"We Are Saving Their Bodies and Destroying Their Souls.": Family Caregivers' Experiences of Formal Care Setting Visitation Restrictions during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This study aims to explore the experiences of family caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic-imposed visitation restrictions at formal care settings (FCS) such as assisted living centers and traditional nursing homes. Participants (N = 512) were recruited from an international caregiving social media site that was developed at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Descriptive data was collected on the family caregivers, the care recipient and facility. Respondents also provided a single feeling word describing their experience and an open-ended question allowed for further exploration. Caregivers were predominantly daughters (n = 375). The most common reported feeling words were sadness (n = 200), trauma (n = 108), anger (n = 65), frustration (n = 56), helplessness (n = 50), and anxiety (n = 36). Thematic analysis revealed four overarching themes: 1) isolation 2) rapid decline 3) inhumane care and 4) lack of oversight. This study highlights the importance of addressing the mental, emotional and physical needs of both care recipient and family caregiver during this challenging time. Caregiver visitation policy reform that includes the care recipient and family caregiver is also discussed.

Evaluation of an interprofessional education program for advanced practice nursing and dental students: The oral-systemic health connection.

BACKGROUND: In response to the growing body of evidence supporting the need for expanded interprofessional education among health professions, an interprofessional education program, based on the Interprofessional Education Collaborative Core Competencies, was piloted with nurse practitioner and dental students. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate a technology enhanced interprofessional education program focused on the oral-systemic health connection for nurse practitioner and dental students. DESIGN: A two-group comparative study using cross-sectional data and a quasi-experimental one-group pre-test/post-test design were used to evaluate students' knowledge of IPE core competencies, attitudes toward interprofessional education and interdisciplinary teamwork, and self-efficacy in functioning as a member of an interdisciplinary team. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: This program was implemented with master of science in nursing students pursuing a primary care nurse practitioner (NP) degree and dental students at a large urban academic health sciences center. Cohort 1 (N = 75) consisted of NP (n = 34) and dental students (n = 41) at the end of their degree program who participated in a one-time survey. Cohort 2 (N = 116) was comprised of second-year NP students (n = 22) and first-year dental students (n = 94) who participated in the IPE program. METHODS: Students participated in a multi-faceted educational program consisting of technology- enhanced delivery as well as interactive exercises in the joint health assessment course. Data were collected prior to the initiation and at the conclusion of the program. RESULTS: Nurse practitioner and dental students who participated in the program had better self-efficacy in functioning as a member of an interdisciplinary team than graduating students who did not participate. Students from both nursing and dentistry who participated in the program had significantly improved self-efficacy in functioning in interprofessional teams from pre- to post-test. CONCLUSION: An interprofessional education program can be a valuable addition to the health professions curriculum of nurse practitioner and dental students. Care must be taken to address logistical issues when working with students in different academic programs.

Overcoming barriers to interprofessional education in gerontology: the Interprofessional Curriculum for the Care of Older Adults.

A fragmented workforce consisting of multiple disciplines with varying levels of training and limited ability to work as a team often provides care to older adults. Interprofessional education (IPE) is essential for preparing practitioners for the effective teamwork required for community-based, holistic, person-centered care of the older adults. Despite numerous programs and offerings to advance education and interdisciplinary patient care, there is an unmet need for geriatric IPE, especially as it relates to community-dwelling older adults and caregivers in medically underserved areas. A core group of university faculty from multiple disciplines received funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program to collaborate with community-based providers from several Area Agencies on Aging in the creation and implementation of the Interprofessional Curriculum for the Care of Older Adults (iCCOA). This geriatric curriculum is interprofessional, comprehensive, and community-based. Learners include third-year nursing students, nurse practitioner students, third-year medical students, internal medicine and family medicine residents, master's level social work students, third-year pharmacy students, pharmacy residents, third-year dental students, dental hygiene students, community-based organization professionals, practicing community organizers, and community health navigators. This article describes the efforts, successes, and challenges experienced with this endeavor, including securing funding, ensuring equal representation of the disciplines, adding new components to already crowded curricula, building curriculum on best practices, improving faculty expertise in IPE, managing logistics, and ensuring comprehensive evaluation. The results summarize the iCCOA components, as well as the interprofessional domains, knowledge, and competencies.