Gaining interprofessional knowledge and interprofessional competence on a training ward.

BACKGROUND: Since 2017, interprofessional training wards have been established in Germany. On these wards, different health professions collaboratively provide patient care supervised by facilitators from the background. We investigated the gains in interprofessional knowledge and interprofessional competence reported after the mandatory placements on Mannheim's Interprofessional Training Ward MIA. We also compared these levels of knowledge and competence at the end of the placement with control groups. METHODS: In a quasi-randomized controlled study, we used a questionnaire to collect self-reported data on the interprofessional learning outcome. We used t-tests to compare (a) pretest and posttest data in the experimental group and (b) the levels of interprofessional knowledge and competence between the experimental and control groups. RESULTS: The results confirmed that the MIA participants perceived a significant increase in interprofessional knowledge and competence during the placement on the training ward. MIA participants also reported significantly higher levels of interprofessional knowledge and competence than the control groups. CONCLUSIONS: Placements on an interprofessional training ward make it possible to experience and practise interprofessional collaboration in real patient care. They help to prepare all future health professionals to assume their professional role in an interprofessional team to provide the best possible patient care.

Transferring interprofessional education concepts across sites - experiences and recommendations for practice.

Aim: Interprofessional education for health care professionals should be anchored at all training and study locations across Germany. In cooperation with the Medical Faculty Mannheim, an education concept trialed there, namely a longitudinal interprofessional learning sequence, was transferred and adapted to the Medical Faculty Dresden as part of the "Operation Team" support program. Here, the structured analysis and evaluation of the knowledge transfer experience is presented from the perspective of the transferee. From these findings, recommendations are derived for the planning of knowledge transfer projects. Methods: The consulting work between the two faculties was listed chronologically including knowledge transfer outcomes and was described and analyzed using the comparative categories identified in sociological systems theory and in the knowledge transfer literature. In addition, knowledge transfer outcomes were categorized according to their use and their relevance to the progress of the project was assessed. Results: The coordination teams initiated 13 consulting sessions, primarily held virtually or by telephone. From these, 36 knowledge transfer outcomes were identified, of which most were of high relevance for the transferee in all use categories. The knowledge transfer core themes were of a strategic (e.g. the consolidation of interprofessional teaching) and content-based/didactic-methodological nature (e.g. interprofessional session design, tutor training). Conclusion: The consulting sessions played a major role in facilitating the establishment of two interprofessional learning sequences and the piloting of the associated sessions at the Dresden site. The recommendations derived for a successful transfer could also be of help for other transfer projects.

Arrogant or caring? Influence of transactive communication in interprofessional learning on knowledge gains and stereotype changes.

Objective: In interprofessional peer tutoring, medical students and physiotherapy trainees teach and practice examination techniques and work out profession-specific similarities and differences. In small interprofessional groups, we investigated the influence of transactive communication - alternately referring to and building on the statements made by the dialogue partner in the process of conveying information - on knowledge gains and changes in stereotypes of the other profession. Methods: A total of 132 medical students and 48 physiotherapy trainees divided into 24 small interprofessional groups indicated the extent of their stereotypes of the other profession before and after the practice session, as well as their perceived increase in knowledge. They evaluated the group work and the perceived intensity of transactive communication. We used regression analyses to test the hypotheses. Results: The intensity of transactive communication in the physiotherapy trainees was positively related to knowledge gains in the medical students. However, this did not apply to the knowledge gains in physiotherapy trainees. With regard to stereotype changes, the intensity of one's own transactive communication unexpectedly turned out to be a significant, albeit weak, influencing factor: The more intensive one's own transactive communication was, the more negative the stereotypes of the other profession became. Conclusion: Transactive communication in interprofessional groups can improve the exchange of knowledge in peer tutoring and bring about changes in stereotypes. Measures to improve transactive communication, e.g. training sessions or specific communication exercises, could help to improve the effectiveness of interprofessional learning.

Heterogeneous learning cultures in interprofessional education: a teacher training.

