Interprofessional education in practice: Evaluation of a work integrated aged care program

Abstract

Health professional clinical education is commonly conducted in single discipline modes, thus limiting student collaboration skills. Aged care residential facilities, due to the chronic and complex health care needs of residents, provide an ideal placement to provide a collaborative experience. Interprofessional education is widely acknowledged as the pedagogical framework through which to facilitate collaboration. The aim of the evaluation was to assess student attitudes towards collaboration after active involvement in an interprofessional education program. Students studying nursing, occupational therapy, and aged care were invited to complete a version of the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale before and after participating in a three-week pilot interprofessional program. A positive change in student attitudes towards other health professionals and the importance of working in interprofessional teams was reported with significant differences between two statements indicated: Learning with health-care students before qualifications would improve relationships after qualifications; and I learned a lot from the students from the other disciplines. The innovative pilot project was found to enhance student learning in interprofessional teams and the aged care environment. Further development of this and similar interprofessional programs is required to develop sustainable student projects that have health benefits for residents in aged care residential facilities.

An examination of students’ perceptions of their interprofessional placements in residential aged care

“…Significant change occurred in one RIPLS item: "Learning between health and social care students before qualification and for professionals after qualification would improve working relationships after qualification/collaborative practice" in Lawlis et al (2016) (4.0-4.7, p = 0.028) and similarly increased significantly in this study, although pre-placement values in this study were already higher than those in Lawlis et al (2016). This research builds on the prior study using a larger sample size and longer exposure to IPE with a greater variation in professions and has found a larger amount of change in RIPLS items, suggesting that IPE placement in RACF can influence students' readiness for interprofessional learning.…”

“…A recent study conducted by Lawlis et al (2016) assessed a small group of students (n = 12) from three professions attitudes to interprofessional learning using the RIPLS tool before and after a 3-week IPE programme in a RACF. Significant change occurred in one RIPLS item: "Learning between health and social care students before qualification and for professionals after qualification would improve working relationships after qualification/collaborative practice" in Lawlis et al (2016) (4.0-4.7, p = 0.028) and similarly increased significantly in this study, although pre-placement values in this study were already higher than those in Lawlis et al (2016).…”

“…The validity and reliability of the RIPLS has been widely debated in the literature despite the tool being commonly used in research assessing IPE. A number of studies have reported the RIPLS as reliable and valid (Hind et al, 2003;Lawlis, Wicks, Jamieson, Haughey, & Grealish, 2016) and McFadyen et al (2005) reported an adequate internal consistency for three of the four subscales, warning that "roles and responsibilities" should be treated with caution.…”

The benefits of interprofessional education 10 years on

“…The student may also take on the role of an "apprentice" working closely with a healthcare practitioner (Rodger et al, 2010). An example of this is the study by Lawliss et al (2016). They studied 12 students from nursing, occupational therapy and "aged care professionals" who worked on a nutrition project with people living with dementia in the community and evaluated their attitudes pre and post intervention of interprofessional working.…”

“…There is a recognition that IPE should be incorporated at the earliest stage of "training" to be the most effective (Lapkin et al 2012, Harden 2015. The undergraduate will then understand their own professional role whilst simultaneously appreciating the role of other health care professionals and the system in which they will be working (Lapkin et al, 2012) which can help to prevent negative stereotypes (Neocleous 2014, Lawliss et al 2016. However, this varies with some universities incorporating IPE at the beginning and end of their programmes (Lapkin et al, 2012).…”