Integration of the Saline Process on Holistic Patient Care to Improve Student Understanding of Interprofessional Team Roles, Values, and Ethics

Description of the Problem: Healthcare practitioner students currently report feeling underprepared to provide holistic and spiritual care to their patients upon transitioning into practice, and there is currently little data on the efficacy of holistic care-focused interventions on interprofessional outcomes. The goal of this research was to assess the impact of an interprofessional training session on holistic care on student perceptions of interprofessional 1) roles/responsibilities and 2) values/ethics. The Innovation: A live, interactive interprofessional training session to address holistic patient care was implemented in fall of 2017. Students’ pre- and post-training perceptions of their confidence in study outcomes were assessed using a survey instrument. Critical Analysis: Significant positive changes were seen in students’ perceived ability to participate in team discussions and clarify misconceptions regarding their role in healthcare following the training. Students had high confidence in interacting ethically at pre-test and sustained that confidence. Next Steps: Live, interactive educational interventions with skills practice and group discussions can help to increase students’ awareness of team roles and responsibilities, as well as expand their understanding of the values and ethics within healthcare professions

Impact of an Interprofessional Training Session on Student Spirituality and Faith Integration in the Workplace

Providing spiritual care to patients can result in improved health outcomes and health-related quality of life. However, healthcare professionals feel largely unprepared to address spiritual health. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of an interprofessional witness training session on student spiritual health and perceived confidence and competence in sharing their faith with patients. An all-day, interprofessional workshop to assist students in assessing their own spiritual health, identifying opportunities to address patient spiritual health, and sharing their faith ethically was incorporated. Nursing, pharmacy, allied health/kinesiology, psychology, and pre-med students attended and completed assessments related to the student outcomes pre-workshop, post-workshop, and at 3, 6, and 9 months post-workshop. Significant improvements in perceived confidence and competence were observed initially and longitudinally. Baseline student spiritual health was high; only participation in Christian activities significantly improved in the assessment of their spiritual health. Further study is necessary to fully understand the impact of this training on student spiritual health. Nonetheless, incorporation of this training can better prepare students to engage in spiritual care of patients and share their own faith with others ethically, as opportunities arise