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Aim: To evaluate the feasibility of the Swiss complex interprofessional intervention, NEODOL© (NEOnato DOLore), for improving the management of procedural pain in neonates in the Finnish context. Background: Interprofessional collaboration is important for all professionals involved in the care of neonates and for neonates' parents, to understand the appropriate use of non‐pharmacological and/or pharmacological methods for each pain situation and how to assess pain in real‐life situations. Appropriate methods of pain relief for neonates should be preferred as they protect the development of the neonate's brain. Design: A descriptive qualitative design. Method: Data were collected through semi‐structured focus group discussions following the Medical Research Council's framework for evaluation of complex interventions, in this case NEODOL© which aims to improve the procedural pain management of neonates. A purposive sample (n = 13) included eleven professionals representing various professions within Finnish Neonatal Intensive Care Units and two parents of infants who have received care in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Data were analysed using inductive content analysis, and the results were reported in accordance with the COREQ guidelines. Results: Professionals' and parents' evaluations suggest that NEODOL© is feasible, because it is consistent and addresses a current need. They assessed its overall content to be relevant and accessible, and its components to be internally coherent. However, they emphasise the need for further evaluation and refinement of the intervention to achieve the desired outcomes and cost‐effectiveness. Conclusions: While NEODOL© is considered feasible, it requires further evaluation and refinement in the local context of each hospital before implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Healthcare clinical microsystems are small, goal-oriented groups of healthcare professionals that work together on a regular basis to provide care to discrete patient populations. They often include team-based frameworks such as bedside interprofessional rounds, geographic colocation of healthcare team members, interprofessional staff leadership, and unit-level data sharing. In inpatient settings, microsystems improve interprofessional communication and collaboration. In this qualitative study, we examined physician experiences of clinical microsystems and the mechanisms underpinning interprofessional communication in this environment. We interviewed 51 resident and hospitalist physicians. Thematic analysis of physician experiences revealed three key themes: (a) Clinical microsystem effect on workflow, (b) Open forum and work relationships, and (c) Face-to-face vs technology-based communication. Physicians described strong interprofessional relationships based on frequent face-to-face communication. Familiarity with healthcare team members, often resulting from being co-located to the same units, created a comfortable work environment, advanced patient care, and accelerated workflow. Physicians preferred in-person communication with interprofessional colleagues over technology-based communicationand described how in-person interactions enriched subsequent technology-led interactions. As the use of technology-based communication grows in inpatient settings, decreasing face-to-face interactions and facilitating dispersed care, understanding and implementing optimal conditions for effective interprofessional communication is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Digital health transformation may enhance or impede person‐centred care and interprofessional practice, and thus the provision of high‐quality rehabilitation and nutrition services. We aimed to understand how different elements and factors within existing digital nutrition and health systems in subacute rehabilitation units influence person‐centred and/or interprofessional nutrition and mealtime care practices through the lens of complexity science. Methods: Our ethnographic study was completed through an interpretivist paradigm. Data were collected from observation and interviews with patients, support persons and staff. Overall, 58 h of ethnographic field work led to observing 125 participants and interviewing 77 participants, totalling 165 unique participants. We used reflexive thematic analysis to analyse the data with consideration of complexity science. Results: We developed four themes: (1) the interplay of local context and technology use in nutrition care systems; (2) digitalisation affects staff participation in nutrition and mealtime care; (3) embracing technology to support nutrition and food service flexibility; and (4) the (in)visibility of digitally enabled nutrition care systems. Conclusions: While digital systems enhance the visibility and flexibility of nutrition care systems in some instances, they may also reduce the ability to customise nutrition and mealtime care and lead to siloing of nutrition‐related activities. Our findings highlight that the introduction of digital systems alone may be insufficient to enable interprofessional practice and person‐centred care within nutrition and mealtime care and thus should be accompanied by local processes and workflows to maximise digital potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interprofessional education (IPE) aims to prepare health professional students with the knowledge, attitudes and skills required for collaborative healthcare practice. Although positive outcomes have been documented at the completion of university-based IPE experiences, or longitudinally across health care degrees, the literature is unclear on how university-based IPE influences graduate practice. This study therefore explores how health professional graduates experience interprofessional interactions in practice and how these may be connected to their university-based IPE experiences. Interviews with seven health professional graduates who had participated in an 11-week IPE course as part of their pre-licensure degrees were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The participants were able to articulate instances of effective and less effective collaboration from their professional experiences, making sense of these experiences with explicit reference to the themes of role understanding, collaborative working relationships, interprofessional communication, patient-centered care and contextual influences; all ideas introduced in their university-based IPE. They connected their understanding of roles, collaborative working relationships and interprofessional communication explicitly to their prior university-based IPE, identifying these learnings as foundational knowledge. This connection was not as explicit for patient-centered care and contextual issues. These findings highlight the critical importance of IPE in preparing health professionals for high-quality contemporary practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most individuals with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) never receive treatment, and treatment needs far exceed the current capacity of mental health services. Occupational therapy (OT) focuses on enhancing function in daily activities, including eating and feeding. Given OT's rich history in mental health and pediatric feeding disorder treatment, we spotlight the potential role of OT in ARFID treatment, current knowledge, and opportunities for future research. Through a preliminary exploratory inquiry involving a review of current literature and clinical practice, we investigated OT's current involvement, knowledge, and interprofessional collaborative practice gaps in ARFID treatment. While many occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) engage in ARFID treatment, interventions lack rigorous evaluation, and there is limited evidence defining OT's distinct role in interprofessional ARFID treatment. OTPs are uniquely positioned to provide interventions for individuals with ARFID across the lifespan, though research is needed to evaluate the efficacy of OT interventions. Future research suggestions include standardizing OT approaches to ARFID treatment and conducting single‐case experiments and randomized controlled trials to compare OT approaches with alternative methods. Recommendations to address practice gaps include enhancing ARFID education for OT students and practitioners and fostering a greater understanding of OT's role on the interprofessional team. Public Significance: Individuals with ARFID face barriers to eating that impact their health and function. On a multidisciplinary team, OTPs can treat diverse client populations by identifying and addressing barriers to daily participation, such as physical impairments, trauma history, and environmental barriers. More research is needed to evaluate the efficacy of OT practices in ARFID treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Persons with aphasia (PWA) experience a number of communicative and social‐emotional challenges. Reported experiences of PWA include but are not limited to, being misunderstood, isolated, frustrated, and infantilised. Aims: The aim of this pilot study, involving a Life Participation Approach to Aphasia (LPAA), conducted over the course of 2 years, was to understand community perceptions of aphasia while PWA engaged in an interprofessional treatment program involving speech and drama therapy. Methods & Procedures: The interprofessional treatment program involved PWA participating in a therapeutic theatre program using the CoActive Therapeutic Theater (CoATT) while also receiving speech‐language therapy. Each year, the PWA performed a different, original therapeutic theatre production for a public audience, at the culmination of their interprofessional treatment program. In this paper, we share data obtained from perspectives of audience members who witnessed the theatre production and aphasia education during the first year of the study and friends and family of PWA who participated in the therapeutic theatre process during the second year of the study. Outcomes & Results: Responses from audience members who participated in aphasia education and witnessed the therapeutic theatre performance by the PWA during the first year, indicated an increased knowledge of aphasia. Friends and family members of PWA who witnessed their loved ones engaging in the CoATT process through interprofessional treatment, in the second year, reported that their loved ones benefited from the CoATT process, which was distinct from other therapeutic processes to their knowledge and that they were impacted by watching their loved one perform. Conclusions & Implications: These initial findings create footing towards understanding impact of therapeutic theatre in combination with speech‐language therapy in the lives of PWA. They help us to obtain an initial appreciation of how therapeutic theatre and aphasia education help connect PWA and their community. