Talking the talk in junior interprofessional education: Is healthcare terminology a barrier or facilitator?

Abstract

Background: Use of jargon and complex healthcare terminology is a potential barrier to interprofessional education (IPE). Healthcare terminology can be separated into two categories: inclusive terminology shared amongst professions, and exclusive terminology unique to one profession. We sought to understand how terminology is perceived by junior learners in an IPE setting.Methods: We conducted a mixed methods study involving medical, nursing, and physician assistant students attending IPE simulation workshops. Students reviewed scenarios used in the workshops and identified terminology they considered “inclusive” or “exclusive”. Then, students participated in focus group discussions surrounding attitudes/perceptions towards healthcare terminology.Results: 23 students analyzed 14 cases, identifying on average 21 terms per case as healthcare terminology (29% of overall word count). Of the 290 terms identified, 113 terms were classified as healthcare terminology, 46 as inclusive and 17 as exclusive by >50% of participants. Analysis of focus group transcripts revealed 4 themes: abbreviations were commonly perceived as complex terminology, unfamiliarity with terminology was often attributed to being early in training even if exclusive, simulation was considered a safe space for learning, and learning terminology was a valued objective in early IPE.Conclusions: Students perceive a lot of healthcare terminology in learning materials, which is recognized as a valuable learning objective in their early IPE experiences, but also a challenge. Categorization of healthcare language is inconsistent among students and may reflect individual differences in prior experiences. Overall, healthcare terminology is a valued desirable difficulty among junior learners, and should not be avoided in IPE.