Interprofessional Education Behavior Challenge in Pre-licensure Students Can Enhance Collaborative Care Practices

Abstract

INTRODUCTION The extent to which interprofessional education (IPE) experiences translate into interprofessional practice remains limited. Herein, we describe behavioral changes made by students in clinical work environments that promoted collaborative practices, directly resulting from participating in an IPE activity. METHOD Health professions students in their clinical years of training participated in student-run interprofessional care conferences as a required curricular component. Embedded within these interprofessional experiences, we instituted a behavior challenge. Students were encouraged to enact an action they could change in themselves from something learned in the session that would promote collaborative practice in patient-care environments. Students documented their intention at the end of the IPE session; after the clerkship/clinical, they described outcomes or barriers encountered. Thematic analysis of those behavior changes/outcomes was performed. RESULTS Follow-up information from 65 medical (MD) and 22 nursing (RN) students at the conclusion of clerkship/ clinicals indicated that 54 MD and 6 RN students implemented a behavior change. Intentionality in terms of seeking out other healthcare members was most often the behavior that was cited. Three broad categories of outcomes emerged from this behavior: improved team relationships/respect, improved communication between team members, and positive impacts on patient care. DISCUSSION This study demonstrates the impact and transferability of an IPE activity in pre-licensure students that promotes behavioral changes and supports collaborative practice in patient care settings. Received: 12/03/2021 Accepted: 04/24/2022 © 2022 De Jesus, et al. This open access article is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution License, which allows unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. HIP E & Interprofessional Education Behavior Challenge in Pre-licensure Students RESEARCH BRIEF 4(3):eP2211 | 2 HIP E &