKGROUND

Medical students in Taiwan start their clerkship in their fifth year. A lack of early clinical exposure can mean they have a lack of medical professionalism and collaborative practice. This study investigates whether early engagement in hospital-based clinical practice could improve their understanding of these requirements.

METHODS

From 2017 to 2019, a total of 59 medical students at the end of their third year joined a 2-week summer camp at the hospital. Every participant was assigned to work with one patient and they accompanied this patient throughout their hospital course. The students were also asked to interview other medical professionals within the hospital and to write up interview reports. In addition, they had to complete pre- and postcamp questionnaires which included 10 questions to evaluate their recognition of professionalism, doctor-patient relationships, and interprofessional collaboration. Answers to the questions were all rated using a 5-score Likert scale.

RESULTS

The total postcamp Likert scores were significantly increased after the 2-week training camp compared with the precourse scores (pre- vs postcourse: 44.08 ± 0.45 vs 46.66 ± 0.33, p < 0.001). In addition, the students' recognition of medical professionalism, the importance of communication with patients, and their respect for other medical professionals were significantly improved after the 2-week training.

CONCLUSION

Our data showed that early clinical exposure through a preclerkship summer camp can help medical students improve their recognition of medical professionalism and interprofessional collaboration.

A mixed methods study on the readiness of dental, medical, and nursing students for interprofessional learning

BACKGROUND

Interprofessional education (IPE) is crucial in dentistry, medicine, and nursing. However, scant mixed methods studies have compared the IPE outcomes across these disciplines to develop evidence-based IPE. This study explored the differences in the readiness of dental, medical, and nursing students for interprofessional learning before and after IPE workshops and elucidated reasons for this disparity.

METHODS

Data were obtained from dental, medical, and nursing students who participated in IPE workshops conducted at Tokyo Medical and Dental University in Japan in 2019 and 2020. The participants filled the validated Japanese version of the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) before and after attending the workshops (n = 378). Paired t-tests were performed to assess differences between the pre- and post- workshop RIPLS scores. Welch's t-tests were deployed to evaluate interdisciplinary differences in their scores. Qualitative analyses were conducted using an explanatory sequential design with focus group discussions (FGDs) held with 17 dental students to explain the quantitative results.

RESULTS

Total RIPLS scores increased significantly for every discipline after the workshops (p < 0.001). Dental students scored significantly lower pre- and post- workshop aggregates than medical and nursing students, respectively (p < 0.001). The FGDs yielded three principal themes in the explanations tendered by dental students on their lower scores: 1) dental students rarely felt the need for interprofessional collaborations, 2) dentists often worked without the need for interprofessional collaborations, and 3) dental students believed their contribution to the workshop was insufficient.

CONCLUSIONS

The results revealed divergences in the readiness of dental, medical, and nursing students for interprofessional learning, and the study illuminated possible reasons for these disparities. These outcomes will help develop evidence-based IPE by indicating approaches to place a higher value on interprofessional collaborations in educational environments, ameliorate the awareness of educators, and enhance the workshop facilitation style.

Knowledge and readiness for inter professional education and collaborative practice among undergraduate nursing students in a Middle Eastern country - A pilot study

BACKGROUND

Inter Professional Education and Collaboration (IPEC) is grounded on mutual respect, enhances collaborative practice, and increases satisfaction among health care professionals.

PURPOSE

The study was conducted to assess the level of knowledge and readiness for IPEC among nursing students.

METHODS

The student's level of knowledge was assessed using a 20 item questionnaire while their readiness for IPEC was measured using the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) comprising 19 items. A total of 125 nursing students participated in the study and data was analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 DISCUSSION: The mean level of knowledge was 44.41 with SD of 4.72. The mean readiness score was 79.09 with the SD of 11.77. There is no significant association between the knowledge and readiness of nursing students regarding IPEC and their demographic variables at 0.05 confidence level.

CONCLUSIONS

Majority of the students had moderately adequate knowledge about IPEC and high level of readiness towards IPEC. This implies that when appropriately implemented, the students will reap the benefits of IPEC, which has the potential to improve their ability to provide holistic nursing care to their patients.

