Multiprofessional education among undergraduate medical and nursing students: Effectiveness and acceptability

Abstract

Background: Interprofessional education has been recommended as a way to improve collaboration, communication and teamwork between physicians and other health care professionals. However, there is sparse empirical research assessing the eff ectiveness of IPE in health or social care and little evidence to substantiate or refute the benefi ts of inter-professional learning. Work done: A repeated measure, pre/post-intervention design was used to assess the eff ectiveness of the interprofessional educational curriculum in the Patient Care Project (Feel Link) in Years 1 and 2 of the undergraduate medical and nursing curriculum. All Year 1 undergraduate medical students (n=125) and nursing students (n=160) enrolled in 2005 were included in the study and followed up until the end of Year 2 in 2007. Using validated questionnaires and focus groups we assessed a) inter-professional communication, b) team work and collaborative skills and c) student, tutor and patient/client satisfaction with the learning experience, and d) improved understanding of the roles and perceptions of other professionals. Conclusions: Although the eff ect size was small, positive change in inter-professional communication, team work and collaborative skills were reported by both the medical and nursing students. The adoption and introduction of inter-professional education though early in the undergraduate curricula, found that professional roles and attitudes are already well entrenched and diffi cult to change. Take-home messages: Early inter-professional education enables a more collaborative approach to work and appreciation of the professional role of other team members. Stereotypical attitudes prevail and a more persistent intervention throughout the undergraduate curriculum is needed to overcome entrenched professional barriers to inter-professional work.