Impact of Early Implementation of Experiential Education on the Development of Interprofessional Education Knowledge and Skill Competencies.

BACKGROUND: Interprofessional education (IPE) is most effective when delivered as an experiential continuum. When to initiate IPE to undergraduate college students is unclear. This pilot project developed, implemented, and evaluated an IPE modular project introducing Interprofessional Communication and Teams and Teamwork IPE competencies to first-year allied health professions undergraduate students. METHODS: Students (n=127) were divided into two groups such that five different health science majors were represented in each. One group participated in an experiential 4-part IPE modular program, and one did not. Module components consisted of: a) an online IPE component; b) structured in-class IPE activities and discussion; c) an IPE CPR training course emphasizing communication, conflict resolution, and collaborative practice techniques; and d) an IPE CPR simulation with reflective debriefing session. Both groups' self-efficacy and confidence regarding targeted Interprofessional Communication and Teams and Teamwork IPE competencies were assessed at the same timepoints pre- and post-module using standardized Likert scale surveys. RESULTS: Results indicated a positive impact on modular group students' perception of changes in their interprofessional knowledge and skills compared with non-modular group students such that post-module students' self-efficacy and confidence ratings were both significantly higher. CONCLUSIONS: First-year allied health professions undergraduates benefit from experiential IPE targeting foundational communication and teamwork skills.

Outcomes of an International Cooperative Education Experience for Undergraduate Nursing Students.

A qualitative study was conducted to identify the outcomes of international cooperative education in nursing. Seventeen alumni who completed 19 cooperative work experiences were interviewed. International cooperative experiences support learning about culture and contribute to personal and professional development. Outcomes included increased maturation, confidence, and flexibility; elevated political and global awareness; and ability to create effective relationships with culturally diverse patients and coworkers.

Interprofessional socialization as a way to introduce collaborative competencies to first-year health science students.

Interprofessional education (IPE) is the cornerstone of preparing future health care providers but remains to be a challenge for many health science programs. We aimed to develop and evaluate an interprofessional conference for first-year health science students with goals to provide students with interprofessional socialization opportunity and introduce IPE principles. A half-day conference was based upon core competencies for health professionals and involved 277 first-year health sciences, nursing, pharmacy, physical therapy, and speech language pathology and audiology students. Alcohol and substance misuse was chosen as a topic for its relevance to college students and health professionals. Results from program evaluation revealed that the conference was successful in exposing students to core interprofessional competencies and provided useful information about alcohol and substance misuse. This study advocates for early inclusion of IPE in the health professions curricula in the form of interprofessional socialization.

The hidden shift: how do night shift nurses learn to adapt to circadian disruption?

Disruption of circadian rhythm has a significant impact on the physical, psychosocial, and professional lives of night shift nurses. How night shift nurses learn the coping techniques they employ to adapt to this disruption was examined in a qualitative, cross-sectional survey of 42 nurses. A template analysis technique was used to categorize the responses, which were then compared to industry "best practices" in fatigue countermeasures. Results documented the variety of sleep/wake routines nurses employ to cope with circadian disruption as well as a wide-ranging variety of behaviors related to driving while fatigued.

Effectiveness of health-promoting media literacy education: a systematic review.

Media literacy education to promote health among youth involves them in a critical examination of media messages that promote risky behaviors and influence their perceptions and practices. Research on its effectiveness is in its infancy. Studies to date have been conducted with more or less rigor and achieved differing results, leaving many questions about effectiveness unanswered. To elucidate some of these questions, we conducted a systematic review of selected health-promoting media literacy education evaluation/research studies, guided by the following research question: What are the context and process elements of an effective health-promoting media literacy education intervention? Based on extensive analysis of 28 interventions, our findings provide a detailed picture of a small, 16- to 17-year (1990 to July 2006) body of important research, including citation information, health issue, target population/N/age, research design, intervention length and setting, concepts/skills taught, who delivered the intervention and ratings of effectiveness. The review provides a framework for organizing research about media literacy education which suggests that researchers should be more explicit about the media literacy core concepts/skills they are including in their interventions, and should more carefully address who delivered the intervention with what fidelity, in what setting, for how long and utilizing what pedagogical approach.