Interprofessional education and collaborative practice in Kuwait: attitudes and perceptions of health sciences students

Interprofessional education (IPE) prepares health students to become collaboration-ready healthcare professionals. Assessing students' baseline attitudes toward IPE and collaborative practice is essential to inform development of IPE curricula. Kuwait University Health Sciences Center (HSC) is early in its IPE journey but is planning to join the broader global movement toward IPE. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to explore the attitudes of HSC students from Faculties of Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, and Allied Health Sciences toward collaborative practice and IPE at early and late stages of study. A total of 770 students completed the survey (81.1% response rate). Students expressed positive attitudes toward interprofessional healthcare teams and IPE (median [IQR] overall attitudes were rated 4.0 [1.0] and 4.0 [2.0], respectively, on a scale of 5). Overall attitudes toward both scales were significantly more positive among pharmacy students than students from other faculties (p < .001). Final-year students reported more positive attitudes toward healthcare teams than early- and middle-year students, while early- and final-year students expressed more positive attitudes toward IPE than middle-year students (p < .001). There were no significant differences in overall attitudes between female and male students toward the two scales (p > .05). These findings have implications for engaging students from different professions in IPE initiatives.

Has "The Ceiling" Rendered the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) Outdated?

PURPOSE

The present study aimed to investigate the preliminary effects of collaborative learning and simulation on readiness to engage in and attitudes toward future interprofessional learning activities. We translated into Norwegian and validated the original Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) (part 1) to measure the efficacy and feasibility of a structured collaborative learning activity (part 2).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Undergraduate social and health care professional students from five Norwegian universities (n = 307) participated in the validation stage of this study (part 1). A Norwegian version of the RIPLS was developed using forward and backward translation. An expert panel discussed discrepancies between the translations and professional concepts. We planned to conduct a principal component analysis to evaluate the structure, reliability, and internal consistency of the Norwegian version of the RIPLS, after investigating the skewness, kurtosis, and range of items included. One hundred fifty students participated in collaborative learning activities; 72 (48%) of these individuals answered the translated RIPLS questionnaire.

RESULTS

We found a substantial ceiling effect in the majority of items in the RIPLS, making it difficult to use the instrument as a measure of change. We evaluated the efficacy and feasibility of the collaborative activities based on the changes in the single items that had sufficient univariate normality and ultimately confirmed positive changes in two of these items.

CONCLUSION

Norwegian students appear ready for interprofessional learning; however, due to significant ceiling effects, the majority of items in the RIPLS no longer seem suitable for measuring and evaluating the effects of interprofessional learning (part 1). Single-item analysis revealed a potential effect of collaborative learning (part 2). A new questionnaire is needed where readiness is instead understood as self-efficacy in areas such as role awareness and interprofessional communication. Researchers should be aware that even previously validated questionnaires may lose their applicability over time and require revision. Demands for interprofessional learning and practice are continuously evolving, and evaluation methods should be adjusted accordingly.

Change in attitudes and perceptions of undergraduate health profession students towards inter-professional education following an educational experience in post natal care

BACKGROUND

Inter-professional Education (IPE) has been identified as an educational program aimed at increasing collaboration among health professionals, and improving health care outcomes. IPE programs have been incorporated in several countries and have shown positive results. The same may not be true for Asian cultures which are typically more hierarchical than others. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of IPE on undergraduate health professional students' attitudes and perceptions in an Indian context.

METHODS

Following an IPE experience undergraduate health professional students (n = 96) from three professions (Medicine, Nursing and Physiotherapy) completed a validated retro-pre questionnaire. Paired-sample t test was used to compare pre-test and post-test scores and ANOVA was used to compare the magnitude of change. Qualitative analysis was done for the open ended questions.

RESULTS

The three professions showed a significant improvement in attitude (p < 0.001). The physiotherapists were more comfortable (p = 0.021) with questioning and being questioned and the nurses showed a significantly (p = 0.012) greater increase in extent of reliability as compared to the other two professionals. Participants identified the concepts of "team work", "knowledge of roles of other professionals" and "communication" as important to their learning and practice.

