Using an interprofessional competency framework to enhance collaborative pediatric nursing education and practice

Research on the application effect of inter-professional training program for newly enrolled medical staff in operating room based on digital information technology

BACKGROUND

The operating room environment demands high levels of teamwork and interprofessional collaboration, yet current training programs often lack sufficient opportunities to develop these essential skills. Few studies have explored the impact of Interprofessional Education (IPE) based on digital information technology in improving the collaboration and learning among newly enrolled medical staff in the operating room.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to design, implement, and evaluate a digital information technology-based IPE training program for newly enrolled medical staff in the operating room. The evaluation focused on the effects of the program on the participants' expertise, operational knowledge, team communication skills, and application of these skills in clinical practice.

METHODS

Sixty-eight newly enrolled medical staff from surgical departments in a tertiary hospital in Shanxi province were included in this study from January 2021 to December 2022. The participants engaged in an IPE training curriculum that utilized digital information technology, featuring courses and case studies specifically tailored to the operating room environment. Post-training assessments included evaluation of test scores of expertise course, evaluation of surgical simulation operations (operational knowledge and communication), and the International Interprofessional Collaboration Competency Attainment Survey (ICCAS). The effectiveness of the training was assessed by evaluating improvements in communication skills, application of practical knowledge, and teamwork in surgical contexts.

RESULTS

Expertise course evaluation and reflection revealed that the new enrolled medical staff in the operating room had a deep understanding of the knowledge. At the same time, they are better able to understand and master the nursing mode in the process of different professional surgery, and said that they would like to cooperate with surgeon and anesthesiologist during the surgical operation. The score of the Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Survey (ICCAS) increased significantly (P < 0.05), indicating that the communication and collaboration skills of the new enrolled medical staff in operating room were further improved, and that they were more familiar with the patient-centered teamwork mode.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides a valuable reference for the design and implementation of IPE programs based on digital information technology in the operating room. It highlights the importance of such programs in enhancing the understanding and cross-disciplinary communication skills for newly enrolled medical staff, ultimately improving patient care through better teamwork.

Nursing students' perceived ability to practice interprofessional collaboration after the inclusion of virtual and immersion interprofessional education activities: A quantitative exploration

BACKGROUND

Little is known about the influence of interprofessional education (IPE) on interprofessional collaboration (IPC), particularly following the COVID 19 pandemic.

AIM

To examine nursing students' perceived ability to practice IPC after exposure to virtual lectures and immersive clinical IPE activities founded on the competencies from the National Interprofessional Competency Framework.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional design was used.

METHODS

Third year nursing students (n=105) enrolled in a pediatric theory and clinical completed surveys including: Demographic items, the revised Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Survey (ICCAS) and the Interprofessional Education Collaborative Competency Self-Assessment (IPEC) (Version 3). Students completed reflective questions about their IPE experiences. Descriptive statistics, paired t-tests, confidence intervals, and point estimates were used to measure the differences from pre- to post-participation for all items of the ICCAS and IPEC.

RESULTS

Participants reported improved IPC competence on every item and overall, after the IPE activities. Participants from urban campuses had lower ICCAS scores (PE 0.38, 95 % CI, 0.12-0.65) than those from rural campuses (PE 0.45 95 % CI, 0.18-0.72). Students who identified as men had higher team functioning scores before participating in the IPE activities than women (PE 0.50; 95 % CI,: 0.05-0.95). The IPEC Interaction items mean score was 4.03 ±.50 and IPE values items were higher with a mean of 4.62 ± 0.46.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings can guide development and implementation of IPE experiences for nursing and allied healthcare students.

Development of Leadership Skills in Medical Education: Protocol for a Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

Leadership is recognized as an essential competency in health care and science, being central for professionals to face health challenges. Few physicians feel prepared to serve as leaders in the health care environment, and few receive training in the leadership skills needed to be successful. Teaching leadership skills together with extensive, longitudinal, clinical education in an authentic and nurturing environment can effectively develop students for leadership in medicine. Studies on the subject still do not show the best way to implement it in medical education, and an updated review is necessary.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to identify the types of available evidence on the teaching of leadership skills in undergraduate courses in the health area, analyze them, determine knowledge gaps, and disseminate the research results.

