Utilizing Student Outcome Data from a Three Year Interprofessional Clinical Practice Team Grant to Develop Effective Nursing Leadership Education

Background: This project extended experiences in two urban clinics utilizing collaborative healthcare teams of advanced practice nursing students alongside Pharm D and Dental students. This project enhanced interprofessional education (IPE) efforts, where students gained advanced knowledge and skills in caring for vulnerable medically underserved populations. The project was the first clinically-based IPE activity at this midwestern University focused on nurse leadership and the importance of developing patient focused team based care.

Methods:  The project provided innovative opportunities for IPE by incorporating team based primary care, collaborating with two urban clinics. Prior to clinical placement, focused education was provided on the four IPE goals: roles and responsibility, values and ethics, interprofessional communication, and teamwork (IPE Expert Panel Report, 2011), with an emphasis on patient centered care of vulnerable populations. Tools utilized for evaluation included Student Surveys, Student and Provider Focus Groups, Patient Satisfaction Surveys, and student reflection through journaling on clinical experiences.  Instruments utilized pre and post clinical rotations included, Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (McFadyen et al., 2006), Interprofessional Collaboration Scale (Kenaszchuk et al., 2010), Attitudes Toward Health Care Teams Scale (Heinemann, et al., 1999), Team Skills Scale (Hepburn, Tsukuda, & Fasser, 1998), and the Cultural Competence Assessment (Schim, et al.,2004).  Clinical huddles and case study presentations based on patient visits extended the student experience. 

Results: Quantitative results include students’ reports of increased team skills and cultural competence. Qualitative themes included student learning to make team-informed care decisions.  In addition, student participants acquired new perspectives regarding vulnerable patient populations, improved team communication skills through interactions with team members, increased confidence about working in challenging situations, and overcoming preconceived role assumptions. The project established a platform for open and honest communication, integral to team identify, which impacted both health delivery and desired patient outcomes as student teams provided care.

Conclusions: Based on final analysis, the data supports the importance of developing team identity early in the process through expanded discussions providing concise explanations of IPE and IPCP, with examples of how IPCP works in the real world.  References on IPE and cultural competency are currently lacking to provide concise guidance to the beginning students.  Content on the specific minority populations served at the clinics was needed.  The focus group data provided valuable considerations for future IPE rotations.  The evaluation data as a whole serves to guide future IPE curriculum development.