CONCLUSIONS

The study identified a positive attitude among students and the given intervention resulted in a significant improvement in their comfort levels and reliability on other professionals. It would be reasonable to conclude therefore that acceptability for Inter professional education in the Indian context is high in spite of the cultural differences and hierarchical nuances.

Self-Efficacy Levels Regarding Interprofessional Learning Skills Among Undergraduate Healthcare Students in Malaysia

Objectives

Self-efficacy is an important factor in determining the ability of students to execute tasks or skills needed in the implementation of interprofessional learning (IPL). This study aimed to identify levels of self-efficacy with regards to IPL skills among undergraduate healthcare students and to investigate differences according to gender, programme of study and year of study.

Methods

This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted between January and March 2018 at the International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuantan, Malaysia. The Self-Efficacy for Interprofessional Experiential Learning scale was used to evaluate the self-efficacy of 336 students from five faculties including nursing, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and allied health sciences.

Results

Significant differences in self-efficacy scores for the interprofessional interaction subscale were identified according to programme of study, with pharmacy students scoring significantly lower than allied health students (mean score: 54.1 ± 10.4 versus 57.4 ± 10.1; P = 0.014). In addition, there was a significant difference in self-efficacy scores for the interprofessional interaction subscale according to year of study, with first-year students scoring significantly lower compared to fifth-year students (mean score: 52.8 ± 10.4 versus 59.9 ± 11.9; P = 0.018). No statistically significant differences in self-efficacy scores were identified with regards to gender or for the interprofessional team evaluation and feedback subscale.

Conclusion

These findings may contribute to the effective implementation of IPL education in healthcare faculties. Acknowledging the influence of self-efficacy on the execution of IPL skills is crucial to ensure healthcare students are able to adequately prepare for future interprofessional collaboration in real clinical settings.

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.

Stimulating Students' Interprofessional Teamwork Skills Through Community-Based Education: A Mixed Methods Evaluation

Background

Interprofessional education (IPE) is suggested as a good means to prepare future healthcare professionals for collaborative work in interprofessional teams enabling them to solve complex health problems. Previous studies have advocated experiential IPE, including community-based IPE (CBIPE). This study aims to evaluate a CBIPE programme by exploring the students’ perception toward CBIPE design and toward groups’ teamwork.

Methods

To identify students’ perceptions of teamwork, the Interprofessional Teamwork Evaluation questionnaire was administered to 254 students of medical, nursing and midwifery programme. Three uni-professional focus group (FG) discussions were conducted to analyse the students’ perception of the design of community-based education and underlying reasons for teamwork.

Results

FGs reported three aspects that influence skills development in collaborative practice among students that shed light on why midwifery and nursing students held less positive perceptions of communication and mutual support: 1) communication gap due to lack of confidence, 2) contrasting ways of thinking affect communication in decision-making, and 3) the leadership culture in the health services.

Conclusion

A CBIPE programme was successfully implemented at Universitas Islam Sultan Agung. It demonstrated that students in the health professions can develop skills in collaborative practice despite having some problems with communication and mutual support.

The effectiveness of interprofessional education programs for medical, nursing, and pharmacy students

PURPOSE

This study is to develop an interprofessional education (IPE) program for medical, nursing, and pharmacy students and to analyze the effectiveness.

METHODS

Subjects consisted of 116 students (41 medical, 46 nursing, and 29 pharmacy students) enrolled in their final year. Subjects were randomly assigned to either the intervention group or the control group, with 58 in each group. A pretest-posttest control group design was used. The program was operated for a single day, and consisted of small-group activities and role-play. We utilized the following tools: Perceptions towards Interprofessional Education (PIPE), Self-Efficacy for Interprofessional Experiential Learning (SEIEL), and Perception towards Interprofessional Competency (PIC). We used t-test and analysis of covariance for analysis.