METHODS

This is a scoping review that will consider studies on leadership skills in medical and health undergraduate courses. Primary studies published in English, Spanish, and Portuguese since 2019 will be considered. The search will be performed in 8 databases, and reference lists will be searched for additional studies. Duplicates will be removed, and 2 independent reviewers will examine the titles, abstracts, and full texts of the selected studies. Data extraction will be performed using a tool developed by the researchers.

RESULTS

The scoping review is currently in progress. The preliminary database search has been completed, yielding a total of 1213 articles across multiple databases. The next stages, including deduplication, title and abstract screening, and full-text review, are scheduled to be completed by December 2024. Data extraction and analysis are expected to be finalized by March 2025, with the final report anticipated to be ready for submission by June 2025.

CONCLUSIONS

This scoping review on leadership in the medical curriculum can significantly contribute to the literature by organizing and synthesizing the available evidence on teaching leadership skills in undergraduate courses in the health area. Furthermore, by analyzing evidence and identifying knowledge gaps, the study can provide valuable insights to develop more efficient and comprehensive medical education programs, thus preparing students to take on leadership roles in the complex environment of health care.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Open Science Framework YEXKB; https://osf.io/yexkb.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

PRR1-10.2196/62810.

Effects of integration interdisciplinary learning on student learning outcomes and healthcare-giving competence: a mixed methods study

BACKGROUND

Interdisciplinary collaboration is known to foster professional innovation and enhance student learning across different domains. However, the research on the effectiveness of integration of interdisciplinary learning in pediatric nursing education is limited. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the effectiveness of integrating game-based learning, an interdisciplinary approach to teaching, into pediatric nursing education's play courses.

METHODS

We used a mixed methods study with pre-test/post-test quantitative analyses and a descriptive qualitative analysis of students' reflection journals. Data were collected between August 2019 and July 2020 to gauge course effectiveness. Quantitative data obtained from the questionnaires were analyzed using a t-test, correlation, and regression analysis. Qualitative data using students' reflective journals were collected and analyzed using content analysis. One hundred and three second-year nursing students enrolled in a four-year nursing program. Nursing students attended classes in university classrooms and served learning in a kindergarten or hospital in Northern Taiwan.

RESULTS

The subscales of Students' Learning Outcome in knowledge, abilities, and attitudes showed significantly higher mean post-test scores compared to pre-test scores: 26.15 (SD = 3.35) vs. 16.82 (SD = 4.49), p < .001; 18.03 (SD = 2.13) vs. 11.43 (SD = 2.95), p < .001; and 12.90 (SD = 2.12) vs. 8.72 (SD = 2.52), p < .001. Furthermore, scores on the Service-Learning Abilities Scale indicated a significant increase in communication, problem-solving, knowledge application, and cross-cultural competence. Integrating instruction to improve problem-solving skills and knowledge application predicts student learning outcomes. Qualitative findings revealed nursing students' reflections on integrating different learning areas, communication, problem-solving, and practical knowledge skills.

CONCLUSIONS

Integration of interdisciplinary learning effectively stimulates learning among nursing students and enhances their knowledge, abilities, and attitudes toward therapeutic play, benefiting children's health. Our findings demonstrate that integration of interdisciplinary learning significantly enhances nursing students' healthcare-giving competence, particularly in communication, problem-solving, knowledge application, and cross-cultural competence as measured by the Service-Learning Scale. Integrating social service with integration of interdisciplinary learning exposes nursing students to diverse challenges and needs, thereby enhancing their communication skills, knowledge application, and problem-solving abilities. Nursing students can blend knowledge and skills through integrated learning, which is crucial for nursing career preparation.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

N/A. It was a survey on educational activities.

