Exploring Effects of Interprofessional Education on Undergraduate Students Behaviour: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Authors

  • Johannes Maximilian Just Institute for Ethics and Communication in Health Care, University Witten/Herdecke, Stockumer Straße 10, 58453 Witten, Germany
  • Martin W Schnell Institute for Ethics and Communication in Health Care, University Witten/Herdecke, Stockumer Straße 10, 58453 Witten, Germany
  • Maren Bongartz Institute for Ethics and Communication in Health Care, University Witten/Herdecke, Stockumer Straße 10, 58453 Witten, Germany
  • Christian Schulz Univ Dusseldorf, Medical Faculty, Interdisciplinary Center of Palliative Medicine, D-40225 Dusseldorf, Germany

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22230/jripe.2010v1n3a41

Keywords:

Interprofessional education, Nursing, Behaviour, RCT, Palliative care, Elderly

Abstract

Background: One way to improve the quality of palliative care for elderly patients is to use an interprofessional team approach, which may be encouraged through interprofessional education (IPE). However, the effectiveness of IPE interventions has yet to be proven. We therefore designed a randomized controlled trial using a simulated practice setting to measure the effects of an IPE intervention on medical students’ clinical behaviour.
Methods: Undergraduate nursing (N = 20) and medical (N = 20) students were evenly assigned to either an intervention or a control group. Students in the intervention group received interprofessional curriculum (12 teaching units), and the control group was given written material containing the content of the IPE curriculum. Using a pre-post design, clinical behaviour of matched pairs of nursing and medical students was analyzed for qualitative (care objectives) and quantitative aspects of communication (initiation, interruptions, speaking time, and exchanged information items). Statistical analyses included chi-square, Fisher’s exact, and t-tests, where appropriate.
Results: Care objective scores improved in both groups (categories N = 6, p-range = intervention group: .001–.630; control group: .001–.888). Interruptions and speaking time showed no change between or within groups, while the number of nursing student-initiated contacts increased (p = .0007). The number of information items exchanged increased significantly in both the intervention group (Pre: M = 9.65, SD = 1.79; Post: M = 12.35, SD = 1.87; p = .001) and the control group (Pre: M = 8.75, SD = 2.59; Post: M = 11.75, SD = 2.22; p = .001).
Conclusions:We found a moderate effect of IPE on a change in interprofessional
communication style.

Author Biographies

Johannes Maximilian Just, Institute for Ethics and Communication in Health Care, University Witten/Herdecke, Stockumer Straße 10, 58453 Witten, Germany

Johannes Just is a scientific associate in the fields of "end-of-life care" and "communication" at the Intitute for Ethics and Communication in Health Care, University Witten/Herdecke.

Martin W Schnell, Institute for Ethics and Communication in Health Care, University Witten/Herdecke, Stockumer Straße 10, 58453 Witten, Germany

Prof. Schnell, MA is a philosopher specialised in the field of ethics. He is head of the Intitute for Ethics and Communication in Health Care, University Witten/Herdecke

Maren Bongartz, Institute for Ethics and Communication in Health Care, University Witten/Herdecke, Stockumer Straße 10, 58453 Witten, Germany

Maren Bongartz is a scientific associate in the fields of "end-of-life care" and "communication" at the Intitute for Ethics and Communication in Health Care, University Witten/Herdecke.

Christian Schulz, Univ Dusseldorf, Medical Faculty, Interdisciplinary Center of Palliative Medicine, D-40225 Dusseldorf, Germany

Dr. Schulz is a Master of Science in Palliative Care (MSc, King's College, London, UK). He is training in Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy (Dusseldorf University Hospital, Germany) and does a Professional Doctorate (DProf) in Existential Psychotherapy at NSPC, London, UK. He is vice-head of the Interdisciplinary Centre of Palliative Medicine at Dusseldorf University, Germany.

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Published

2010-11-18

Issue

Vol. 1 No. 3 (2010)

Section

Articles: Empirical Research

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