Core Signature IPE Experience: Structured Immersion Approach
Purpose/Hypothesis: Interprofessional education describes the interdependency that exists between healthcare professionals seeking to provide person-centered coordinated health care. Academicians in health professions must ensure that IPE learning experiences are rooted in sound teaching and learning theories to provide quality experiences. Embedding IPE experiences into curriculum using an incremental progressive fashion rather than “add-on” or "one and done" experience provides for continuous development of interprofessional competence by students as part of the learning process. The purpose of this study is to describe a longitudinal and cumulative Schoolwide Core Signature IPE learning experiences rooted in adult learning theory and to discuss the evaluative outcomes of the Core Signature IPE Experiences.
Number of Subjects:Data collection during 2018-2019 academic year of the Core Signature IPE experiences (I-V). Students (n) voluntarily provide anonymous feedback after completion of each each Core learning experience; Core 1 (n=22), II (n=411) & III (n=383) year 1 students and Core IV (n=209) & V (n=183) year 2 students.
Materials and Methods:This two-year Core Signature IPE Experiences use a structured immersion approach to learning across five (Core I-V) experiences. Participation is mandatory for all students entering the five healthcare professional programs at XXX: AT, PA, PT, OT, & SLP. For Core I, students collectively come together for the learning experience but are arranged by profession for an initial professional identity opportunity. For Core II-V, students are randomly organized into interprofessional teams, ensuring each discipline is represented. Interprofessional faculty facilitates the Core learning experiences, acting as guides and mentors for the students as needed.
Exploratory mixed-methods approach was used for Core Signature IPE Experiences program review and development process. Students were asked to voluntarily provide anonymous feedback upon completion of each Core using an online survey. Quantitative data were collected using surveys with student-related open-ended questions (year level) and the Interdisciplinary Education Perception Scale (IEPS). Qualitative data was obtained from responses to open-ended questions to identify emergent themes. These questions were designed to support, explain, and provide depth to quantitative section. Elemental coding method was used to preliminarily review the corpus and generate descriptive codes. Descriptive codes summarize in a word or short phrase the basic topic of a qualitative passage.
Results:Quantitative data of IEPS scores demonstrated students' mean scores in high range for each subscale at Core II (5.15) and a slightly positive trend observed across three remaining Cores with Core V displaying highest mean score (5.44). From qualitative survey, descriptive codes were agreed upon by two reviewers as providing the essence of response topic. Qualitative themes support and provide insight into quantitative data and will be presented.
Conclusions: Findings from study support that infusing IPE learning experiences that are longitudinal in the curriculum and rooted in educational learning theory can aid in elevating the standard of healthcare, and improve patient outcomes, by creating a collaborative ready workforce.
Clinical Relevance: Interdependence among healthcare professionals must be recognized and developed so trust and mutual respect among disciplines can be established. IPE learning experiences rooted in learning theory and longitudinal in nature has a vital role health sciences education.