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

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