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on this subject: Caregivers and communities at large play a significant role in and substantially impact the recovery of their loved ones (Dalemans et al., 2010; Grawburget et al., 2013; Kniepmann & Cupler, 2014) with aphasia. However, existing research suggests that persons with aphasia (PWA) are often misunderstood, isolated and infantilised by their communities. What this paper adds to existing knowledge: The findings of our study reveal that friends, families and extended communities of PWA gain a positive and deep understanding of challenges experienced by PWA through therapeutic theatre supported by speech language therapy, based in a new CoActive Therapeutic Theatre (CoATT) model. This PWA community also agrees that therapeutic theatre in combination with speech‐language therapy provides confidence and camaraderie between PWAs and strengthen connection between all constituencies. These results support the need for interprofessional intervention within the framework of a Life Participation Approach to Aphasia (LPAA). What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: Treatment paradigms that bring PWAs in contact with their communities using an LPAA approach can increase confidence and social engagement for PWAs potentially leading to better outcomes for their individual speech‐language therapy as well as create means of educating communities about PWA, and their stories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Undertaking an authentic interprofessional simulation experience may be a useful and consistent strategy for healthcare professional students to build competencies required for a rural healthcare context. An observational comparative study design was adopted to evaluate a clinical simulation experience created to develop the interprofessional competencies of a sample of healthcare professional students at a regional university situated on multiple campuses in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Over 200 students across three campuses of the university were involved in a simulation experience that included four interprofessional activities. Of these students, 189 (89%) agreed to participate in the study. The healthcare professional students who participated in the study were from second year occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and podiatry, and third year speech pathology programs. Retrospective pre and post self-assessed interprofessional collaborative competencies were compared for all students using the revised Interprofessional Collaborative Attainment Survey (ICCAS). Results demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in self-perceived scores using the validated revised ICCAS survey. The findings of this study suggest that carefully designed and authentic interprofessional simulation experiences can facilitate the development of competencies required for effective interprofessional practice, which are necessary for successful rural practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Goals of Care (GOC) is a longitudinal, multi-setting, and interprofessional practise aiming to guide the use of life-sustaining therapies. We documented the perspectives of different stakeholders regarding their roles in GOC intervention and explored the possibility of implementing an interprofessional approach in a healthcare and social services institution. We interviewed nurses, social workers, and relatives of deceased persons and analyzed the results using an analytical framework based on the 16 mechanisms of the Normalization Process Theory. We identified barriers to implementing a sustainable interprofessional approach to GOC, such as the lack of designated leaders responsible for supporting the day-to-day provision of this rather complex intervention, the difficulty of access to physicians in two of the three care settings under study, and the lack of a robust informational system. We also demonstrated that the GOC intervention is postponed until there is no uncertainty to deal with, i.e., at the end of life. Our study adds to an emerging body of literature criticising the concept of making advance medical directives itself. We advocated for the promotion of tools that would enable lay people to select and empower a supportive decision maker to better represent them in serious illness decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collaboration among healthcare providers is regarded as a promising method to improve care quality and patient outcomes with limited human and financial resources. In Norway, “hospital-at-home” refers to care given by teams from the hospital pediatric wards who provide treatment and care in the family’s home. When children need home visits multiple times daily, the hospital-at-home often reaches out to municipality healthcare providers, asking them to share this task. We aimed to explore the collaboration between stakeholders to gain knowledge on matters concerning the transfer of pediatric competence between hospital and home-based care, and to gain insight into how to set up the service for children in the future. We conducted three focus group interviews. The results showed that managing hospital-at-home collaboratively came with various challenges concerning unclear responsibilities between hospitals and homecare services and several obstacles to setting up cooperation across service levels. Thus, positive collaboration experiences between hospital and homecare settings were shared. Formalizing this collaboration was considered important for future collaboration. Building competence and learning from and with each other ensures better conditions for success if the collaboration is organized and facilitated through agreements between the hospital and the municipalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interprofessional practice (IPP) is thought to increase coordination of care and provide numerous benefits for clients and practitioners. While the importance of interprofessional education and practice has been emphasized in the literature and by numerous organizations including the World Health Organization, understanding what is working for practitioners is still elusive. Using the World Health Organization's framework regarding IPP and the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) guidelines and competencies, this research attempted to identify what is working for practitioners when it comes to IPP and where opportunities for growth are still evident. The Collaborative Practice Assessment Tool was distributed to practitioners across disciplines, with a focus on speech-language pathologists and behavior analysts, and both qualitative and quantitative measures were analyzed to determine what reported IPP strategies are in use. Results indicated that practitioners are more similar than they are different when it comes to what is working with regard to the IPEC competencies (i.e., values/ethics for interprofessional practice, roles/responsibilities, interprofessional communication, and teams and teamwork) and where change is needed. Discussion and suggestions relevant to clinical practice were identified and a call for development of IPP training across and within disciplines based on IPEC competencies is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: As the participation of dental professionals in multidisciplinary care is often limited, instructions on oral health management provided by dental professionals to other professionals are important to achieve transdisciplinary oral health management; however, the effectiveness of such instructions remains unclear. In this longitudinal study, we aimed to determine the impact of oral health management provided by dental professionals and nurses instructed on oral health management by dental professionals on the oral health of inpatients eligible for a Nurition Support Team (NST). Methods: The study participants were 117 patients (66 men and 51 women, mean age: 71.9 ± 12.5 years) who received oral health management during the NST intervention period. The participants received oral health management from nurses (Ns group) or dental professionals (D group). The nurses who conducted the oral health management received instructions from dental professionals. Oral health was assessed at the beginning and end of the NST intervention using the Oral Health Assessment Tool (OHAT). Result: The Ns and D groups showed significant improvements in the total OHAT scores at the end of the NST intervention. Both groups showed significant improvements in the OHAT subitems of lip, tongue, gums and tissues, saliva, oral cleanliness and dental pain, while only the D group showed a significant improvement in the denture subitem. Conclusion: Effective oral health management provided by dental professionals or by nurses trained by them improved the oral health status of inpatients eligible for NST at an acute‐care hospital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social workers and other behavioral health professionals trained to provide prevention, treatment, and recovery services for opioid use disorders (OUD) remain urgently needed in the U.S. particularly in states with widespread health professional shortage areas. To help mitigate this workforce gap, faculty in social work and nursing at a public university in Alabama developed and piloted an innovative HRSA-funded interprofessional traineeship to prepare graduate-level nursing and social work students to assess and treat opioid use disorders (OUD). The yearlong traineeship included specialized coursework on evidenced-based practice in addictions, interprofessional telemedicine and simulation training, and multi-semester