Evaluating a large-scale introductory interprofessional education workshop for developing interprofessional socialisation in medical, nursing and pharmacy students: A quasi-experimental pre-test post-test study

Jacqueline G Bloomfield; Carl R Schneider; Stuart Lane; Paulina Stehlik; Astrid Frotjold

doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2021.104777

Evaluating a large-scale introductory interprofessional education workshop for developing interprofessional socialisation in medical, nursing and pharmacy students: A quasi-experimental pre-test post-test study

Nurse Educ Today. 2021 Apr:99:104777. doi: 10.1016/j.nedt.2021.104777. Epub 2021 Jan 19.

Authors

Jacqueline G Bloomfield¹, Carl R Schneider², Stuart Lane³, Paulina Stehlik⁴, Astrid Frotjold⁵

Affiliations

¹ University of Sydney Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. Electronic address: jacqueline.bloomfield@sydney.edu.au.
² University of Sydney School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. Electronic address: carl.schneider@sydney.edu.au.
³ Nepean Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Nepean Hospital, Sydney, Australia. Electronic address: stuart.lane@sydney.edu.au.
⁴ Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare, Faculty of Health Sciences & Medicine, Bond University, Gold Coast, Australia. Electronic address: pstehlik@bond.edu.au.
⁵ University of Sydney Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. Electronic address: astrid.frotjold@sydney.edu.au.

PMID: 33524897
DOI: 10.1016/j.nedt.2021.104777

Abstract

Background: Traditionally, healthcare students have been educated in discipline-specific silos with minimal interprofessional socialisation. Interprofessional education is fundamental for interprofessional socialisation and is an essential component of healthcare education.

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of a large-scale interprofessional workshop implemented for first year medical, nursing and pharmacy students on changes in attitudes towards interprofessional socialisation and its perceived value.

Design: A quasi-experimental study design using pre and post questionnaires.

Setting: A Faculty of Medicine and Health at a large university in Australia.

Participants: 1008 students from the 2018 and 2019 cohorts of pre-qualification first year medical students (n = 444), nursing (n = 461) and pharmacy (n = 103) enrolled in a graduate entry degree program participated in the workshop. Complete data sets were collected from 37.1% (n = 374) of the participants.

Methods: The short-form Interprofessional Socialisation and Valuing Scale (ISVS-9) was administered before and after the IPE workshop. Linear mixed models were used to compare both the within group and between group pre- and post- questionnaire data. Percentages and frequencies were used to analyse data pertaining to participants' perceptions and experience of the workshop. Descriptive qualitative analysis of free-text responses was undertaken.

Results: Findings indicated that 80.8% (n = 440) of participants rated their workshop experience as good/very good. 64.6% (n = 352) of participants reported that it had changed how they considered other health professionals. Significant higher (p < 0.001) post questionnaire mean scores were demonstrated for nursing (5.63, SE0.05) and pharmacy students (5.82, SE 0.11).

Conclusion: Findings provide support for the implementation of IPE for nursing, and pharmacy students. It is recommended that these initiatives are introduced at an early stage in their education to promote interprofessional socialisation and are repeated throughout the curricula.

Keywords: Collaboration; Communication; Healthcare students; Interprofessional education; Interprofessional socialisation; Teamwork.

MeSH terms

Attitude of Health Personnel
Australia
Humans
Interprofessional Education
Interprofessional Relations
Socialization
Students, Medical*
Students, Pharmacy*