Palliative care for the elderly - developing a curriculum for nursing and medical students

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Delivering palliative care to elderly, dying patients is a present and future challenge. In Germany, this has been underlined by a 2009 legislation implementing palliative care as compulsory in the medical curriculum. While the number of elderly patients is increasing in many western countries multimorbidity, dementia and frailty complicate care. Teaching palliative care of the elderly to an interprofessional group of medical and nursing students can help to provide better care as acknowledged by the ministry of health and its expert panels.</p> <p>In this study we researched and created an interdisciplinary curriculum focussing on the palliative care needs of the elderly which will be presented in this paper.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In order to identify relevant learning goals and objectives for the curriculum, we proceeded in four subsequent stages.</p> <p>We searched international literature for existing undergraduate palliative care curricula focussing on the palliative care situation of elderly patients; we searched international literature for palliative care needs of the elderly. The searches were sensitive and limited in nature. Mesh terms were used where applicable. We then presented the results to a group of geriatrics and palliative care experts for critical appraisal. Finally, the findings were transformed into a curriculum, focussing on learning goals, using the literature found.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The literature searches and expert feedback produced a primary body of results. The following deduction domains emerged: Geriatrics, Palliative Care, Communication & Patient Autonomy and Organisation & Social Networks. Based on these domains we developed our curriculum.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The curriculum was successfully implemented following the Kern approach for medical curricula. The process is documented in this paper. The information given may support curriculum developers in their search for learning goals and objectives.</p

Are female students in general and nursing students more ready for teamwork and interprofessional collaboration in healthcare?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Interprofessional Education (IPE) is now spreading worldwide and many universities are now including IPE in their curricula. The aim of this study was to investigate whether or not such student characteristics as gender, previous working experience in healthcare, educational progress and features of the learning environment, such as educational programmes and curriculum design, have an impact on their open-mindedness about co-operation with other professions.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Medical and nursing students at two Swedish universities were invited to fill in the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS). Totally, 955 students were invited and 70.2% (n = 670) participated in the study. A factor analysis of the RIPLS revealed four item groupings (factors) for our empirical data, but only one had sufficient internal consistency. This factor was labelled "Team Player".</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Regardless of the educational programme, female students were more positive to teamwork than male students. Nursing students in general displayed more positive beliefs about teamwork and collaboration than medical students. Exposure to different interprofessional curricula and previous exposure to interprofessional education were only to a minor extent associated with a positive attitude towards teamwork. Educational progress did not seem to influence these beliefs.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The establishment of interprofessional teamwork is a major challenge for modern healthcare. This study indicates some directions for more successful interprofessional education. Efforts should be directed at informing particularly male medical students about the need for teamwork in modern healthcare systems. The results also imply that study of other factors, such as the student's personality, is needed for fully understanding readiness for teamwork and interprofessional collaboration in healthcare. We also believe that the RIPL Scale still can be further adjusted.</p

Peer support workers´ role and expertise and interprofessional learning in mental health care: : a scoping review

Interprofessional learning (IPL), which is learning arising from the interaction between representatives of two or more professions, has not been studied extensively in relation to peer support workers (PSWs) in mental health care teams. PSWs support others who face challenges with their own experience of similar challenges of mental health problems. The role of PSWs has been studied in mental health care interprofessional teams. However, researchers have not paid attention to IPL where the PSWs contribute their knowledge. This paper is a scoping review that aims to highlight existing knowledge of the PSW role and expertise in IPL in the context of mental health care. The findings show knowledge of (a) the key factors and challenges when interprofessional teams include the PSW role, (b) the legitimacy of the PSWs' role and expertise, and (c) the benefits of the PSW role. A knowledge gap was identified of teams' use of PSWs' expertise and its implications for IPL

An Australian hospital-based student training ward delivering safe, client-centered care while developing students' interprofessional practice capabilities

Royal Perth Hospital, in partnership with Curtin University, established the first interprofessional student training ward in Australia, based on best practice from Europe. Evaluation of the student and client experience was undertaken. Feedback from all stakeholders was obtained regularly as a key element of the quality improvement process. An interprofessional practice program was established with six beds within a general medical ward. This provided the setting for 2- to 3-week clinical placements for students from medicine, nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, social work, pharmacy, dietetics and medical imaging. Following an initial trial, the training ward began with 79 students completing a placement. An interprofessional capability framework focused on the delivery of high quality client care and effective teamwork underpins this learning experience. Quantitative outcome data showed not only an improvement in students’ attitudes towards interprofessional collaboration but also acquisition of a high level of interprofessional practice capabilities. Qualitative outcome data from students and clients was overwhelmingly positive. Suggestions for improvement were identified. This innovative learning environment facilitated the development of the students’ knowledge, skills and attitudes required for interprofessional, client centred collaborative practice. Staff reported a high level of compliance with clinical safety and quality

Preparation for becoming members of health care teams: findings from a 5-year evaluation of a student interprofessional training ward

Setting. An orthopaedic interprofessional training ward manned by students at a University Hospital. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanObjective. To assess to what extent students from different undergraduate programmes evaluated the effects of a 2-week rotation at the ward on their professional roles and the value of teamwork within health care. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanMethod. A questionnaire was filled in by 841 students by the end of a 2-week rotation at the ward over 5 years. Questions concerned students estimate of how the rotation had strengthened their insight into their own future professional role, into other students professional roles and into the value of teamwork within health care. Differences between the different student categories and possible associations between the different estimates were statistically analysed. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanResults. Students from all programmes reported that the rotation at the student ward had dramatically strengthened their insight about their own future professional role as well as the roles of the other professions and the value of teamwork within health care. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanConclusion. Health care is a complicated system based on cooperation and professionalism. We suggest that interprofessional training of students from all professions within health care should be a part of their education as a worthwhile preparation for their future professional work and to ensure high-quality health care.Original Publication:Staffan Pelling, Anders Kalén, Mats Hammar and Ola Wahlström, Preparation for becoming members of health care teams: findings from a 5-year evaluation of a student interprofessional training ward, 2011, Journal of Interprofessional Care, (25), 5, 328-332.http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/13561820.2011.578222Copyright: Informa Healthcarehttp://informahealthcare.com

Inter-professional Education in the Acute-Care Setting: The Clinical Instructor's Point of View

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the opportunities and challenges involved in providing clinical inter-professional education (IPE) to physical therapy (PT) students in the acute-care setting from the perspective of PT clinical instructors (CIs)