Aim: Due to the political demand for the integration of interprofessional (IP) learning into the undergraduate education of health professionals, teachers now have to create and perform IP courses. The IP and thus heterogeneous learning groups pose a special challenge. The presented project aimed at designing a workshop training to support teachers to reflect on heterogeneous learning cultures and to prepare for IP teaching. Methods: The workshop concept was developed in using the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle and included planning, several rounds of testing and the evaluation of the concept. All planning steps in the development of the workshop concept followed the principles of cooperative learning. The concept evolved in an iterative process based on participants' feedback and facilitators' self-reflection. Results: The resulting workshop concept includes theoretical input as well as discussion, teamwork and participants' self-reflection. The workshop's core element is the work assignment to develop an IP teaching session considering different learning cultures. Work results and experiences are discussed with the entire group and required skills of IP teachers are identified. Conclusion: The subjective feedback of participants regarding their satisfaction and knowledge gained indicates that the workshop concept is well received. The joint planning of an IP teaching session highlights particularities resulting from heterogeneous learning cultures. These should be utilized in IP education to better prepare learners for IP cooperation in the workplace.

Implementing MIA - Mannheim's interprofessional training ward: first evaluation results.

Project description: In Germany there is great interest in better preparing learners in the health care professions for interprofessional (IP) collaboration on IP training wards. On the MIA, Mannheim's interprofessional training ward, medical students, nursing apprentices and physiotherapy (PT) trainees learn and practise real patient care in a team under supervision. The concept of the MIA, its implementation and the first evaluation results are reported. During the 2017/18 academic year, 201 medical students, 72 nursing apprentices and 33 PT trainees completed their mandatory placements on the MIA, which they evaluated online at the end of the placement (questions on the organisation of the MIA placement, learning gains, supervision, participant satisfaction, personal insights). The data was analysed according to frequency for each health care profession separately using the Kruskal-Wallis test for comparing the evaluation data between the three participant groups. Results: The response rate was 45% (104 medical students, 16 nursing apprentices, 19 PT trainees). 64% of the medical students considered the placement too short. For 70% of the nursing apprentices, the number of patients to be treated was too high. The supervision by the facilitators was adequate. There were often IP contacts. Professional and IP learning gains were rated high. IP learning took place mainly in personal conversations and on IP ward rounds. IP communication/collaboration was mentioned most often as an important insight gained from the placement. Discussion: The implementation of the MIA concept is considered successful. The learning objectives were achieved. The structured daily routine on the ward with its IP elements promotes IP collaboration and helps to minimise difficulties in the clinical placement, which - often for the first time - demands that the participants manage patient care in an accountable manner. Conclusion: Placements on IP training wards in the education of health care professionals can be a good preparation for practising optimal patient care in the future.

Comprehension through cooperation: Medical students and physiotherapy apprentices learn in teams - Introducing interprofessional learning at the University Medical Centre Mannheim, Germany.

AIM: In order to better prepare future health care professionals for interprofessional cooperation, interprofessional learning sessions for medical students and physiotherapy apprentices were developed at the University Medical Centre Mannheim, Germany. The experience gained from designing, implementing and evaluating these learning sessions is presented and discussed. METHOD: A total of 265 medical students and 43 physiotherapy apprentices attended five interprofessional learning sessions. Of these, 87-100% responded to closed and open-ended questions on a self-developed questionnaire (24 items). The responses regarding self-reported learning gains, benefit, motivation and satisfaction with the sessions were analyzed separately by professions. RESULTS: The learning sessions were well received by both groups. More than 75% of all participants were of the opinion that they could not have learned the new material in a better way. Significant differences between the medical students and the physiotherapy apprentices were mainly found with regard to perceived learning gains, which physiotherapy apprentices reported as being lower. Positive aspects of interprofessionalism were most often emphasized in the responses to the open-ended questions. Most frequently criticized were organizational aspects and a lack of perceived learning gains. CONCLUSION: The introduction of interprofessional learning entails great effort in terms of organizational and administrative challenges. However, the project is considered worthwhile because the interprofessional aspects of the learning sessions were indeed valued by the participants. Permanently including and expanding interprofessional learning in the curricula of both professions longitudinally is therefore something to strive for.