field practica in outpatient treatment settings. Impact of the pilot training was evaluated using a pre-experimental one group design. Baseline and post-training surveys assessed knowledge, attitudes, and skills related to OUD and interprofessional practice and perceived program impact. Significant increases were observed for trainees' self-reported knowledge, attitudes, and skills. Moreover, at graduation students reported that the traineeship had improved their abilities to interact with underserved populations, collaborate interprofessionally, and understand ethical issues in SUD treatment as well as enhancing their professional competence, clinical problem-solving, and health workforce skills. Findings suggest that the interprofessional training program may prepare social work and nursing graduate students to effectively serve clients with OUD and help to address a critical workforce gap in medically underserved communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this clinical tutorial, we describe the implementation of interventions provided to struggling writers using telepractice as the method of service delivery. The intervention of focus in this article was provided by graduate students who received advanced training in supporting writing to elementary school children with and without learning disabilities. The protocols developed for this study were framed by a theoretical framework for writing (K. D. Ritchey et al., 2016) and based on current best evidence for supporting struggling writers (e.g., A. L. Poch et al., 2022; S. Graham & D. Perin, 2007). In short, we lifted from the research literature available best practices for writing interventions and adapted these for telepractice with elementary-age schoolchildren identified as struggling writers. As part of this clinical tutorial, four different case studies are provided that illustrate how the intervention was adapted to meet individual student needs. Clinical implications for adapting interventions delivered via telepractice for struggling writers are provided alongside future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 has continued to bring devastation to children and families, even 1 year into the pandemic. The rise of the Black Lives Matter movement has also led to renewed attention to systemic racism in the United States and awareness of how the pandemic has further exacerbated health inequities that disproportionately affect communities of color. Pediatric hospital social workers have played a key role since the beginning of the pandemic in responding to the resulting behavioral health crisis and helping to address social disparities. There is a need to understand how the roles and experiences of pediatric social workers have evolved during the first year of the pandemic. In this qualitative study, a series of practice-setting based focus groups were conducted with social workers to capture (a) what has changed or stayed the same since the beginning of COVID-19, (b) thoughts and experiences on diversity, equity, and inclusion with particular attention to race and racism, and (c) perspectives about the long-term implications of COVID-19 on the profession of social work. The Framework Method was used to analyze data, from which six superordinate themes emerged: burnout/coping; the impact of patient acuity; awareness of racial inequity in patient care; awareness of social determinants of health; social worker inclusion in hospital decision-making and policy reform; and grief/racial inequity. An overview of what has stayed the same, what has changed, and what the future may hold for pediatric hospital social workers is reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interprofessional collaboration is vital in the context of service delivery for children with physical disabilities. Despite the established importance of interprofessional collaboration and an increasing focus on research on this topic, there is no overview of the research. A scoping review was conducted to explore current knowledge on interprofessional collaboration for children with physical disabilities from the point of view of the actors involved. The steps of this review included identifying a research question, developing a protocol, identifying relevant research, selecting studies, summarizing and analyzing the data, and reporting and discussing the results. Through databases and studies from hand-searches, 4,688 records were screened. A total of 29 studies were included. We found that four themes: communication, knowledge, roles, and culture in interprofessional collaboration illustrate current knowledge on the topic. Interprofessional collaboration for children with physical disabilities is shown to be composed of these four themes, depending on the actors involved. Interprofessional collaboration is affected by how these four themes appear; they mainly act as barriers and, to a lesser extent, as facilitators for interprofessional collaboration. Whether and how the themes appear as facilitators need further exploration to support innovation of interprofessional collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interprofessional education (IPE) aims to develop healthcare practitioners who work effectively in teams, demonstrate strong communication skills, respect others, and have a working knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of other professionals. Of identified research to date, it is unclear what students perceive as important for effective IPE delivery and learning. The purpose of this study was to identify graduate students' perceptions of facilitators and barriers to learning interprofessional practice using phenomenology. Three semi-structured focus groups were conducted including athletic training, occupational therapy, or speech-language pathology students and the transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. Four themes emerged about IPE teaching methods and delivery: (1) addressing roles and responsibilities (2) student collaboration and communication (3) engaging with faculty and (4) enhancing realism and diversity of experiences. The themes suggested that IPE can either facilitate or create barriers for students when learning roles and responsibilities, collaborating, and communicating with fellow students, and engaging with faculty. Enhancing the realism and diversity of represented professionals were perceived as potential facilitators for future IPE sessions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Physiotherapy private practitioners represent a growing proportion of Australia's primary care workforce; however, they face significant barriers in integrating seamlessly within interprofessional teams. Historically, the landscape of primary care in Australia has been one where many physiotherapists work in monoprofessional private practice facilities at dispersed locations, potentially limiting collaborative and coordinated care. The aim of this study was to investigate strategies recommended by physiotherapists to promote effective interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP) within the Australian private practice setting. Methods: Using interpretive description as the guiding methodological framework, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 28 physiotherapists in 10 private practice sites in Queensland, Australia. Results: Data analysis produced three themes that characterised physiotherapy private practitioners' recommendations to improve IPCP: (a) the need for improved funding and compensation, particularly addressing the limitations of the Medicare Chronic Disease Management program; (b) the development of integrated and secure digital communication systems to facilitate better information exchange; and (c) prioritising professional development and training to enhance collaboration. Conclusions: This research lays the groundwork for informed policy making to advance person-centred care and support the integration of services in the Australian healthcare system. The findings from this study indicate that promoting effective IPCP in physiotherapy private practice requires a comprehensive strategy that addresses systemic funding and compensation issues, enhances digital communication systems and optimises interprofessional education and training. Physiotherapists working in primary care are becoming increasingly important members of interprofessional healthcare teams. This research outlines key strategies from the perspective of Queensland physiotherapy private practitioners, including reforming funding structures, leveraging digital communication and improving education and training initiatives, to promote effective interprofessional collaborative practice. The insights from this study underscore the broader complexities within Australia's healthcare system and emphasise the need for strategic changes to achieve collaboration in ensuring optimal patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored social workers' experiences of working with professional language interpreters in the disability sector with the goal of developing guiding principles for practice. Despite clients from diverse backgrounds increasingly accessing disability services, interpreter-mediated social work in the disability service context is an under-researched field. Six social workers participated in semistructured interviews. Findings suggest that social work with interpreters is a field of practice comprising practical and interactional challenges, requiring a high degree of professional discretion to optimise client outcomes. Emerging from the research are potential guiding principles for practice emphasising training, adaptability, interprofessional collaboration, person-centredness, and reflexivity. Interpreter-mediated social work in the disability sector presents unique challenges as a practice context. Interpreter-mediated social work is characterised by a complex professional inter-culture, requiring social workers and interpreters to mediate professional power and role negotiation to achieve effective service delivery. Guiding principles for practice may emphasise training, adaptability, interprofessional collaboration, person-centredness, and reflexivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The value of health care delivered via effective interprofessional teams has created an imperative for