RESULTS

The PIPE tool revealed that the scores of the intervention group were significantly higher than those of the control group (p=0.000). The result was the same when the scores were categorized into the groups medical students (p=0.001), nursing students (p=0.000), and pharmacy students (p=0.005). The SEIEL study also indicated the intervention group scored significantly higher than the control group (p=0.000). However, pharmacy students did not reveal significant (p=0.983). The intervention group scored significantly higher than the control group in the PIC. A concluding survey of the intervention group indicated that most students were satisfied with the IPE program.

CONCLUSION

We hope this study will provide useful information for designing and improving IPE programs in other universities.

The Differences in Perceptions of Interprofessional Education Among Health Profession Students: The Indonesian Experience

PURPOSE

Interprofessional education (IPE) is defined as a practice of collaboration between two or more students from different health profession programs in which the students study with and about, and learn from, each other. IPE is an educational method that trains students to perform in terms of good communication and teamwork which will be useful for the implementation of interprofessional collaboration (IPC) at health-care facilities. The aim of this study is to identify the perceptions of medicine and health profession students on IPE at Universitas Syiah Kuala, Indonesia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study was conducted in five health profession programs at Universitas Syiah Kuala, Indonesia. Data were collected using a questionnaire which was then distributed to 286 students sampled with a stratified random sampling method. Analyses were conducted by using a univariate statistical analysis to observe students' perceptions of IPE. Students were considered to have a positive perception if their total score was above the median score.

RESULTS

More than half of the students (51.4%) in this study had a positive perception toward IPE. However, upon exploration of students' perceptions separately for each study program, only a minority of medical students responded with a positive perception toward IPE (37%). In contrast, the majority of students from dentistry, psychology, nursing, and pharmacy study programs showed a positive perception of IPE, with the pharmacy study program being the program with the highest proportion of students who showed a positive perception (62.5%, 53.5%, 56.4%, and 75%, respectively).

CONCLUSION

The majority of medical students show a negative perception toward IPE in contrast to students from other health profession programs at Universitas Syiah Kuala. The pharmacy study program shows the highest proportion of students with a positive perception among all other students.

Medical students' readiness and perceptions about Interprofessional Education: A cross sectional study

Objectives:

Interprofessional Education (IPE) provides an environment where learners demonstrate the knowledge, skills and attitude required to manage the complex clinical scenarios in a collaborative and interprofessional manner. The actual sphere of influence of Interprofessional Education in many medical schools has been limited. Therefore, the present study aim was to evaluate the medical students’ readiness and perception of Interprofessional Education in a medical college in Saudi Arabia.

Methods:

This questionnaire based cross sectional study was executed in the Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, King Saud University during the period September 2016 to December 2017, using the 19-item Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) with four subscales teamwork and collaboration, negative professional identity, positive professional identity and roles and responsibilities. The questionnaire was e-mailed to 1411 medical students and responses were analyzed using 5-point Likert scale.

Results:

A total of 158 medical students and trainees responded to the survey, 69 (43.6%) were males and 89 (56.4%) were females. The majority of participants 122-148 (77-94%) acknowledged the positive impact of IPE on teamwork and collaboration, more than two thirds 105 (64.45%) disagreed with negative attitude and 110-126 (70-80%) showed positive professional identity.

Conclusions:

Medical students showed a positive perception and ready to adopt the Interprofessional Educational allied activities in medical schools. The shared academic events would improve in clarifying the roles and responsibilities of medical students in health care professions.

Relationship between self-directed learning readiness, learning attitude, and self-efficacy of nursing undergraduates

Objective

The purposes of this study were to analyze the influencing factors of self-directed learning readiness (SDLR) of nursing undergraduates and explore the impacts of learning attitude and self-efficacy on nursing undergraduates.

Methods

A total of 500 nursing undergraduates were investigated in Tianjin, with the Chinese version of SDLR scale, learning attitude questionnaire of nursing college students, academic self-efficacy scale, and the general information questionnaire.

Result

The score of SDLR was 149.99±15.73. Multiple stepwise regressions indicated that academic self-efficacy, learning attitude, attitudes to major of nursing, and level of learning difficulties were major influential factors and explained 48.1% of the variance in SDLR of nursing interns.

