Strategies for Health: a game-based, interprofessional approach to teaching social determinants of health: a randomized controlled pilot study.

Knowledge of social determinants of health (SDH) can help students reduce health disparities and advance health equity and quality of life. This pilot study aimed to assess the effectiveness of Strategies for Health, an interprofessional game, in improving student knowledge regarding SDH as well as attitudes toward interprofessional collaboration when compared to or combined with didactic coursework. A mixed methods approach was utilized. Participants (N = 42) were divided into one of four groups: Control (A), gameplay (B), didactic module (C), and a combined didactic module followed by gameplay (D). Data was collected using a knowledge base test of SDH, the Interprofessional Attitudes Scale (IPAS), and qualitative feedback during gameplay and debriefing. SDH results indicated no significant differences within groups, but a combined pre-post indicated a significant improvement among Group D (p = .04). IPAS results indicated a statistically significant improvement in interprofessional attitudes of teamwork, roles, and responsibilities among Groups B and D. A combination of didactic learning and gameplay was the most effective approach to improving and maintaining SDH knowledge and attitudes toward IPE over time. These findings inform the need for interprofessional curricula that aim to improve health outcomes and advance health equity.

Nursing Students' Professional Value Development: Can We Do Better?

AIM: The purpose of this study was to identify whether differences exist in nursing professional values based on program type and/or geographic location. BACKGROUND: Deliberate inclusion of values formation is critical to nursing education and high-quality nursing care. There is limited research comparing professional values development among students in all types of prelicensure RN programs and no research comparing students' professional values between geographic regions. METHOD: A secondary analysis was completed of original data collected in three descriptive studies using the Nursing Professional Value Scale-Revised®. RESULTS: Findings indicate prelicensure nursing students are educated with the values integrated within the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics. Significant differences (p < .05) were found when comparing geographic locations, program types, and Nursing Professional Value Scale-Revised factor scores. CONCLUSION: Additional research is needed to identify best practices for overall values formation in all program types.

New Faculty Orientation: Discussion of Cultural Competency, Sexual Victimization, and Student Behaviors.

In the arena of undergraduate education in health care, orientation programs assist new faculty in transitioning from their role as clinician to educator. However, orientation typically overlooks training in the areas of cultural competency, how to assist students who are victims of sexual assault, and how to handle unprofessional student behaviors. At a large midwestern university, the new faculty orientation program in an interprofessional undergraduate department was expanded to include education in these areas by incorporating case scenarios and discussion sessions. The orientation faculty team included faculty from the areas of medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, public health, and neuropsychiatry. The goal of the enhanced orientation program was to empower new faculty members with the skills and resources they needed to be advocates for students in the areas of cultural competency, sexual victimization, and professional development. J Contin Educ Nurs. 2016;47(5):228-233.