interprofessional education (IPE) and interprofessional collaborative practice (ICP). To inform IPE strategies, we investigated differences in perceived self-efficacy (SE) for competence in ICP among health professions students. The study data were collected between 2015 and 2019 from students from 13 different health professions programmes (N = 3,497) before an annual institutional interprofessional programme. Students completed the IPECC-SET-27, a validated instrument evaluating perceived SE for competence in ICP, and rated their 1) amount of previous contact with, and 2) perceived understanding of, the role of different health professions. Students in different health professions education programmes were compared using parametric statistics. Regression analyses explored factors influencing SE for competence in ICP. Findings revealed significant differences in perceived SE for competence in ICP between programmes (p <.05). Specifically, health information management/health informatics, dentistry, medicine, and nursing students expressed relatively higher SE, whereas physical therapy and occupational therapy students expressed relatively lower SE. Perceived understanding of the role of health professions (p <.01) and gender (p <.01) contributed significantly to predicting perceived SE for competence in ICP, while the amount of previous contact with other health professions did not (p =.42). The findings highlight the value of designing IPE with consideration of specific learner needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) negatively impacts the health outcomes and equity, social and employment participation, and socio‐economic wellbeing of those affected. Little community‐based support is offered to people with knee OA in Aotearoa New Zealand. Identifying Māori and non‐Māori with knee OA in community pharmacy and providing co‐ordinated, evidence‐ and community‐based care may be a scalable, sustainable, equitable, effective and cost‐effective approach to improve health and wellbeing. Aim: Assess whether the Knee Care for Arthritis through Pharmacy Service (KneeCAPS) intervention improves knee‐related physical function and pain (co‐primary outcomes). Secondary aims assess impacts on health‐related quality of life, employment participation, medication use, secondary health care utilisation, and relative effectiveness for Māori. Methods and analysis: A pragmatic randomised controlled trial will compare the KneeCAPS intervention to the Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand Arthritis Fact Sheet and usual care (active control) at 12 months for Māori and non‐Māori who have knee OA. Participants will be recruited in community pharmacies. Knee‐related physical function will be measured using the function subscale of the Short Form of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index. Knee‐related pain will be measured using an 11‐point numeric pain rating scale. Primary outcome analyses will be conducted on an intention‐to‐treat basis using linear mixed models. Parallel within‐trial health economic analysis and process evaluation will also be conducted. Ethics and trial dissemination: Ethical approval was obtained from the Central Health and Ethics Committee (2022‐EXP‐11725). The trial is registered with ANZCTR (ACTRN12622000469718). Findings will be submitted for publication and shared with participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interprofessional education is expected to promote collaborative practice and should therefore be included in health professionals' curricula. Reports on interprofessional curricular development and its evaluation are rare. We therefore undertook a comprehensive quantitative and qualitative evaluation of a new, mandatory course on interprofessional collaboration for medical students during their third year of the Bachelor of Medicine study programme. The newly developed and implemented course spans over six weeks and was designed in a hybrid, flipped-classroom format. It incorporates experience- and case-based learning as well as interactions with other health professionals. Each student completes an eLearning and a clinical workshadowing individually before attending the - due to the pandemic - virtual live lectures. To assess quality and usefulness of teaching-learning formats and course structure to learn about interprofessional collaboration and to develop interprofessional competencies and identity, a quantitative and qualitative evaluation was performed with more than 280 medical students and 26 nurse educators from teaching hospitals using online surveys (open & closedended format). Data were analyzed descriptively and using content analysis processes. Students appreciated the flipped-classroom concept, the real-world case-based learning scenarios with interprofessional lecturer teams, and the possibility of an experience-based learning opportunity in the clinical setting including interaction with students and professionals from other health professions. Interprofessional identity did not change during the course. Evaluation data showed that the course is a promising approach for teaching-learning interprofessional competencies to medical students. The evaluation revealed three factors that determined the success of this course, namely, a flipped-classroom concept, the individual workshadowing of medical students with another health professional, mainly nurses, and live sessions with interprofessional teaching-learning teams. The course structure and teaching-learning methods showed potential and could serve as a template for interprofessional course development in other institutions and on other course topics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Triage nurses play a crucial role in addressing patient telephone calls. However, topics that radiation oncology (RO) triage nurses encounter have not been thoroughly investigated. OBJECTIVES: This project established baseline patient issues addressed via telephone by RO triage nurses in a clinically busy academic RO department; identified themes and potential areas for workflow improvement; and evaluated interprofessional perceptions of RO triage from nurses, physicians, and radiation therapists. METHODS: This two-part study was conducted from September through November 2021 using a retrospective chart review that analyzed patient communications to the RO nurse triage line. Physicians, nurses, and radiation therapists completed an online survey about their experiences with nurse triage. FINDINGS: Analysis revealed 13 message themes, with scheduling questions being the most common theme. Survey results indicated that average provider satisfaction with the effectiveness of triage was 3 of 5, perceived triage nurse preparedness to resolve encounters was 3 of 5, and perception of the triage program by physicians was 2.4 of 5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper outlines the personal transformation that occurred when three university educators from very different fields (education, midwifery, and oral health) and world views, established a common understanding of their research topic and subsequent development of a research question to improve health educators' capability when teaching interprofessional practice. Most health educators entering higher education are specialists in their clinical practice foremost, and therefore, the health researchers engaged with an education specialist to develop a project scope. Through an eight-month process of challenging, learning, reflecting, and actively testing the meaning of ideas and statements, a consensus was achieved on a research aim and proposal that would guide the research process. This paper presents the collaborative journey to achieve this consensus. The individual stories of two of the researchers' journeys were analysed, identifying that a shift in the understanding of ontology and pedagogy takes time and effort, and change is reliant on a collective working together towards a positive outcome where consensus is arrived at through challenge and dialogue. There was an action learning phase that pre-empted the researchers' capacity to collectively envision the research aim when working across professions, providing a practical knowing that is explored in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Narrative medicine is an approach to healthcare that acknowledges the stories of patients' lives both within and beyond the clinical setting. Narrative medicine has been increasingly recognized as a promising tool to support modern educational needs in health professions training, such as interprofessional practice, while enhancing quality of care. Here, we describe the development, implementation, and application of a narrative medicine program at the University of Minnesota Phillips Neighborhood Clinic. First, in a qualitative analysis of patient stories (n = 12) we identified themes regarding the value of the storytelling experience; patients' personal journeys; and patients' experiences in healthcare and other systems. Second, an interprofessional educational activity for student volunteers (n = 57) leveraging a patient narrative was observed to be satisfactory, significantly improve attitudes toward the underserved, and enhance quality of care from the perspectives of trainees. Together, findings from the two studies imply the potential benefits of broader incorporation of narrative medicine into interprofessional service settings, for both learners and patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Institute of Medicine recently expressed a need to measure the impact of interprofessional education (IPE) on health professions collaborative behavior in practice environments and patient outcomes, and the National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education has focused research efforts to connect interprofessional practice and education. We describe a model intentionally designed to link interprofessional practice experience in ambulatory care setting and an IPE curriculum for students, called the Interprofessional Learning in Practice (ILIP) model. The study objective was to determine the impact of the ILIP model on student and patient outcomes during a 24-month intervention period. Student satisfaction was collected through a brief survey administered post-ILIP model. Patient outcomes were collected from before