Impact of an Interprofessional Communication Course on Nursing, Medical, and Pharmacy Students’ Communication Skill Self-Efficacy Beliefs

Objective. To describe an interprofessional communication course in an academic health sciences center and to evaluate and compare interpersonal and interprofessional communication self-efficacy beliefs of medical, nursing, and pharmacy students before and after course participation, using Bandura’s self-efficacy theory as a guiding framework. Design. First-year nursing (n=36), first-year medical (n=73), and second-year pharmacy students (n=83) enrolled in an interprofessional communication skills development course voluntarily completed a 33-item survey instrument based on Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) core competencies prior to and upon completion of the course during the fall semester of 2012. Assessment. Nursing students entered the course with higher interpersonal and interprofessional communication self-efficacy beliefs compared to medical and pharmacy students. Pharmacy students, in particular, noted significant improvements in communication self-efficacy beliefs across multiple domains postcourse. Conclusion. Completion of an interprofessional communications course was associated with a positive impact on health professions students’ interpersonal and interprofessional communication self-efficacy beliefs

Integration of Rural Community Pharmacies into a Rural Family Medicine Practice-Based Research Network: A Descriptive Analysis

Purpose: Practice-based research networks (PBRN) seek to shorten the gap between research and application in primary patient care settings. Inclusion of community pharmacies in primary care PBRNs is relatively unexplored. Such a PBRN model could improve care coordination and community-based research, especially in rural and underserved areas. The objectives of this study were to: 1) evaluate rural Appalachian community pharmacy key informants’ perceptions of PBRNs and practice-based research; 2) explore key informants’ perceptions of perceived applicability of practice-based research domains; and 3) explore pharmacy key informant interest in PBRN participation. Methods: The sample consisted of community pharmacies within city limits of all Appalachian Research Network (AppNET) PBRN communities in South Central Appalachia. A descriptive, cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted from November 2013 to February 2014. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to examine associations between key informant and practice characteristics, and PBRN interest and perceptions. Findings: A 47.8% response rate was obtained. Most key informants (88%) were very or somewhat interested in participating in AppNET. Enrichment of patient care (82.8%), improved relationships with providers in the community (75.9%), and professional development opportunities (69.0%) were perceived by more than two-thirds of respondents to be very beneficial outcomes of PBRN participation. Respondents ranked time constraints (63%) and workflow disruptions (20%) as the biggest barriers to PBRN participation. Conclusion: Key informants in rural Appalachian community pharmacies indicated interest in PBRN participation. Integration of community pharmacies into existing rural PBRNs could advance community level care coordination and promote improved health outcomes in rural and underserved areas.   Type: Original Researc

Interprofessional and Interpersonal Communication: Self-Efficacy Beliefs of Academic Health Science Center Students

Objectives: To assess and compare interprofessional and interpersonal communication self-efficacy beliefs of medical, nursing and pharmacy students before and after participation in a communication skills course. Method: Using self-efficacy as a theoretical framework, a 37-item survey instrument was developed based on Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) Core Competencies and course learning objectives. Medical, nursing, and pharmacy students voluntarily completed the survey instrument before and after the required course. Nonparametric tests were employed to examine matched pre- and post-assessments within colleges and to explore differences in self-efficacy beliefs across college. Results: A response rate of 87% (168/193) was achieved. Overall, nursing students entered the course with higher self-efficacy beliefs as compared to medical and pharmacy students. Pharmacy students indicated particularly low self-efficacy beliefs regarding their ability to communicate with other health professionals (p=0.009) and contribute to healthcare teams (p=0.002). Matched pre/post analyses indicated statically significant increases in student self-efficacy beliefs across all colleges. After the course, pharmacy students continued to perceive a relative lack of confidence in their ability to develop positive relationships with other health care providers as compared to medical and nursing students (p=0.02). Implications: Our findings suggest that completion of an interprofessional communications course was associated with a positive effect on self-efficacy beliefs aligned with IPEC competencies across all colleges. Pharmacy students, in particular, noted significant improvements in self-efficacy beliefs across multiple domains. Research is being conducted to examine relationships between validated observational assessments and student self-perceptions

Community Pharmacists\u27 Willingness to Participate in a Rural Appalachian Practice-Based Research Network

Practice-based research networks (PBRNs) are groups of health care practitioners who engage in translational research and quality improvement activities, with the overarching goal of improving patient care in primary care settings. The Appalachian Research Network (AppNET), a rural primary care PBRN, was created in 2009 and comprises 17 clinics in 16 rural communities in South Central Appalachia. Nationally, only 4 of 152 PBRNs registered with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) place particular emphasis on community pharmacies and pharmacists in research efforts. Researchers at ETSU seek to integrate community pharmacies into AppNET, thereby establishing a novel interprofessional rural PBRN. The objective of this study was to assess pharmacist perceptions regarding practice-based research and interest in participating in AppNET. Barriers to participation in a PBRN, perceived benefits of participation, and practice-specific characteristics were also assessed. Contact information was obtained via telephone calls made to individual pharmacies in AppNET communities. Thereafter, paper-based surveys were mailed to 69 pharmacist contacts, along with a personalized cover letter and a stamped return envelope. A total of two mailings were used to recruit pharmacists to participate in the study. A response rate of 42% was obtained. Respondents were on average 44 years of age and had been licensed as a pharmacist for an average of 19 years. A large majority of respondents (86%) were very or somewhat interested in participating in AppNET. The majority of respondents felt that time constraints and workflow interruptions were the greatest barriers to participation. One hundred percent of respondents indicated that research on prescription drug abuse, medication adherence, and medication safety are very or somewhat applicable to their practice settings. Ninety-two percent felt that research on value-added services (e.g., immunizations, diabetes education) and medication therapy management was somewhat or very applicable to their practice. Overall, pharmacist respondents in AppNET communities indicated interest in research that benefits the care of their patients and interest in AppNET. Researchers are presently conducting a third recruitment attempt and will thereafter develop AppNET enrollment mechanisms that minimize barriers to participation of community pharmacies in practice-based research