Abstract
The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to evaluate the impact of an interprofessional educational (IPE) activity on students' attitudes and perceptions of IPE across five health care academic programs. OT students and students with previous IPE experiences demonstrated a statistically significant change after participation in IPE. This study identifies considerations when developing IPE for these groups of students in an academic setting.
Primary Author and Speaker: Casey Humphrey
Additional Authors and Speakers: Leah Shea Simpkins
Contributing Authors: Christen Page, Karina Christopher, Aaron Sciascia, and Lisa Jones
Interprofessional education (IPE) has become increasingly prominent within the curriculum of various health care disciplines. The importance of IPE is evidenced by the fact that Accreditation Council of Occupational Therapy Education (2018) requires IPE experiences to be included in occupational therapy programs' curriculum. Benefits of including interprofessional education into educational programs of health care professionals include increasing student's knowledge of the roles of other disciplines, increased self-efficacy of the student's own discipline, and the potential for a positive impact on student's attitudes and perceptions towards interdisciplinary practice (Shoemaker et al., 2014; Ivey et al., 2018). While there is significant literature on the benefits of interdisciplinary education within a variety of healthcare programs, the majority of that literature addresses a limited number of disciplines working together. There is no known literature that analyzes the interdisciplinary experiences of the unique combination of students in occupational therapy, communication disorders, dietetics, nursing, and athletic training programs. Due to the documented benefits of IPE, the expectation that health care professionals work in a collaborative team environment, and the growing trend of including IPE into health care professional's educational programming it is necessary to better understand student's readiness to effectively participate in IPE activities. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of an IPE activity on students' attitudes and perceptions of IPE across the five previously stated academic programs. This was a mixed methods study that utilized a convenience sample of students within the five identified academic programs. Any student enrolled in the participating courses within each program were invited to participate. Participants included a combined 67 students representing occupational therapy, communication disorders, dietetics, nursing, and athletic training. A modified version of the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale Questionnaire (RIPLS) given pre and post participation in an IPE case-based, collaborative activity was utilized for quantitative date. Student reflective essays post activity was utilized as qualitative data. Thematic network analysis and qualitative methods described by Braun and Clark (2006) were used for qualitative data analysis. Occupational therapy students demonstrated a statistically significant increase in their pre-post RIPLS composite score and both the Teamwork and Collaboration and Positive Professional Identity components (p < 0.03). Participants with previous IPE experience also demonstrated a statistically significant increase in their RIPLS composite score. Through qualitative analysis four themes emerged: Barriers to collaboration, real-world application, mastering a puzzle, and where I am weak they are strong. The findings of this study demonstrated that providing an IPE activity had an overall positive impact on students' attitudes and perceptions of IPE across the five identified academic programs. The effect of the activity on occupational therapy students and students with previous IPE experience was particularly impactful. Occupational therapy students' wide variety of service learning experiences and fieldwork experiences within their curriculum combined with the length of program may influence how they perceive IPE. This is an important factor for educators within occupational therapy educational programs as they develop IPE experiences. Consideration must be given to prior student experiences during the development of IPE experiences to ensure the most successful outcomes.
Accreditation Council of Occupational Therapy Education (2018). 2018 Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE®) Standards and Interpretive Guide. Retrieved from https://www.aota.org/∼/media/Corporate/Files/EducationCareers/Accredit/StandardsReview/2018-ACOTE-Standards-Interpretive-Guide.pdf
Braun, V., Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research Psychology, 3, 77-101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Shoemaker, M. J., Platko, C. M., Cleghorn, S. M., Booth, A. (2014). Virtual patient care: An interprofesional education approach for physician assistant, physical therapy and occupational therapy students. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 28(4), 365-367. https://doi.org/10.3109/13561820.2014.891978
Ivey, C. K., Bowman, D. H., Lockeman, K. S. (2018). Changes in physical therapy and occupational therapy students’ self-efficacy using an interprofessional case-based educational experience. Journal of Physical Therapy Education, 32(2), 199-205. https://doi.org/10.1097/JTE.0000000000000055