and after the intervention period through a retrospective chart review of patients who received care through the ILIP model. For the study, disease indicators for the top three chronic diagnoses of depression, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes mellitus were chosen as the patient outcomes. Student outcomes were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Mann–Whitney U test. Patient outcomes were analyzed using McNemar's test and paired t-tests. Of the 382 students who participated in the ILIP model during the study period, 179 completed surveys, indicating that they valued the experience, valued learning from interprofessional preceptors, and gained interprofessional skills to use in their future practice. During the 24-month intervention, 401 patients were evaluated post-ILIP model, statistically significant results demonstrated HbA1c values for patients with diabetes were reduced by 0.5% and depression screening improved from 9% to 91%. Additionally, patients' hypertension control was similar to baseline and diabetes control (as defined as HbA1c ≤8%) was improved compared to baseline but did not reach statistical significance. By aligning interprofessional practice and education in the ILIP model, students had a positive experience, gained interprofessional collaboration skills, and provided value-added benefits to improve patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arizona Nexus is a pioneer Nexus Innovations Network (NIN) member with the National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education (National Center) and a statewide collaborative with members from five public and private universities and six health care organizations in Arizona. The Arizona Nexus grew from the request of interprofessional champions at two public state universities, Arizona State University (ASU) and the University of Arizona (UA), to be part of the University of Minnesota's application and vision for the first National Center cohort. Culture change, shared vision, resources, and leadership are factors that have been in play in the development and growth of the Arizona Nexus. In this case study, we tell the story of the Arizona Nexus, key landmarks in its development and how these four factors contributed to its growth and success. For the Arizona Nexus, the next five years and beyond will embody action. Building from the hard-won and exciting foundation we have built in our first five years, we are determined to accelerate the growth of interprofessional practice and education, inspire continued growth of academic and clinical partnerships, and use the knowledge, skills and creative thinking of all professions to improve and transform health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of mental health and addictions, there is a lack of research that acknowledges or considers Indigenous needs, preferences, and approaches to the design, development and maintenance of collaborative health and social initiatives in rural communities. This study presents a Kaupapa Māori (Indigenous Māori research approach) qualitative case study in a small rural community. The study focused on three groups involved within service collaboration. These included 10 individuals who were identified as Indigenous community leaders; 10 individuals experiencing substance use and related problems; 12 family members; and two focus groups involving 21 health and social service practitioners working within this community. The study findings present a dynamic whānau (families) and rural community-centred model of collaboration. This model reflects a continuum of collaboration that incorporates service users, their whānau, and culture as core components. The key barriers and enablers to collaboration across the continuum are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interprofessional practice is increasingly cited as necessary in the delivery of high-quality nutrition and rehabilitation services. However, there is limited evidence available exploring the factors which influence interprofessional practice in subacute rehabilitation nutrition services. Our ethnographic study explored collaborative activities, influential factors and staff attitudes related to interprofessional practice in nutrition care. Fifty-eight hours of ethnographic field work were undertaken from September 2021—April 2022, across three subacute rehabilitation units, with a total of 165 patients, support persons and staff participating. Overall, 125 unique participants were observed and 77 were interviewed. We generated three themes through reflexive thematic analysis. First, the potential opportunities for interprofessional practice at mealtimes, as influenced by communication, role clarity and reciprocity. Second, hierarchy of nutrition roles and tasks impedes interprofessional practice, where the perceived lower importance of nutrition care to other clinical roles and physical therapies influences staff practice. Third, the mystery of nutrition care roles and systems in rehabilitation, which exposes gaps in the awareness of different team members regarding nutrition care roles and systems, hindering interprofessional practice. Our findings highlight the opportunity for embedded, innovative models of care and staff education to enhance interprofessional practice in nutrition and mealtimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Prenatal counseling about maternal-fetal surgery can be traumatic and confusing for pregnant people. It can also be technically and emotionally complex for clinicians. As maternal-fetal surgery rapidly advances and becomes more common, more evidence is needed to inform counseling practices. The objective of this study was to develop a deeper understanding of the methods clinicians currently use to train for and provide counseling, as well as their needs and recommendations for future education and training. Methods: We used interpretive description methods and interviewed interprofessional clinicians who regularly counsel pregnant people about maternal-fetal surgery. Results: We conducted 20 interviews with participants from 17 different sites who were maternal-fetal medicine specialists (30%), pediatric surgeons (30%), nurses (15%), social workers (10%), a genetic counselor (5%), a neonatologist (5%), and a pediatric subspecialist (5%). Most were female (70%), non-Hispanic white (90%), and practiced in the Midwest (50%). We identified four overarching themes: (1) contextualizing maternal-fetal surgery counseling; (2) establishing shared understanding; (3) supporting decision-making; and (4) training for maternal-fetal surgery counseling. Within these themes, we identified key practice differences among professions, specialties, institutions, and regions. Conclusion: Participants are committed to practicing informative and supportive counseling to empower pregnant people to make autonomous decisions about maternal-fetal surgery. Nevertheless, our findings indicate a dearth of evidence-based communication practices and guidance. Participants identified significant systemic limitations affecting pregnant people's decision-making options related to maternal-fetal surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many resident physicians struggle with effective interprofessional collaboration (IPC), but characterization of their challenges is not well known. This study examines gaps in IPC skills for graduating medical students entering residency. A needs assessment was completed to evaluate factors that impact resident physicians' ability to effectively collaborate with other healthcare professionals. This study included online surveys of 123 recent medical school graduates, 21 semi-structured interviews of residency program directors, and 3 focus groups of healthcare professionals who interacted with residents. Survey results were analyzed for means and narratives from surveys, interviews, and focus groups were analyzed for themes. We found that graduates felt they did not have a strong understanding of other providers' roles and did not feel well prepared to handle conflict with other providers or navigate interprofessional team dynamics. Themes emerging from narrative data generally aligned with the Interprofessional Education Collaborative core competencies including understanding team roles, communicating effectively, and working effectively in a team, but these interviews also elucidated an additional theme, overcoming system barriers. Data from this work can inform curricula in preparation for the transition to residency. The authors also offer an educational framework for learning effective IPC as a new team member. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with schizophrenia present with both cognitive impairment as well as language difficulties. There are similarities in the language output of patients with schizophrenia and patients with aphasia, thus a differential diagnosis of patients who present with a question of dual diagnoses can be a clinical challenge. This case report highlights the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to a patient with schizophrenia who benefitted from intervention from both psychiatry and speech–language pathology services due to the patient's unique verbal output. Aims: The primary aim of this case report is to highlight the critical importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in this patient population. The secondary aim is to disseminate an interesting and unique clinical phenomenon whereby the patient demonstrated an awareness of two distinct speech patterns and the unique ability to 'code switch' between them, something not commonly appreciated in this clinical population. Methods & Procedures: This case report describes a patient seen as part of routine clinical care. Information shared was solely observational and involved dissemination of information regarding case history, assessment and treatment plan. No interventions were implemented as a part of this study. Outcomes & Results: Interprofessional communication was critical in order to diagnose a patient with schizophrenia with an atypical speech pattern. The patient's language output did not manifest as a true aphasia but rather as two distinct language patterns that the patient could use at will. This ability to 'code switch' between languages is a unique clinical profile that is atypical of patients with schizophrenia. