Evaluation of a student-led interprofessional innovative health promotion model for an underserved population with diabetes: A pilot project

Abstract

Interprofessional education seeks to encourage different health professions to interact and learn together during their training process which will eventually lead to collaborative healthcare practices and improved care for patients. This study determined whether student understanding of diabetes management and the role of health professionals in diabetes care improved after the implementation of an interprofessional health promotion program. Sixty-three students from five health professions led six educational sessions concentrating on critical components of diabetes management. The longitudinal program covered topics within the Alphabet Strategy (A-G). Students were surveyed to determine their understanding of diabetes management. Data were gathered at the beginning of the study and its conclusion. Forty-seven students completed the program and the pre- and post-survey. There were significant improvements in students' knowledge of diabetes care, understanding of the roles of healthcare professionals and ability to work with other healthcare professionals. Nineteen patients completed the study. There were no significant differences in patients' diabetes knowledge, understanding of diabetes care and clinical outcomes. This study acknowledged the potential value of an interprofessional team approach to care. This innovative model could be applied to other practice settings and used for the management of other chronic diseases.

A Survey of the Perception of Interprofessional Education among Faculty Members of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences

“…In fact, only the mean score of competency and authority components in professors who had some interprofessional education experience was higher than that of other professors. (36)(37)(38)(39)(40).…”

An integrative systematic review of interprofessional education on diabetes

“…One professional course was mandatory (Hearnshaw et al, 2001), and one course offered a financial grant for participation (Lennon-Dearing, Florence, Garrett, Click, & Abercrombie, 2008). The programmes were identical for all the participants from various professions, except for three IPE programmes organized partly in parallel sessions, with disciplinespecific contents (Coates et al, 2008;Kipp, Pimlott, & Satzinger, 2007;Shiyanbola et al, 2012). In addition, one comparative study evaluated a 12-week online course consisting of similar background e-modules for all learners, and a longitudinal build-a-case exercise performed either individually or in an interprofessional group (MacNeill, Telner, Sparaggis-Agaliotis, & Hanna, 2014).…”

“…A wide variety of learning methods were used, including, e.g., interactive seminars, classes or workshops, simulated ward rounds (Nikendei et al, 2016), role plays (Swanson et al, 2011), and interactive games (Kapur, McAleer, Persson, & Bjerre-Christensen, 2015;MacNeill et al, 2014;Shiyanbola et al, 2012). In one program, the students participated in a week-long experience of living with diabetes, involving "insulin" injections (saline) four times a day, and appropriate blood glucose monitoring (Pittenger et al, 2013).…”

“…The IPE programs were mainly targeted at improving the participants´ competency, knowledge and expertise in collaborative diabetes care, and at increasing their understanding of the needs of people who live with diabetes (Coates et al, 2008;Herring et al, 2013;Nikendei et al, 2016;Pittenger, Westberg, Rowan, & Schweiss, 2013;Shiyanbola, Lammers, Randall, & Richards, 2012). Several programmes aimed at improving the quality of care and the outcomes of patients with diabetes by enhancing an interprofessional team-based approach, interprofessional communication, and teamwork skills.…”

Nursing Faculty's Needs of Knowledge, Beliefs, and Readiness to Implement Interprofessional Education in their Teaching: An Exploratory Study

“…Results indicate that IPE maximizes opportunities for students to learn in small groups in safe pedagogical environments (Dando, D'Avray, Colman, Hoy, & Todd, 2012;Mellor, Cottrell, & Moran, 2013;Salvatori, Berry, & Eva, 2007;Shiyanbola & Lammers, 2012;Shiyanbola, Randall, Lammers, Hegge, & Anderson, 2014;Solomon et al, 2010). IPE develops the trusting relations necessary to build collaborative practice and support students' and faculty's socialization to different philosophies of teaching and learning.…”