Comparing the Efficacy of Interprofessional versus Single Profession Teams in Promoting Quality Conversations About Advance Care Planning

PURPOSE The study compared the impact of educating learners in interprofessional versus single profession teams using the Respecting Choices First Steps® Advance Care Planning training method. METHODS Learners in an academic program were grouped into either interprofessional or single profession teams and participated separately in Respecting Choices® Facilitator training. A PICOT question was formulated: In ACP facilitators and their clients what is the effect of an ACP educational initiative on attitudes, knowledge and behaviors when the initiative is delivered by an interprofessional compared to a single profession team of learners during a year-long pilot study? RESULTS 1. Confidence in the subject matter increased in ACP facilitators pre- to post test. 2. Interprofessional knowledge and attitudes were not different in the two teams. 3. Clients attending ACP workshops improved their scores pre- to post workshop but no difference was observed between clients of the interprofessional and the single profession team. CONCLUSION Preliminary steps beyond grouping learners into teams consisting of multiple professions will be required to impact their effectiveness over a single profession team.