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on this subject: Contemporary literature discusses the similarities between the language patterns of patients with aphasia and those with schizophrenia. There has been debate about how to classify and identify the mechanism of schizophrenic language. It is unclear whether the tangential press of speech in schizophrenia is a consequence of a formal thought disorder, or whether it constitutes an actual disorder or expressive language. Additionally, the mechanism for this speech pattern is not well defined in the literature as there is no consensus on whether it is a breakdown in linguistic processing or simply a patient's disordered thoughts being put into words. A less robust literature exists that suggests that there is a cognitive mechanism responsible for these speech patterns, as tangential speech has been linked to poor goal maintenance in other types of cognitive tasks. What this paper adds to existing knowledge: This study adds an important discussion about the critical importance of interprofessional collaboration when differentially diagnosing this complex patient population. It highlights the importance of the clinical exchange of information between the two disciplines of psychiatry and speech–language pathology about a patient population where clinical information is intertwined in the way described above. Regardless of the cause of the disordered output, what is lacking in the literature is evidence of how to address the complexities of the output of these patients and how to best manage the care of the patient. This study adds a practical clinical approach to collaborating on the assessment and management of this complex patient population. Importantly, it adds a description of a clinical manifestation of the language output of a patient with schizophrenia that we do not believe to have been previously published in the literature. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: Implications of this study include a much‐needed shift in the field in two regards. First, to include this patient population in the groups of patients that can benefit from interprofessional collaboration for differential diagnosis and consideration for speech and language therapy. Second, it offers a practical clinical approach to inter‐professional management in this patient population, something the literature is currently lacking. Additionally, publication of this unique clinical manifestation provides foundational knowledge for other clinicians appreciating similar clinical patterns of language output. To our knowledge, this is the first published case in which a patient could volitionally inhibit certain speech characteristics and thus this case study may assist in future differential diagnosis of patients with schizophrenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This qualitative study explored staff experiences of co-designing and implementing a novel interprofessional (IP) First Nations child health assessment (the helpful check), developed in partnership with a remote North-Queensland Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation. Method: Eleven staff across two teams (family health and allied health) were involved in co-designing and implementing the child health assessment and associated IP practices. Interviews were undertaken using a semi-structured interview template and were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Three overarching themes were developed: (1) connect teams by building strong relationships; (2) leave space for helpful check processes to evolve; and (3) integrate helpful check processes into routine practice to sustain change. Conclusions: Results demonstrate how the incorporation of IP practices into a remote primary healthcare setting led to perceived benefits for both the health service staff and clients. Despite documented benefits of interprofessional (IP) healthcare, IP care is not universally implemented in primary healthcare settings. This study explored staff experiences of co-designing and implementing a novel interprofessional First Nations child health assessment, developed in partnership with a remote Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation. Results demonstrated how the incorporation of IP practices into a remote primary care setting led to perceived benefits for both the health service staff and clients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The current study aimed to explore the team members' experiences in the socialization process for becoming a collaborator in an interprofessional team. Method: This qualitative study is conducted using an inductive qualitative content analysis approach. Participants consisted of 32 physicians (n = 16) and nurses (n = 16) who participated by purposeful sampling. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews and analyzed by Graneheim and Lundman approach. Results: In the study, "the perceived confrontation between interprofessional professionalism and uni-professionalism in the interprofessional socialization process" is explored as the theme, including two categories: "interprofessional professionalism commitment" as a facilitator and "uni-professional centrism" as a barrier. Conclusion: A reciprocal dimension in interprofessional socialization was explored. Interprofessional professionalism adherence and team-centered accountability among team members were explored as a facilitator. The uni-professional culture and immature interprofessional collaboration competencies of team members disrupted the interprofessional socialization process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The current study aimed to explore the team members' experiences in the socialization process for becoming a collaborator in an interprofessional team. Method: This qualitative study is conducted using an inductive qualitative content analysis approach. Participants consisted of 32 physicians (n = 16) and nurses (n = 16) who participated by purposeful sampling. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews and analyzed by Graneheim and Lundman approach. Results: In the study, "the perceived confrontation between interprofessional professionalism and uni-professionalism in the interprofessional socialization process" is explored as the theme, including two categories: "interprofessional professionalism commitment" as a facilitator and "uni-professional centrism" as a barrier. Conclusion: A reciprocal dimension in interprofessional socialization was explored. Interprofessional professionalism adherence and team-centered accountability among team members were explored as a facilitator. The uni-professional culture and immature interprofessional collaboration competencies of team members disrupted the interprofessional socialization process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Multidisciplinary approaches to treating chronic pain have been proven effective. Currently, chronic pain patients face lengthy waitlists in pain medicine departments. To overcome this problem, we developed the "FastSchool" program to educate patients about pain management and treatment. In this study, we evaluated the benefit of a "FastSchool" session on pain and catastrophizing in chronic pain patients.Methods: Included patients had chronic non-cancer pain, no more than 2 visits to a pain medicine department. Patients attended a single 3-hour session, conducted by an interprofessional team. Four topics were addressed: chronic pain mechanisms, pharmacological therapies, physical activity, and the management of analgesics. Patients completed questionnaires at baseline and at 3 months post-session to assess pain interference, pain intensity, and catastrophizing.Results: The study population included 88 patients; 71 completed the follow-up questionnaires. Pain interference (p = 0.002), average pain intensity (p = 0.013), and catastrophizing (p < 0.001) decreased 3 months after FastSchool. At M3, 35 % of patients felt their pain had improved based on the Patient Global Impression of Change.Conclusion: FastSchool, an innovative short-term educational program inspired by cognitive behavioral therapy, showed positive results in reducing pain impact.Practice Implications: Implementation of FastSchool in pain medicine departments would reduce waitlist times for non-pharmacological treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: High maternal-neonatal mortality rate in the East Nusa Tenggara Timur Province, Indonesia, has raised a concern about improving quality health care and prevention. A task force team consisting of the district health office and the corresponding hospital implemented an interprofessional peer mentoring for improving maternal-neonatal health initiative involving various health professionals and community members. This study assesses the effectiveness of the interprofessional peer-mentoring program in improving health-care workers' capacity and community members' awareness of maternal-neonatal health in the primary care setting. Methods: A mixed-methods action research was conducted to measure the effectiveness of the peer-mentoring program. The task force appointed 15 personnel to be trained as peer mentors for 60 mentees from various professions. Peer mentors' perceptions of knowledge and skills improvement were measured before and after the training program. A reflective logbook was then developed to document mentoring activities. Surveys and logbook observations were performed to measure the effectiveness of the 8-month peer-mentoring program. Mentees' capacity and perception were measured before and after the mentoring program. Quantitative data were analyzed using the descriptive statistics and Wilcoxon's paired-rank test, whereas open-ended responses and log-book reflection were analyzed using the content analysis. Results: The peer-mentor training program improved peer mentors' knowledge and readiness from 3.64/5.00 to 4.23/5.00 (P < 0.001). Moreover, mentees viewed the program as effective in improving self-confidence and working capacity in maternal-neonatal health services from 3.47/5.00 to 3.98/5.00 (P < 0.001). Open-ended responses and a reflective logbook revealed that both mentees and peer mentors gained positive learning experiences. Seniority might become an obstacle to the mentoring process since peer