Conclusions

The score of SDLR of nursing undergraduates is not promising. It is imperative to correct students’ learning attitude, improve self-efficacy, and adopt appropriate teaching model to improve SDLR.

Does PBL deliver constructive collaboration for students in interprofessional tutorial groups?

BACKGROUND

Training health professional students in teamwork is recognized as an important step to create interprofessional collaboration in the clinical workplace. Interprofessional problem-based learning (PBL) is one learning approach that has been proposed to provide students with the opportunity to develop the necessary skills to work collaboratively with various health professionals. This study aimed to explore the extent to which students in interprofessional tutorial groups demonstrate constructive collaboration during group discussions.

METHODS

Students (N = 52) from the Medical, Midwifery and Nursing programmes took part in the study. Video-recordings were made of interprofessional PBL discussions (N = 40) in five groups, eight videos per group. Over a period of 4 weeks, participants discussed four scenarios concerned with the reproductive system. The resulting 67 h of video data were analysed qualitatively. To ensure inter-rater reliability, two tutors assessed the students' constructive, collaborative activities using the Maastricht Peer-Activity Rating Scale (MPARS). Finally, to gain an understanding of students' perceptions of their performance and participation in the interprofessional PBL tutorial, we organized three uni-professional focus groups (FGs) at the end of pilot project.

RESULTS

The translated MPARS was reliable (Kappa coefficient 0.01-0.20 and p < 0.05). Students were actively involved in the discussion and contributed to a better understanding regardless of their professional background. Group members from different professions complemented one another in solving learning issues. They were open, feeling free to question and argue from the viewpoint of their own profession, and also understood their strengths and limitations. The statistical test of the scores for constructive and collaborative activities indicated a significant difference between students and the various healthcare professionals, p = 0.000, with medical students scoring highest on both activities. Focus groups further clarified some of the observed dynamics.

CONCLUSION

Implementing interprofessional PBL could motivate students to engage collaboratively in co-constructing knowledge to solve the patients' problem. Medical students scored highest on constructive and collaborative activities.

Student perception on the integration of simulation experiences into human physiology curricula

A variety of medical simulators have been developed over recent years for students of all medical professions. These simulators serve to teach basic science concepts, advanced clinical skills, as well as empathy and student confidence. This study aimed to understand the students' perception of the integration of high-fidelity simulation exercises into the teaching of human physiology. Research groups were made up of both osteopathic and podiatric medical students. Data were obtained using a Likert-scale survey. Results indicated that students believed the simulation experiences were beneficial to further understanding of physiological concepts, as well as seeing these concepts in a clinical setting. Variations were noted between podiatric and osteopathic medical students' perception on how the experiences helped them develop clinical and personal confidence, and if the experience helped illustrate correlations between laboratory values and accompanying physiology. Results illustrated no differences in perception between the sexes. Although all students agreed that the experience helped with the understanding of physiology, podiatric medical students did not necessarily find value in the simulation for their development as future clinicians. We predict that differences in perception are largely based on the different curriculums of the students questioned. The present study indicated that incorporation of simulation experiences in the first year of medical school enhanced learning basic science physiology concepts and promoted the development of self-confidence as future clinicians. Incorporating simulation into the didactic coursework should be promoted in other medical schools' curricula.

Students' experiences and perceptions of interprofessional education during rural placement: A mixed methods study

BACKGROUND

Interprofessional collaboration is key to addressing the complexity of contemporary health care, therefore it is imperative that students from different disciplines have access to interprofessional education to equip them with the requisite skills and attributes. While interprofessional education promotes a person-centred approach and mutual recognition of one another's contributions to health outcomes, interprofessional education in Australian universities is fragmented and presents challenges that can be addressed through clinical placements.

OBJECTIVES

This article reports student perceptions and readiness for interprofessional education in the rural clinical learning environment in one region of Australia.

DESIGN

A mixed methods approach.

SETTINGS

Rural clinical learning environments in one geographic area in Victoria, Australia.

PARTICIPANTS

60 undergraduate healthcare students from allied health, medicine, nursing and midwifery.