Interprofessional learning in practice-based settings: AMEE Guide No. 169

The provision of optimum health care services requires collaboration of health care professionals in integrated interprofessional (IP) teams. This guide addresses the practical aspects of establishing and delivering pre-licensure IP programs to prepare graduates of health professional programs to work in teams and wider collaboration, and consequently enhance the quality of health care. The main updated IP frameworks are presented to highlight commonalities that represent the essential competencies and outcomes of programs implementing interprofessional education (IPE). We discuss how these may be adapted to the local context, and present examples of models of implementation to guide the initial steps of establishing similar programs. Examples of pre-licensure IP practice-based learning, such as community-based, simulation-based, student-run and led clinics, and interprofessional training wards, and post-licensure interprofessional learning (IPL), are described. We consider assessment of IPL along the continuum of learning IP. This guide also emphasises the need to tailor faculty development programs for local contexts and consider factors affecting sustainability such as funding and accreditation. We finish with the governance of IP programs and how global IP networks may support interprofessional practice-based learning from development to delivery.

Health Care Clinical Preceptors' Attitudes Towards Interprofessional Education in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction

IPE fosters a dynamic learning environment that may promote students' knowledge, abilities, and collaborative approach towards addressing challenging clinical circumstances. While much has been reported in the literature regarding these diverse IPE learning environments, limited information exists regarding clinical preceptors' attitude and perceptions of IPE, especially in Saudi Arabia. Given the impact clinical preceptors have on the formation of healthcare students exploring their perceptions, which may impact their actions is imperative.

Methodology

The study focused on understanding the attitudes and perceptions of clinical preceptors towards IPE in a healthcare setting in Saudi Arabia. The study was conducted in Saudi Arabia. Data was collected via Email letter of solicitation (LOS) which included a link to the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) survey. The LOS was sent to all the health care programs in Saudi Arabia.

Results

The study surveyed 182 clinical preceptors. The findings revealed consistent favorable opinions towards "Teamwork and Collaboration". The majority of preceptors concurred that learning alongside other students would increase students' efficiency on healthcare teams and deepen their comprehension of clinical issues. The "Roles and Responsibilities" category, however, obtained lower ranks in general from the preceptors. Not surprising, differences in rankings were greatest between preceptors who had and did not have IPE exposure, there were significant variations in views toward "Teamwork and Collaboration", "Negative Professional Identity", and "Roles and Responsibilities". Preceptors exposed to IPE showed lower median ratings for "Negative Professional Identity" and "Roles and Responsibilities" and better median scores for "Teamwork and Collaboration".

Conclusion

The attitudes and perceptions of preceptors who had experienced IPE were more favorable toward IPE and thus may foster it more effectively in the students they work with. Therefore, ensuring that all preceptors are aware of and have experience with IPE is important as we seek to promote person-centered care.

Exploring variations in IPC competencies: a cross-sectional study among healthcare professionals in Northwest China

BACKGROUND

This cross-sectional study investigates infection prevention and control (IPC) competencies among healthcare professionals in northwest China, examining the influence of demographic factors, job titles, education, work experience, and hospital levels.

METHODS

Data from 874 respondents across 47 hospitals were collected through surveys assessing 16 major IPC domains. Statistical analyses, including Mann-Whitney tests, were employed to compare competencies across variables.

RESULTS

Significant differences were identified based on gender, job titles, education, work experience, and hospital levels. Females demonstrated higher IPC competencies, while senior positions exhibited superior performance. Higher educational attainment and prolonged work experience positively correlated with enhanced competencies. Variances across hospital levels underscored context-specific competencies.

CONCLUSION

Demographic factors and professional variables significantly shape IPC competencies. Tailored training, considering gender differences and job roles, is crucial. Higher education and prolonged work experience positively impact proficiency. Context-specific interventions are essential for diverse hospital settings, informing strategies to enhance IPC skills and mitigate healthcare-associated infections effectively.

Centering Health Equity Through the Social Determinants of Health, Interprofessional Education, and Sustainable Partnerships With Historically Black Colleges and Universities: Envisioning Upstream and Downstream Impacts

The social determinants of health (SDOH) framework identifies barriers to health care, education, financial stability, and other conditions that exist across socially determined parameters, often to the detriment of Communities of Color. Postsecondary healthcare students must be aware of these disparities. In order to address upstream and downstream healthcare equity, the SDOH framework must be leveraged as a cross-disciplinary curricular innovation to support interprofessional education. Historically Black Colleges and Universities have unrealized potential to develop extraordinary healthcare leaders; partnerships integrating SDOH can be a powerful force to advance health equity in the United States.