mentors reported barriers in engaging elderly mentees due to seniority issues. Discussion: The interprofessional peer-mentoring program was effective in improving both mentors' and mentees' knowledge, self-confidence, and working capacity in maternal-neonatal primary health services and experiential learning. Further observation of the long-term outcomes of the program should be undertaken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article seeks to shed light on the meanings healthcare practitioners attach to practicing interprofessionally and how interprofessional relationships play out in "everyday" practice. It draws on findings from a hermeneutic phenomenological study of health professionals' lived experience of practice, interpreted in relation to Martin Heidegger's concept of a path through the dense forest which leads to an open space where there is no predefined path to follow. Analysis of data from in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 12 health professionals from medicine, midwifery, nursing, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, and social work suggests that health practitioners come upon the clearing having walked their own track toward practicing interprofessionally. Our argument is that when: getting to know others; genuine dialogue; trust; and respect are in play, a spirit of interprofessional practice flourishes. The ontological view presented, sheds light on the nature of the relationships and the personal qualities that foster a spirit of interprofessional practice in these human-to-human interactions. It highlights how health practitioners need to be free to enact their humanity; to move beyond the "professional" pathway, which encourages them to leave "who they are" at home. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AIMThe purpose of this study was to explore the definition and application of systems thinking (ST) in interprofessional practice and improved patient outcomes. BACKGROUND Nurse educators need a universal definition of ST to implement in curricula to foster quality and safety while enhancing outcomes for nursing students. METHOD The QSEN RN-BSN Task Force used the hybrid model of concept analysis to identify the process of fostering ST in clinical and didactic learning experiences and how ST changed over time from the perspective of educators. RESULTS The definition of ST in the context of interprofessional practice and outcomes was "a dynamic, analytical process that looks at complex patterns, relationships, and connections within elements and structures, resulting in the ability to recognize the whole picture." CONCLUSION The concept of ST in the context of interprofessional practice and improved patient outcomes may be integrated within nursing curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To identify the interaction of instrumented gait analysis (IGA) training, expertise, and application in gait-related management of cerebral palsy. Semi-structured interviews with 20 purposively sampled clinicians with varying professional backgrounds, expertise, and training, analyzed using the framework method. Fifteen sub-themes were identified within three domains: training, equipment/outputs, and roles/reasons under the core theme IGA practice. Findings were illustrated using the Experience/Equipment/Roles/Training (Exp-ERT) Framework which identifies four user categories – based on influencing factors, beset by barriers, with experience reported as a common enabling factor. Clinicians who encountered barriers in one of the domains were categorized as either "frustrated" or "hesitant" users. Those who were no longer using IGA for clinical decisions were designated "confident non-users". Finally, the 'confident experts' reported the required level of training and access to interpret IGA outputs for clinical decision-making. Expertise gained at any level of clinical practice was shown to initiate advancement within domains. Clinicians encounter a multitude of barriers to IGA practice that can result in failure to progress or impact on clinical decision-making. The Exp-ERT Framework emerges strongly from the data and could serve as an evaluation tool to diagnose barriers to confident expertise and support IGA-related professional development planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in China, social workers have participated in fighting the virus in interprofessional teams. This exploratory study examined social workers' experiences in interprofessional practice during the early stage of combating COVID-19. We used a purposive sampling strategy to recruit social workers. Ten semi-structured, in-depth interviews and thematic analyses were conducted. Results indicate that social workers experienced ambiguous professional identities and role confusion in interprofessional teams; found communication to be key to interprofessional practice; and identified facilitators and barriers at the organizational level. The interprofessional practice in fighting COVID-19 has less mature or formal forms in China. Recommendations for promoting social workers' roles in interprofessional practice in China are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reoffending rates may be reduced through efforts to rehabilitate prisoners. A more nuanced understanding is needed of how front-line prison and health care services collaborate during the rehabilitation process. We report an investigation of the organizational dynamics of interprofessional practice among prison, mental health, and welfare services in two Norwegian prison case studies. First, a high security (closed) prison where a coordination network was implemented among prison management, front-line staff, and external service personnel to enhance the prisoners' life management skills. Second, an (open) transitional residence, where interprofessional practice was facilitated by front-line prison staff to increase prisoners' ability to reintegrate into society through their socialization and access to external services. The study demonstrates the demands on prisoners as they move from passive service receivers to active service users/organizer, and how interprofessional practice and models of service integration support them in this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to (a) examine the interprofessional relationship between radiologists and speech-language pathologists (SLPs), and (b) explore viewpoints and practice patterns of each profession regarding a videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSS). This IRB approved study utilized an online survey developed by the authors to gather information from radiologists and SLPs who currently perform videofluoroscopic swallow studies (VFSS) for the evaluation of swallow function. Surveys were primarily distributed through the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's (ASHA) Special Interest Group 13 (Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders) forum, through LinkedIn and email networking among professional radiology-focused businesses and organizations (Bracco Diagnostics, Inc., Society of Abdominal Radiology), and via social media (e.g. Facebook). The survey consisted of 7 demographic questions and 15 practice-related items, using a modified Likert scale and multiple-choice items to assess agreement with statements regarding VFSS procedures and opinions on professional roles. Radiologists and SLPs differed significantly (p < 0.05) in practices regarding nearly all items surveyed, including preferences on: esophageal sweep, anteroposterior view, fluoroscopy time limitation, termination following an aspiration event, frame rate, as well as in defining the primary role of the SLP, the primary purpose of a VFSS, the most valuable piece of information obtained from a VFSS, and training requirements. Radiologists and SLPs agreed that a standardized protocol should exist for VFSS. Radiologists and SLPs differ in their practice patterns and opinions on the roles of team members in the performance of VFSS. However, both radiologists and SLPs agree that a standardized protocol for VFSS should exist. • Disparities exist between radiologists and speech-language pathologists in videofluoroscopic swallow study practice patterns. • Radiologists and speech-language pathologists agree on the need for a standardized videofluoroscopic swallow study protocol. • Disparities that have clear guidance on best practice are: AP view, esophageal sweep, frame rate, and initial aspiration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Clinical supervision is essential for ensuring effective service delivery. International imperatives to demonstrate professional competence has increased attention on the role of supervision in enhancing client outcomes. Although supervisor competency tools are recognised as important components in effective supervision, there remains a shortage of tools that are evidenced‐based, applicable across workforces and freely accessible. Design: An expert multidisciplinary group developed the Generic Supervision Assessment Tool (GSAT) to assess supervisor competencies across a range of professions. Initially the GSAT consisted of 32 items responded to by either a supervisor (GSAT‐SR) or supervisee (GSAT‐SE). The current study, using surveys, employed a cross‐sectional design to test the reliability and construct validity of the GSAT. Methods: The study consisted of two phases and included 12 professional groups across Australasia. In 2018, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was undertaken with survey data from 479 supervisors and 447 supervisees. In 2019 survey data from 182 supervisors and 186 supervisees were used to conduct confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The results were used to refine and validate the GSAT. Results: The final GSAT‐SR has four factors with 26 competency items. The final GSAT‐SE has two factors with 21 competency items. The EFA and CFA confirmed that the GSAT‐SR and the GSAT‐SE are psychometrically valid tools that supervisors and supervisees can utilise to assess competencies. Conclusion: As a non‐discipline specific supervision tool, the GSAT is a validated, freely available tool for benchmarking the competencies of clinical supervisors across professions, potentially optimising supervisory evaluation processes and strengthening supervision