Teaching for Practice: The Impact of a Large-Scale Interprofessional Foundational Program.

PURPOSE: The University of Kansas Medical Center has developed an interprofessional education (IPE) foundational program using TeamSTEPPS, a curriculum designed to improve patient care through effective communication and teamwork. The purpose of this study was to understand the impact of the Level 1 program on learners as they develop the attitudes, knowledge, and skills related to interprofessional collaborative practice. METHODS: Learners (n=715) representing 15 professions participated in the Level 1 program. A mixed-methods approach was used to assess achievement of learning objectives, learner reactions, modifications of perceptions and attitudes, acquisition of knowledge and skills, and anticipated behaviors. RESULTS: Learners (n=585, 81.8%) agreed that the program was valuable. Positive changes in attitudes were significant pre-post (p<0.001). An average of 80.3% of learners who responded (n=196, 27.4%) correctly answered knowledge survey questions. Furthermore, analysis of open-ended questions suggested that learners gained an increased appreciation for interprofessional communication and better understanding of the roles of other healthcare professions. CONCLUSIONS: Based on positive learner reactions, changes in attitudes and knowledge, and anticipated behaviors associated with this program, similar approaches that incorporate TeamSTEPPS early in professional curricula may be useful for foundational IPE programming due to the intentional alignment with collaborative practice and orientation towards the Quadruple Aim.

The Impact of an Interprofessional Practice Experience on Readiness for Interprofessional Learning.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Professional silos still exist in practice and education. At our institution, all medical students are exposed to an interprofessional (IP) practice experience during their family medicine clerkship. This study examines the impact of this IP practice experience on students' attitudes toward IP learning. In addition, this study examines the further impact on attitudes of a subset of students who were exposed to the IP practice experience integrated within an intentional IPE curriculum built to support and enhance experiential learning. METHODS: All students rotating through the IP practice experience were invited to participate. Only those who completed the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS), both pre-post were included in the analysis. Comparisons were made by school and by exposure to the integrated experiential model. RESULTS: Out of 422, a total of 252 (59.7%) students completed both RIPLS pre-post. Analysis revealed statistically significant pre-post differences for all respondents for Teamwork and Patient-Centeredness. Medicine responses were less favorable for Teamwork and Professional Identity than nursing and pharmacy. For a subset of students exposed to the integrated experiential model, responses were more favorable for Teamwork, Professional Identity, and Patient-Centeredness compared to students without this exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Attitudes toward Teamwork and Patient-Centeredness were more favorable for all respondents after exposure to the IP practice experience. Differences by school might be due to professional culture. Students exposed to the integrated experiential model had more favorable responses across all subscales than those not exposed. For the integrated experiential model to be deemed valuable, assessment of behavior change is warranted.