Measuring the effect of interprofessional problem-based learning on the attitudes of undergraduate health care students.

Full Abstract

OBJECTIVES:
This study aimed to measure the improvement in attitudes towards interprofessional collaboration of undergraduate health care students who have a single module of interprofessional problem-based learning (PBL) using real patients as triggers integrated into their curricula.

DESIGN:
A dedicated module, consisting of 5 PBL seminars, was integrated into the undergraduate medical, nursing and physiotherapy curricula at the participating institutions. Seminar groups consisted of students from a single profession in the control group, and of evenly distributed students from the participating professions in the intervention group. The Interdisciplinary Education Perception Scale was used to measure improvements in attitudes towards interprofessional co-operation. Patients, faculty members and students were included in the evaluation of the interprofessional module and their comments examined for indications of adverse effects of the use of patients in this setting.

RESULTS:
A total of 177 students were recruited into the study and assigned to 1 of 16 seminar groups, all of which attended the complete module, 8 in control mode and 8 in intervention mode. Statistically significant improvements could be identified in the overall attitudes of male students in the intervention group, and in attitudes pertaining to the competence and autonomy of individuals in one's own profession in the intervention group as a whole. No significant improvements were detected in the control group. No adverse effects of the use of real patients came to light.

CONCLUSIONS:
The integration of an interprofessional educational module that requires limited student and faculty time in undergraduate health care curricula may be proven to have an effect. The Interdisciplinary Education Perception Scale may be suitable for measuring such effect. Real patients may continue to contribute to education in this setting.

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Author information

Author/s: Goelen, Guido (G); De Clercq, Gerlinde (G); Huyghens, Luc (L); Kerckhofs, Eric (E);

Affiliation: Department of Health Care, Erasmushogeschool Brussel, Brussels, Belgium. conggng(-atsign-)az.vub.ac.be

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Medical education (Med Educ), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Jun; vol 40 (issue 6) : pp 555-61

Dates: Created 2006/05/16; Completed 2006/10/30; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 16700771, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Health Occupations - education
Humans
Male
Problem-Based Learning - standards
Students, Health Occupations

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