METHODS

A survey incorporating Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale, Interdisciplinary Education Perception Scale and focused interprofessional questions. Qualitative data were collected via survey comments, interviews and focus groups.

RESULTS

Students had numerous opportunities for interprofessional education, to observe role modelling in the workplace and considered that learning with other professions would help them become more effective members of the health care team. Students valued learning about collaborative practice, the roles of other professions and identified activities that enhanced interprofessional engagement.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides important insights regarding students' perceptions and readiness for interprofessional education. These results demonstrate that there are numerous opportunities to embed interprofessional education within the rural clinical learning environment and offer new insights into students' experiences and preferences for potential activities. These findings may resonate with others implementing interprofessional education in the workplace and guide facilitators in planning activities for students. Factors influencing differences in attitudes towards interprofessional education and how students acquire an understanding of their professional or disciplinary role warrant further study.

Adaptation and reliability of the readiness for inter professional learning scale (RIPLS) in the Chinese health care students setting

BACKGROUND

Interprofessional collaboration (IPC) primarily aims to enhance collaborative skills and to improve the awareness of teamwork and collaborative competencies of health care students. The Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) was used to assess such skills. The aim of this study was to adapt a Chinese version of the RIPLS among Chinese health care students and to test the psychometric properties of the modified instrument.

METHODS

The questionnaire was translated following a two-step process, comprising forward and backward translations and a pilot test. The Chinese version was tested on a group of students from various health care professions. Cronbach's α coefficients were calculated for each of the four factors and also for the entire questionnaire in order to evaluate the internal consistency of the Chinese version of the RIPLS.

RESULTS

Of the 295 health care students surveyed, 282 (96.5%) completed the questionnaire. Cronbach's α coefficient for the overall scale was 0.842. Internal consistencies within each factor were good (α > 0.70) except for the factor "Roles and Responsibilities", where α = 0.216. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the data fit the four-factor structure.

CONCLUSION

The Chinese version of the RIPLS was an acceptable instrument for evaluating the attitudes of the health care students in China. The factor "Roles and Responsibilities" requires further scrutiny and development, at least in the Chinese context.

Understanding attitude of health care professional teachers toward interprofessional health care collaboration and education in a Southeast Asian country

BACKGROUND

Faculty members play crucial roles as facilitators of learning for effective inter-professional education (IPE). However, faculty attitudes are reported to be barriers to successful implementation of IPE initiatives within health care education settings. This study aimed to investigate the following: 1) health care faculty members' attitudes toward interprofessional collaboration (IPC) and IPE; 2) factors affecting faculty members' perception toward IPC and IPE; and 3) health care professionals' perceptions toward factors that hamper the quality of IPC, and whether IPE is a possible remedy for the situation.

METHODS

A survey was administered to medicine, nursing, midwifery, and dentistry faculty members at 17 institutions in Central Java Province, Indonesia. Respondents were asked to rate their attitudes toward IPC and IPE using a previously validated "Attitude toward Interprofessional Health care Collaboration and Education" scale. To help interpretation of the survey results, 4 monoprofessional focus groups (FGs) were conducted and 3 key participants who could not be present at the FG meetings were interviewed. We conducted a statistical analysis on the quantitative data and performed a thematic content analysis of the qualitative data using ATLAS Ti (version 7).

RESULTS

The total response rate was 74.1%. Nurses' mean scores for attitudes toward IPC and IPE were higher than those of other health care professionals. The main problems of IPC identified from the FG were as follows: 1) differing perceptions of the needs of patients among professionals; 2) unequal participation in decision-making; 3) lack of face-to-face interaction; and 4) overlapping of roles and responsibilities. Faculty members agreed that IPE has the potential to remedy these challenges as long as opportunities are provided to inculcate equal power and contribution in meeting patients' needs.

CONCLUSION

These findings indicate the necessity of convening faculty development programs regarding IPC and IPE. Additionally, innovative strategies must be developed for the implementation of IPC and IPE in a variety of academic settings.

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.

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.

