The impact of an online interprofessional course in disaster management competency and attitude towards interprofessional learning

Abstract

A recent national assessment of emergency planning in Canada suggests that health care professionals are not properly prepared for disasters. In response to this gap, an interprofessional course in disaster management was developed, implemented and evaluated in Toronto, Canada from 2007 to 2008. Undergraduate students from five educational institutions in nursing, medicine, paramedicine, police, media and health administration programs took an eight-week online course. The course was highly interactive and included video, a discussion forum, an online board game and opportunity to participate in a high fidelity disaster simulation with professional staff. Curriculum developers set interprofessional competency as a major course outcome and this concept guided every aspect of content and activity development. A study was conducted to examine change in students' perceptions of disaster management competency and interprofessional attitudes after the course was completed. Results indicate that the course helped students master basic disaster management content and raised their awareness of, and appreciation for, other members of the interdisciplinary team. The undergraduate curriculum must support the development of collaborative competencies and ensure learners are prepared to work in collaborative practice.

Preparing for disasters: Education and management strategies explored

“…Atack et al (2009) developed an eight-week online, interactive, interprofessional course in disaster management that included participation with professional staff in a disaster simulation. Students who completed this course indicated that they had increased awareness of the different roles in a multi-disciplinary team and an increased understanding of disaster management content (Atack et al, 2009). Kaplan et al (2012) developed a simulation utilizing patient simulators, task trainer mannequins, and live actors to simulate an assisted-living facility that had been destroyed by a tornado.…”

The use of information and communications technologies in the delivery of interprofessional education: A review of evaluation outcome levels

“…Becker and Godwin (2005) reported that students who received training in the use of virtual classrooms showed significantly greater improvements in perceptions of IPE from pre-to post-module than students receiving no training. Other studies described similar positive improvements in attitudes or perceptions from pre-to post-IPE activity (Atack, Parker, Rocchi, Maher, & Dryden, 2009;Chen, Klein, & Minor, 2009);however, MacDonald, Stodel, and Chambers (2008) found no such significant attitudinal changes in their study of online IPE among health professionals working in long-term care. Six of the eight studies (75.0%) that reported outcomes at the modification of attitudes level (2a) indicated positive attitudes toward ICT-mediated IPE using pre-and postintervention survey designs.…”

“…Other clinical areas of focus included mental health care (Church et al, 2010;Cornish et al, 2003;Meyer et al, 2005;Robinson, Hills, & Kelly,, 2011), disaster response management (Atack et al, 2009;Lund et al, 2002;Vanderbeek, Carson, & Troy, 2008), and resuscitation (Long, 2005). The majority of studies included in the review did report evaluations of the use of web-based learning modalities in particular.…”

Sexual Assault Simulation Course for Healthcare Providers

“…Integrating an interprofessional experience fosters a more collaborative practice (Zwarenstein, Goldman, & Reeves, 2009;Reeves, Perrier, Goldman, Freeth, & Zwarenstein, 2013 2006) and has been shown to improve the culture within the ED. In recent years, interprofessional education as a way of learning has been the norm for younger healthcare professionals (Atack et al, 2009;Basran et al, 2012;Berntsen & Bjørk, 2010;Buhr et al, 2010;Deutschlander, Suter, & Lait, 2012;Ericson, Masiello, & Bolinder, 2012;Gum et al, 2013;Kururi et al, 2014;Meffe, Claire Moravac, & Espin, 2012). Having interprofessional education in the work setting allows for professionals who would not have been exposed to this type of education to experience this way of learning.…”

“…Using simulation as an educational method allows healthcare professionals to gain hands-on skills in a safe environment. In recent years, interprofessional education using simulation courses has been developed (Atack, Parker, Rocchi, Maher, & Dryden, 2009;Djukic, Fulmer, Adams, Lee, & Triola, 2012;Gum et al, 2013;Kowitlawakul et al, 2014). Some EDs only see a limited number of patients who have been sexually assaulted.…”