Cancer and its treatments affect adolescents' body image. However, it is not known what factors impinge on adolescents' perception of their body image. This multiple case study explored how 5 adolescents with cancer perceived their body image and the impact of this perception on their daily life. Adolescents described their body image as "I don't look normal," a theme that comprised 2 dimensions: "I look ugly" and "I look sick." For the adolescent with cancer, these 2 dimensions evoked feelings of being vulnerably exposed: "People look at me." Consequently, adolescents adopted a new set of coping strategies to help them manage their physical appearance and social interactions: "avoiding," "maintaining normality," "testing the waters," and "peer-shield" themes. Although the adolescents perceived their body image as altered, coping mechanisms enabled adolescents to think of themselves as normal and re-establish their social lives. The results of this small study suggest 2 potential nursing approaches to facilitate adolescents' adaptation to their new body image.

Background/aimsAn anatomy interprofessional near-peer learning activity (AIP-NPLA) between nursing and medical students was piloted to assess its implementability. This study aimed to: (1) identify key factors of feasibility and (2) describe student-group perceptions of their experience of the interprofessional education (IPE) activity.MethodsA total of 59 medical and 179 nursing students participated in the AIP-NPLA whereby medical students were asked to facilitate and lead group discussions with their nursing students colleagues on an anatomical topic using a donor cadaver. Each AIP-NPLA session lasted a total of two hours. A mixed methods approach was employed using both quantitative and qualitative means of assessment. Variables such as Readiness for Interprofessional Learning, Professional Self-Identity, Clinical Teaching Preference, and Near-Peer Teaching and Learning Experience were assessed quantitatively using validated surveys. Qualitative measures included thematic content analysis of focus group interviews conducted following the AIP-NPLA to capture the perceptions of the student groups’ experience in the IPE activity.ResultsThe results of this investigation demonstrated that there are key factors to consider when designing successful and sustainable IPE activities; the level of clinical exposure and therefore student-group pairing based on professional self-identify scores, optimal tutor-to-tutee group ratios and an activity format that maintained an informal, flexible and free forum for discussion on a topic of common knowledge. Focus group interviews also revealed reflections on professional stereotypes.ConclusionThese findings suggest that early implementation of IPE activities outside of a clinical setting are beneficial and can foster both learning from one another and positive perceptions of interprofessional roles when carefully designed.

Interprofessional attitudes existing between healthcare disciplines can negatively impact communication and collaboration in the clinical setting. While human anatomy is a topic central to healthcare trainees, the potential of the anatomy laboratory to minimize negative interprofessional attitudes has yet to be characterized. This study aimed to assess the effects of an anatomy interprofessional near‐peer learning activity (AIP‐NPLA) on medical and nursing students' interprofessional attitudes at McGill University. The authors employed a convergent parallel mixed methods study to explore participants' AIP‐NPLA experiences. The Attitudes to Health Professionals Questionnaire (AHPQ) was used pre‐ and post‐AIP‐NPLA to assess participants' attitudes toward their own and their counterpart profession. In addition, a focus group was held immediately following the AIP‐NPLA to explore participants' experiences and interprofessional perceptions. Quantitative results using a principal components analysis demonstrated significant changes in nursing students' responses between pre‐ and post‐AIP‐NPLA scoring, rating the medical profession as being more caring overall. Medical students' responses pre‐ and post‐AIP‐NPLA demonstrated no significant differences. Qualitative results also suggested a breakdown of negative attitudes, an increased understanding of inter‐ and intra‐professional roles, and the importance of interprofessional collaboration and mutual learning for their careers. These findings revealed that attitudes among healthcare trainees may be positively restructured in the anatomy laboratory, allowing for collaborative care to predominate in current and future clinical practices.

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