Perceptions of interprofessional education among Malaysian clinical healthcare students

INTRODUCTION

Interprofessional education (IPE), which is aimed at improving the quality of patient care and overall health outcome, has been advocated to prepare future healthcare professionals for collaborative practice OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the perceptions of IPE among clinical healthcare students at a Malaysian institution METHODS: A validated questionnaire, developed from previous studies, was distributed online to selected final year students of 10 clinical programs from medical, dental, pharmacy and health sciences faculties (n = 501). Quantitative data was analyzed via chi-square test (significance value p < .05) using social sciences software (SPSS).

RESULTS

The overall response rate was 76.4% (n = 383). About 63.2% of respondents reported having experienced IPE. This experience took place in lectures (32.1%) and online courses/webinars (36.2%). The majority of respondents provided positive feedback on various aspects of IPE. There was an insignificant difference among respondents across all programs in terms of their perception of its importance and effectiveness as well as their own preference for multidisciplinary lectures as a mode to conduct IPE. Most students agreed that challenges in conducting IPE include time constraints (83%), communication difficulties (70.8%), and lack of skills (57.4%), with no significant difference across programs. Students opined that IPE was beneficial in providing exposure to other disciplines, encouraging peer interactions, developing new skills, and improving overall learning experience. However, some reported challenges in integrating with other students, while others cited compromised experience due to problems with crowd control CONCLUSION: Students' support for IPE has positive implications for future implementation and highlights areas for improvement and further development.

Perceptions of emergency department physicians regarding the management of traumatic dental injuries

BACKGROUND/AIM

The purpose of this study was to investigate the self-reported confidence level and education of Atlantic Canada emergency department physicians in the management of traumatic dental injuries and to assess the need for further education surrounding the management of dental trauma.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

An 18-item survey was developed and distributed electronically to physicians by their respective provincial medical associations.

RESULTS

Traumatic dental injuries were reported in the emergency department on a weekly basis (78%). Most respondents reported that they were somewhat confident (51%) or very confident (7%) in managing traumatic dental injuries. Physicians' years in practice correlated positively with self-reported confidence levels in managing dental trauma. Urban and rural emergency department physicians reported similar levels of access to general dentists (38% and 30%, respectively); however, urban emergency department physicians reported greater access to pediatric dental specialists (43%) and oral and maxillofacial surgeons (81%) than rural practicing colleagues (4% and 30%, respectively). Most emergency department physicians (85%) agreed that it was important to receive training on the management of traumatic dental injuries and reported that education on managing traumatic dental injuries during residency (37%) and access to a dental trauma decision-making pathway (30%) would be of most value.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the role of emergency department physicians as first responders and demonstrates opportunities for improvement in the initial management of traumatic dental injuries. These implications can be achieved through the incorporation of further training in emergency medicine residency programs and through the implementation of decision-making pathways in emergency departments.

Assessment of medical practitioners' knowledge about paediatric oral diagnosis and gaze patterns using eye tracking technology

BACKGROUND

Most studies regarding the oral health knowledge of medical practitioners are based on surveys.

AIM

To assess medical practitioners' knowledge in diagnosing and managing children oral health issues using eye tracking technology.

DESIGN

Forty-one medical practitioners completed a cross-sectional survey questionnaire and subsequently viewed 5 clinical images of children's oral cavities to indicate the issues observed and their management. Tobii eye tracking device captured each participant's visual search behaviours and mean length of fixation (LOF) for each area of interest (AOI). Participant self-reported confidence in examining the oral cavity, and qualification level was recorded for data analysis.

RESULTS

No correlation between time spent viewing the soft tissues and self-reported confidence examining the oral cavity was observed (P = .25). Self-reported confidence in examining the oral cavity was not associated with a correct diagnosis. LOF on the decayed teeth was significantly associated with a correct diagnosis of 'caries' (P < .05), and paediatric training was associated with a correct diagnosis of dental caries (P < .05).

CONCLUSION

Medical practitioners' diagnosis and management were poorly correlated with their objective visual search behaviours of the intraoral images. Self-reported confidence in examining and managing oral issues was not correlated with a correct diagnosis, with the majority not confident of examining children oral cavity.

Oral health education in the undergraduate nursing curriculum of Australian and Malaysian institutions

INTRODUCTION

A high degree of training is necessary to prepare student nurses for their roles as oral healthcare partners that can promote a holistic approach to health in the community. This study aims to determine the extent of oral health education in Australian and Malaysian nursing institutions, as well as investigate educators' perceptions of education and practice in this area of care.

METHODOLOGY

An audio-recorded, semi-structured qualitative phone interview was conducted with the heads of 42 nursing schools across Australia (n = 35) and Malaysia (n = 7) during the 2015 academic year. Qualitative data were analysed via thematic analysis. Quantitative data, wherever appropriate, were measured for frequencies.

