Silos to systems: three models for developing geriatric interprofessional education

Promoting Older Adult Health with Interprofessional Education through Community Based Health Screening

IPHARM (ImProving Health Among Rural Montanans) is a university-based community health screening program that provides valuable interprofessional teamwork and clinical skills training for health care students while addressing the health of older adults. Students perform a variety of health care screenings dependent on the health care professions present and the requests of the community group served. Education, counseling, and recommendations for participants are provided by the interprofessional student teams under supervision and guidance from faculty and clinicians. Supported in part by federal grants such as the Health Service and Resource Administration Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (HRSA GWEP), IPHARM has provided interprofessional training for over 2100 students and conducted over 30,000 health screenings at 814 different community events. Surveys from students indicate that the experience promotes effective interprofessional team skills related to communication, an increased understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the health care team, and how to positively impact the health of older adults. These interprofessional screening events for older adults, conducted in the community by health professions students and faculty, help prepare the future workforce for collaborative and effective health care delivery. The purpose of this article is to describe the IPHARM objectives, methods, and impact this program has had on the health of older adults and the training of our future health care workforce.

Interprofessional Education in the Internal Medicine Clerkship Post-LCME Standard Issuance: Results of a National Survey

BACKGROUND

Several decades of work have detailed the value and goals of interprofessional education (IPE) within the health professions, defining IPE competencies and best practices. In 2013, the Liaison Committee for Medical Education (LCME) elevated IPE to a U.S. medical school accreditation standard.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the status of IPE within internal medicine (IM) clerkships including perspectives, curricular content, barriers, and assessment a year after the LCME standard issuance.

DESIGN

Anonymous online survey.

PARTICIPANTS

IM clerkship directors from each of the Clerkship Directors in Internal Medicine's 121 U.S. and Canadian member medical schools in 2014.

METHODS

In 2014, a section on IPE (18 items) was included in the Clerkship Directors in Internal Medicine annual survey of its 121 U.S. and Canadian member medical schools.

MAIN MEASURES

Items (18) assessed clerkship director (CD) perspectives, status of IPE curricula in IM clerkships, and barriers to IPE implementation. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and qualitative analysis of free-text responses to one of the survey questions.

KEY RESULTS

The overall survey response rate was 78% (94/121). The majority (88%) agreed that IPE is important to the practice of IM, and 71% believed IPE should be part of the IM clerkship. Most (76%) CDs agreed there is need for faculty development programs in IPE; 27% had such a program at their institution. Lack of curricular time, scheduling conflicts, and lack of faculty trained in IPE were the most frequently cited barriers. Twenty-nine percent had formal IPE activities within their IM clerkships, and 38% were planning to make changes. Of those with formal IPE activities, over a third (37%) did not involve student assessment.

CONCLUSIONS

Since LCME standard issuance, only a minority of IM clerkships have included formal IPE activities, with lectures as the predominant method. Opportunities exist for enhancing educational methods as well as IPE faculty development.

Interprofessional education in practice: Evaluation of a work integrated aged care program

Health professional clinical education is commonly conducted in single discipline modes, thus limiting student collaboration skills. Aged care residential facilities, due to the chronic and complex health care needs of residents, provide an ideal placement to provide a collaborative experience. Interprofessional education is widely acknowledged as the pedagogical framework through which to facilitate collaboration. The aim of the evaluation was to assess student attitudes towards collaboration after active involvement in an interprofessional education program. Students studying nursing, occupational therapy, and aged care were invited to complete a version of the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale before and after participating in a three-week pilot interprofessional program. A positive change in student attitudes towards other health professionals and the importance of working in interprofessional teams was reported with significant differences between two statements indicated: Learning with health-care students before qualifications would improve relationships after qualifications; and I learned a lot from the students from the other disciplines. The innovative pilot project was found to enhance student learning in interprofessional teams and the aged care environment. Further development of this and similar interprofessional programs is required to develop sustainable student projects that have health benefits for residents in aged care residential facilities.

A abordagem do envelhecimento na formação universitária dos profissionais de saúde: uma revisão integrativa

O objetivo deste artigo foi identificar, com base na literatura, como a saúde do idoso e o envelhecimento têm sido abordados na formação universitária dos profissionais de saúde e o que vem sendo considerado relevante nesta temática. Trata-se de estudo de revisão integrativa em que foi realizada busca por artigos nas bases de dados PubMed/MEDLINE, LILACS, IBECS e SciELO. Os aspectos discutidos na literatura foram: os requisitos e as competências necessárias para a atenção de qualidade aos idosos; as atitudes didáticas e as práticas formativas relacionadas ao tema "saúde do idoso"; a forma e disposição dos conteúdos ofertados acerca do envelhecimento na formação profissional; a avaliação do ensino por parte de docentes, discentes e egressos e os processos de implementação dos cursos de Gerontologia. Considerando os estudos nacionais e internacionais, as discussões acerca do tema, de forma geral, foram similares. Os conteúdos e práticas considerados relevantes à formação foram os assuntos mais investigados e os enfermeiros e médicos os profissionais que mais pesquisaram o tema.