effectiveness. Practitioner points: Supervisor competency tools are recognised as important components of safe and effective supervision provision yet there is a dearth of valid, reliable and effective measures.The Generic Supervision Assessment Tool (GSAT‐SR and GSAT‐SE) are unique psychometrically valid, and reliable measures of supervisor competence.The GSAT‐SR and the GSAT‐SE can enhance translation of evidence‐based supervision competency skills into regular practice.Validated with a broad cross section of professionals in diverse practice settings the GSAT provides a comprehensive conceptualization of supervisor competence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Allergic disorders are common and affect a large population even in rural areas. Medical care is not easily accessible to rural population especially in hilly terrain. Health camps are effective method to deliver medical care in such areas. Interprofessional collaboration involving various professions who work together as a team for management of various disorders is being studied and practiced recently. Aims and Objectives: To study the impact of interprofessional collaboration at these rural health camps to control allergies prevalent in the rural areas of the region. Methodology: Around 18 interprofessional health camps involving doctors of various disciplines - ENT, pulmonary medicine, skin, eyes, yoga experts, health and sanitation workers, public health, lab technicians, pharmacist and nursing staff were held in rural areas with an attempt to manage allergic disorders prevalent there as a team. The treatment was provided as a collaboration of various professions. Results: 608 patients of allergic disorders were identified at these camps which were more prevalent in younger and middle age group and females. The common allergens were dust mite mix, pine mix, cockroach and grass pollen. Nasal allergies were more common followed by skin and pulmonary allergies. On follow up, allergies were more controlled (48%) in patients who followed interprofessional advise and treatment as compared to (5%) in those who didn't follow the same. Conclusion: Allergic disorders can be best managed by a holistic approach of treatment involving various professions. Health camps through interprofessional approach are an excellent method to provide medical care to rural population in difficult hilly terrain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Return-to-academics (RTA) for student-athletes with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is crucial, but relatively understudied compared to return-to-play (RTP). The transient and unpredictable nature of symptoms surrounding mTBI often results in underreporting of neurocognitive symptoms, leading to a greater susceptibility for repeated TBIs, as well as posing impediments to the process of RTA. Athletic Trainers (ATs) and Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) are in a unique position to help student-athletes achieve a safe, timely, and effective RTA following mTBI. They typically work in middle/high schools and collegiate-level academic settings and often serve as members of concussion management teams. Compared to other allied health professions, ATs and SLPs are relatively new professions with evolving scopes of practice. Despite established guidelines and recommendations for their scope of practice in treating student-athletes with mTBI, there is a lacuna in research regarding their individual and collaborative roles in achieving RTA. The current scoping review was conducted with the main goal of exploring published literature pertaining to the roles of ATs and SLPs in achieving RTA for student-athletes with mTBI. Current implications, recommendations for integrating pre-service interprofessional education (IPE) experiences, and future directions for AT-SLP collaborations are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interprofessional collaboration (IPC) is central to effective care. This practice is structured by an array of laws, regulations and policies but the literature on their impact on IPC is scarce. This study aims to illustrate the gap between the texts and clinicians' knowledge of the legal framework using an anonymous web-based survey. The survey, sent to nurses and physicians in Quebec, Canada, focused on the IPC legal framework, legal knowledge sources and IPC perceptions or beliefs. The primary outcome was to determine the gap between the law and understanding of the law. The secondary outcome was to identify legal knowledge sources for clinicians in Quebec. A total of 267 participants filled in the survey. For knowledge acquisition, 40% of physicians turned to insurers whereas 43% of nurses turned to their regulatory body. Only 30% of physicians correctly identified what activity is reserved for physicians while 39% of nurses correctly identified their reserved activity. Regarding legal perceptions, 28% of physicians and 39% of nurses thought IPC could increase their liability. These participants have a higher tendency to name liability-related issues as barriers to IPC. These results show an important discrepancy between clinicians' knowledge about law and policies, and the actual texts themselves. This gap can lead to misinterpretations of the law by clinicians, ineffective policy changes by policymakers and can perpetuate ineffective implementation of IPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Netherlands, two new approaches have been developed for acute and forensic psychiatry, called High and Intensive Care (HIC) and Forensic High and Intensive Care (FHIC). The models provide standards for temporary high-quality clinical care for patients in crisis and combine practices to reduce seclusion. To support the implementation of these approaches, Communities of Practice (CoPs) were created, including peer providers, mental health nurses, psychiatrists and managers. CoPs are increasingly used in healthcare. However, CoPs vary greatly in form and objective, and more insight is needed in the organisation and facilitation of CoPs. Therefore, the aim of this study is to gain insight into the lessons learned and perceived effects of the CoPs. A qualitative approach was used. Data were collected through focus groups (n = 3) with participants in the CoPs, feedback meetings with teams implementing HIC (n = 78) or FHIC (n = 23), and observations by the researchers. Data were analysed thematically. Lessons learned are: 1) create an ambassador role for CoP participants, 2) organize concrete activities, 3) take care of a multidisciplinary composition, and 4) foster shared responsibility and work on sustainability. Perceived effects of the CoPs were: 1) support of HIC and FHIC implementation, 2) creation of a national movement, and 3) further development of the HIC and FHIC approaches. The audits served as an important vehicle to activate the CoPs, and stimulated the implementation of HIC and FHIC. The findings may help others in creating a CoP when it comes to the implementation of best practices and improving healthcare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interprofessional education (IPE), as preparation for interprofessional practice, is considered essential for quality, coordinated, outcome-focussed patient care. To develop capacity in our future healthcare practitioners, IPE needs to be developed within curricula, and opportunities provided to practise within the placement setting. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of a structured IPE placement program on students' perceptions of IPE within an authentic healthcare setting. This paper reports on changes in students' attitudes toward IPE, as measured by the SPICE-R2 instrument, in response to program involvement. Thirty-six students from six health professions participated in the study and reported significantly improved perceptions toward IPE, particularly in their understanding of roles and responsibilities, teamwork, and patient outcomes. The outcomes reinforce the importance of offering intentional and structured IPE activities during placement and the value provided to health students, preparing them for future collaborative practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interprofessional education (IPE), as preparation for interprofessional practice (IPP), is essential for quality, coordinated, outcome-focussed patient care. To develop capacity for IPP in future healthcare practitioners, IPE needs to be developed within curriculum and applied within authentic settings. The study aims were threefold: (a) determine if an established type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) exercise and healthy lifestyle program could be replicated and delivered at a satellite health precinct; (b) report on changes in students' attitudes to IPP in response to involvement in the program; (c) explore the perceptions of students in response to participation in the program whilst on placement. This paper reports on the quantitative changes in perceptions of IPE as measured by the SPICE-R2 instrument and a qualitative analysis of the student reflection of participating in IPP. Thirty-five students, from 4 health professions, participated in the study. The quantitative outcomes showed significant improvement in the perceptions of IPE (p <.01), including significant improvements understanding of roles and responsibilities, teamwork, and patient outcomes (p <.01). The qualitative analysis included a subset of 18 students who participated across two focus groups, highlighting four key themes: (a) health students reported varied initial experience with, and understanding of IPE; (b) the IPE program enabled students to see the value of teamwork for patient care; (c) IPE enhanced role clarity amongst the students, and (d) the IPE program provided an authentic learning experience, best suited to final year students. Our findings reinforced the value of a partnership between higher education and health services to deliver IPP care and learning, student valuing of the importance of IPE as part of authentic learning, and need for a scaffolded approach toward IPE is needed across health curriculums, and clinical placement to ensure all students can develop IPE capabilities that will enable them to work together to deliver the best healthcare to clients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]