RESULTS

The response rate was 34.2% (n = 12) and 71.4% (n = 5) for the Australian and Malaysian subjects, respectively. Findings revealed that although all the nursing schools measured provided didactic and clinical training in oral health, curriculum content, expected learning outcomes, amount of clinical exposure and assessment approach lacked consistency. Most nursing educators across both countries perceived an overloaded curriculum as a barrier to providing oral health education. Whilst educators demonstrated their support for training in this area of care, they expressed the need for an established national guideline that highlights the educational requirement for future nurses in oral health maintenance and their scope of practice.

CONCLUSION

This study provides valuable information for further developing oral health education for nurses, to improve their competency and ultimately the health of the communities that they will serve.

Perceived barriers encountered by oral health professionals in the Australian public dental system providing dental treatment to individuals with special needs

AIMS

To investigate barriers experienced by clinicians treating individuals with special needs in the Australian public dental system.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Oral health professionals working at primary care clinics in the public dental system were invited to participate in semi-structured interviews or focus groups to discuss the challenges they faced in managing patients with special needs. Qualitative methods, employing inductive thematic analysis, revealed two primary barriers: 1. clinicians lacked confidence in their ability to treat patients with special needs because of insufficient training and experience, and difficulties obtaining information about their patients, and 2. barriers within the public dental system, including inadequate funding, equipment and facilities, and productivity pressures prevented clinicians from being able to provide the care patients required. The priority and understanding of the oral health for these individuals within the public dental system and wider disability sector was also raised.

CONCLUSION

A perceived lack of training and experience in managing individuals with special needs was a barrier to treating patients with special needs. Other significant barriers were under-resourcing of the public dental system and a lack of priority and understanding regarding oral health among carers of individuals with special needs and other health professionals.

Perceptions of oral health education and practice among nursing students in Malaysia and Australia

OBJECTIVE

Representing the largest proportion of healthcare workers, nurses play a significant role in oral health (OH) maintenance as part of a larger effort to promote holistic patient care. The study aims to determine nursing students' perceptions of OH education and practice in Malaysian and Australian nursing schools.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A self-administered questionnaire (content- and face-validated) survey was undertaken, classroom style, amongst final-year nursing students from selected Malaysian (n = 122, Response rate=97.6%) and Australian (n = 299, Response rate=54.7%) institutions. Quantitative data were analysed via Statistical Package for Social Science software (Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests, p ≤ 0.01).

RESULTS

Significantly more Malaysian nursing students, compared to those in Australia, reported having encountered patients with OH issues (98.4% vs. 82.9%), namely halitosis (87.7% vs. 62.2%), oral ulcers (63.1% vs. 41.1%), oral/dental trauma (36.9% vs. 21.1%) and caries in children (28.7% vs. 7.7%). Less than half of Malaysian and Australian nursing students reported that they received adequate OH training (48.4% vs. 36.6%, p ≤ 0.01), especially in detecting oral cancer (18.0.0% vs. 22.6%, p ≤ 0.01) and preventing oral diseases (46.7% vs. 41.7%, p ≤ 0.01). Students in both countries demonstrated positive attitudes and believed in their role in OH care. Most students agreed that they should receive training in OH, especially in smoking cessation and providing OH care for patients with special needs. They also opined that a standardized evidence-based oral hygiene protocol is needed.

CONCLUSION

Support for education and practice in this area of patient care suggested positive implications for further development of nurses' roles in OH promotion and management.

The Dentist's Role in Southern Brazilian Teaching Hospitals: A Grounded Theory Study

The aim of this study was to develop a theoretical model to describe the role that the dentist plays in Brazilian hospital settings. This qualitative study was based on the grounded theory research method. Participants were a total of 27 individuals in three groups: dentists and general practice and oral and maxillofacial surgery residents; faculty; and other health professionals who interacted with dental patients in the hospital setting during the 2012-13 year. Data were collected in three teaching hospitals in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil, through scripted interviews using open-ended questions. The stages of collection, codification, ordination, and integration of data were guided by constant comparative techniques to formulate a theoretical model. The codes generated were organized into seven categories: identifying the hospital as a working and teaching environment; recalling the dentists' professional pathways; reflecting on the dentist's work in the hospital; considering the political and organizational dimension of the role of the dentist in the hospital; understanding patients' life and health contexts; education and professional practice; and moving on towards interdisciplinary practices in the hospital setting. Integrating the categories led to a theoretical model called "The Dentist's Role in the Hospital Setting: An Interdisciplinary Construction." This theoretical model provides a framework to understand how dentists perform in the hospital setting, with a focus on interdisciplinary practice, which in this study was shown to be incipient and heterogeneous.