The Association of Readiness for Interprofessional Learning with empathy, motivation and professional identity development in medical students

BACKGROUND

The Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale is among the first scales developed for measurement of attitude towards interprofessional learning (IPL). However, the conceptual framework of the RIPLS still lacks clarity. We investigated the association of the RIPLS with professional identity, empathy and motivation, with the intention of relating RIPLS to other well-known concepts in healthcare education, in an attempt to clarify the concept of readiness.

METHODS

Readiness for interprofessional learning, professional identity development, empathy and motivation of students for medical school, were measured in all 6 years of the medical curriculum. The association of professional identity development, empathy and motivation with readiness was analyzed using linear regression.

RESULTS

Empathy and motivation significantly explained the variance in RIPLS subscale Teamwork & Collaboration. Gender and belonging to the first study year had a unique positive contribution in explaining the variance of the RIPLS subscales Positive and Negative Professional Identity, whereas motivation had no contribution. More compassionate care, as an affective component of empathy, seemed to diminish readiness for IPL. Professional Identity, measured as affirmation or denial of the identification with a professional group, had no contribution in the explanation of the variance in readiness.

CONCLUSIONS

The RIPLS is a suboptimal instrument, which does not clarify the 'what' and 'how' of IPL in a curriculum. This study suggests that students' readiness for IPE may benefit from a combination with the cognitive component of empathy ('Perspective taking') and elements in the curriculum that promote autonomous motivation.

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.

Comparison of the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning and the rate of contact among students from nine different healthcare courses

BACKGROUND

Despite the growth in the interprofessional literature, there are still few studies that have evaluated the differences among courses and periods in relation to Readiness for Interprofessional Learning. Likewise, the relationship between the influences of contact among students from different professions is still controversial.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate whether greater contact among students from diverse health courses could be associated with improved Readiness for Interprofessional Learning (RIPLS) at the undergraduate level and to compare the RIPLS among healthcare courses, analyzing differences among courses and periods of their academic training.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

A Brazilian public university.

PARTICIPANTS

Students enrolled in the first and final periods of nine healthcare courses.

METHODS

The rates of contact between students and the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning were assessed. A comparison between students from these nine healthcare courses was carried out.

RESULTS

A total of 545 (73.45%) students answered the questionnaire. The highest RIPLS scores were from Nursing (42.39), Dentistry (41.33) and Pharmacy students (40.72) and the lowest scores were from Physical Education (38.02), Medicine (38.17) and Psychology (38.66) students. The highest rates of contact between students (RC) were from Physical Education, Nutrition and Psychology students and the lowest RC were from Pharmacy, Social service and Dentistry. There was a significant effect of "healthcare course" on RIPLS. Comparing RIPLS and RC between the first and final years we found that, considering all courses, there was an increase in the RC, whereas a decrease in RIPLS scores. No correlation was found between RIPLS and RC in general.

CONCLUSION

The current study found that RIPLS scores are very different between healthcare students. Although we found a significant increase in the RC, there was a decrease in the RIPLS scores. These findings lead to a greater understanding of the difficulties facing and potential for interprofessional education.

Effects of personality traits on collaborative performance in problem-based learning tutorials

OBJECTIVES

To examine the relationship between students' collaborative performance in a problem-based learning (PBL) environment and their personality traits. Methods:This retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted using student data of a PBL program between 2013 and 2014 at Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea. Eighty students were included in the study. Student data from the Temperament and Character Inventory were used as a measure of their personality traits. Peer evaluation scores during PBL were used as a measure of students' collaborative performance. Results: Simple regression analyses indicated that participation was negatively related to harm avoidance and positively related to persistence, whereas preparedness for the group work was negatively related to reward dependence. On multiple regression analyses, low reward dependence remained a significant predictor of preparedness. Grade-point average (GPA)  was negatively associated with novelty seeking and cooperativeness and was positively associated with persistence.  Conclusion: Medical students who are less dependent on social reward are more likely to complete assigned independent work to prepare for the PBL tutorials. The findings of this study can help educators better understand and support medical students who are at risk of struggling in collaborative learning environments.