Mitigating Misinformation Toolkit: Addressing COVID-19 Misinformation Through Interprofessional Learning and Collaboration Using a Standardized Patient-Based Educational Module.

Introduction: Medical mis- and disinformation are on the rise and impact patient health outcomes. The complexity of modern medicine and health care delivery necessitates that care be delivered by an interprofessional team of providers well versed in addressing this increased prevalence of medical misinformation. Health professions educational curricula often lack opportunities for students to learn how to address medical misinformation, employ advanced communication techniques, and work collaboratively. Methods: Based on literature and our previous qualitative research, we created a module offering prework learning on COVID-19 and addressing misinformation through advanced communication techniques and interprofessional collaboration. After completing prework, students participated in a standardized patient encounter addressing COVID misinformation. Health professions student dyads completed a preencounter planning huddle and together interviewed a standardized patient. Students received global and checklist-based feedback from standardized patients and completed pre- and postsession self-assessments. Results: Twenty students participated (10 third-year medical, nine third-year pharmacy, one fourth-year pharmacy). Key findings included the following: Nine of 15 survey questions demonstrated statistically significant improvement, including all three questions assessing readiness to have difficult conversations and six of 10 questions assessing interprofessional collaboration and team function. Discussion: Students participating in this novel curriculum advanced their readiness to address medical misinformation, including COVID-19 vaccine disinformation, with patients and coworkers to improve health decision-making and patient care. These curricular methods can be customized for use with a range of health professions learners.

Telecollaboration in gerontology service learning: Addressing isolation & loneliness in a pandemic.

Social isolation and loneliness present significant challenges for the mental and physical health of older adults. Social distancing, mask wearing, and other precautions necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic add to these challenges. This article details a telecollaborative service-learning project to engage older adults online and provide applied experiences for students. From March through October 2020, 54 students from Social Work (Master, Bachelor), the College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM; DO), and Occupational Therapy (Master) provided telephone support and Zoom™ based programming for older adults affiliated with the University of New England. Creative offerings were piloted weekly and debriefed on Friday afternoons in the spring, leading to more structured 8-week schedules in summer and fall. Peer-to-peer support took place between older adults with experience in video meetings and those willing to learn. Bidirectional and intergenerational benefits were noted as older adults and students navigated the exigencies of the pandemic and learned important lessons with and from each other to advance knowledge and improve quality of life.

Theories of power in interprofessional research - developing the field.

This guest editorial introduces a special issue on theories of power in interprofessional research. Building on the intentions of the late Professor Scott Reeves, Distinguished Editor of this Journal, the identification that the notions of power have been visible yet relatively inconsistent in interprofessional research warranted a focused attempt to draw together scholarship from across the globe. Power runs throughout and often dictates interprofessional dynamics yet the visibility of theoretical engagement with the subject has not reflected this. We would therefore like to invite submissions which attempt to address the issue of power in interprofessional contexts, utilizing theory to explore empirical phenomena, case studies, conceptual thought or evidence review. The piece below provides a brief, speculative overview of theoretical contributions which focus on power and how they may be used to inform interprofessional research. Including examples of previous application of theory, possible approaches to framing and insight into conflictual, consensual and constitutive modes of thought the aim here is to suggest ways in which potential contributors might frame their submissions. Given that coherent inteprofessional engagement is influenced by power systems and struggles, the need to bring together work which attempts to understand and respond to this has become a pressing contemporary concern.