Large-group simulation as a learning method to promote interprofessional collaboration and older adults' patient centered-care

AIMS

This study described the influence of a large-group simulation on social and health care students´ working life competence concerning interprofessional collaboration (IPC) and patient centered-care.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The target group (n = 319) was social and health care students from several different degree programs taking part in a large-group simulation concerning older people´s oral health as a part of his comprehensive well-being and health. Data were collected with a questionnaire containing background questions, statements about interprofessional practice and open-ended questions about learning experiences. The number of respondents was 257, including 51 oral health care students (OHCS). The data were analyzed using descriptive and statistical methods and content analysis. Working life competencies covers the overall social and collaborative skills which health-care professionals need in their work. They were reported to be improved in IPC and patient-centered care (PCC). The main described learning experiences in open responses included appreciating different professionals' competencies and the importance of interprofessional decision-making, interpersonal communication competence and patient-centered attitudes in care provision.

CONCLUSION

The large-group simulation is a good model for educating larger student groups simultaneously and it functioned well in improving understanding of IPC and PCC among older adults.

Leadership and work community - views of graduating dental students

PURPOSE

This study aims to explore what kind of perceptions dental students at graduation stage have on leadership and work communities, and themselves as leaders and work community members after completing a leadership course tailored for them.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH

The research material comprised reflective essays written by fifth-year dental students who had participated in a leadership course. The essays were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.

FINDINGS

Most students reported that they had not considered seeking a leadership position before the course, but their views of leadership had grown more positive as a result of completing the course. Students perceived interpersonal communication competence as the most important factor for leaders, the whole work community and for themselves. They assessed that their biggest strengths were found in this area. The biggest challenges in adapting to a work community concerned the students' professional identities, which were still taking shape at the time of graduation.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE

The need for leaders in health-care professions is growing due to ongoing reforms, multidisciplinary teamwork, the development of new technologies and patient demands. Therefore, undergraduate leadership education is needed to ensure that students have knowledge of leadership. Graduating dental students' perceptions concerning leadership and work communities have not been widely explored. Students' perceptions of leadership were positive after the course and helped students to realize their own potential in this area.

Fifth-year dental students' visions of leadership-A qualitative study

INTRODUCTION

Leadership skills are important in dentists' work. Leadership education already in undergraduate curriculum is noteworthy. The aim of this qualitative study was to describe dental students' visions of leadership: how they imagined they end up in leadership position, factors supporting either staying in or leaving the position and their future views.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The data were gathered after participants, fifth-year dental students, attended a "Dentist as a Leader" study module. A method of empathy-based stories was utilised. Based on contrasting frame stories, students were divided into two groups and wrote essays about an imagined situation in which they either enjoyed their leadership position ("Stayers") or considered leaving it ("Leavers"). The data were analysed using the content analysis method.

RESULTS

The reasons for ending up in a leadership position were similar in the two groups: accidentally drifting into or intentionally heading for it. Factors supporting staying or leaving the leadership position were more diverse and were divided into personal and working community levels. These factors were common and group-specific. Clinical work, personal life and the ability to improve the organisations were common factors. Good working community was a "Stayer"-specific factor. "Leaver"-specific factors included loneliness, stress and lack of public sector resources. Future career plans were similar in both groups emphasising clinical work.

CONCLUSIONS

After having attended leadership training, dental students were able to describe their future careers and list factors supporting either staying or leaving an imagined leadership position. These factors can be utilised by organisations to develop better working environments for future dentist leaders. By recognising the factors, students themselves are able to plan their future career choices and prepare to become leaders.

Career path from a dentist to a leader

Purpose The purpose of this paper was to study the career paths of leaders with a career background as a dentist from basic degree to chief or executive leadership positions and individual factors that influenced their decisions. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interview and a questionnaire were used to study 13 leaders using the structure of Edgar Schein's career anchor interview and career orientation inventory questionnaire. Theory-driven content analysis was used to analyze the data according to themes which included career paths, factors associated with job and career changes and thoughts about future careers. Findings Three different career path types were identified: Progressives (Type A), By chance (Type B), and Enthusiasts (Type C). The main motives were: the Progressives' goal orientation to proceed to higher leadership positions, the By chance group's job and even career changing by taking a chance on an interesting possibility that comes their way and the Enthusiasts' willingness to make a difference and search for possibilities to change things. The most important career anchor was "pure challenge" among the Progressives and By chance groups and "general managerial competence" among the Enthusiasts. Originality/value Studies on personal factors associating with career paths in health care are scarce and similarly leaders with a dentist background are less studied, even though leadership could be an excellent career choice for a dentist. Different individuals can have varied motives and career paths toward executive positions. Because of the multi-professional functions in health care, organizations could benefit from having leaders with different expertise backgrounds.