Dental Hygiene Degree Program, Department of Oral Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
J Dent Educ. 2020 Jun;84(6):669-680. doi: 10.1002/jdd.12117. Epub 2020 Feb 24.
The need for interprofessional education (IPE) has been well documented and communicated by many prominent governmental bodies and health organizations. However, more longitudinal outcomes research is needed to demonstrate the impact of IPE on students' attitudes and behaviors. This study assessed dental hygiene students' readiness for IPE and collaborative practice at the University of British Columbia, Canada.
A modified Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) survey was conducted on 23 (96% response rate) second-year dental hygiene students prior to commencing the university's newly integrated 4-week IPE curriculum and immediately following its completion 1 month later. A focus group comprising 5 students then explored learning experiences and impact on attitudes about collaborative practice in greater depth. Curriculum content included professionalism, ethical practice, Indigenous cultural safety, and resiliency.
Attitudinal shifts were observed in 3 of the RIPLS measures suggesting that students found greater clarity regarding their professional roles and became more receptive to learning clinical problem-solving skills with other disciplines. No statistically significant differences surfaced between the pre-attitudinal and post-attitudinal RIPLS measures. The focus group revealed 3 prominent themes: greater role clarification, recognition of similarities in knowledge and practice with other professions, and cultivation of professional identity, collegiality, and respect.
Students found greater clarity about professional roles and developed an enhanced appreciation for working with other health professions after completing the university's month-long integrated IPE curriculum.
许多著名的政府机构和卫生组织都充分证明并传达了进行跨专业教育（IPE）的必要性。然而，需要更多的纵向结果研究来证明 IPE 对学生态度和行为的影响。本研究评估了加拿大不列颠哥伦比亚大学牙科卫生专业学生对 IPE 和协作实践的准备情况。
在开始大学新的为期 4 周的 IPE 课程之前，对 23 名（96%的响应率）二年级牙科卫生专业学生进行了经过修改的跨专业学习准备量表（RIPLS）调查，并在一个月后课程结束后立即进行了调查。然后，一个由 5 名学生组成的焦点小组深入探讨了学习经验和对协作实践态度的影响。课程内容包括专业精神、道德实践、土著文化安全和韧性。
在 RIPLS 的 3 项测量中观察到态度转变，这表明学生对自己的专业角色有了更清晰的认识，并更愿意与其他学科一起学习临床解决问题的技能。在预态度和后态度 RIPLS 测量之间没有出现统计学上的显著差异。焦点小组揭示了 3 个突出的主题：角色更清晰，认识到与其他专业相似的知识和实践，以及培养专业身份、同事关系和尊重。
学生在完成大学为期一个月的综合 IPE 课程后，对专业角色有了更清晰的认识，并对与其他健康专业合作有了更深的欣赏。
