An interprofessional diabetes experience to improve pharmacy and nursing students' competency in collaborative...

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Interprofessional Education
• Digital Health Education

Background:

• Interprofessional collaboration is crucial for effective patient care, particularly in managing chronic conditions like diabetes.
• Traditional education models often lack sufficient opportunities for students from different health professions to practice collaborative skills.
• Integrating technology can bridge geographical barriers and facilitate interprofessional learning experiences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance pharmacy and nursing students' competency in collaborative practice.
• To assess the impact of an interprofessional diabetes management experience utilizing social networking.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of web-based collaborative tools in an educational setting.

Main Methods:

• An existing elective diabetes management course was adapted to incorporate Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) competency domains.
• Web-based social networking and video chat tools facilitated collaboration between nursing and pharmacy students on separate campuses.
• Students applied diabetes management knowledge as an interprofessional team.

Main Results:

• Mixed-method analyses indicated a significant increase in students' understanding of interprofessional roles and responsibilities.
• Students demonstrated improved comprehension of interprofessional communication strategies and their importance in teamwork.
• The use of social networking and video chat fostered a collaborative learning environment.

Conclusions:

• Interprofessional content and activities can be successfully integrated into existing courses.
• This educational model effectively prepares students for collaborative practice across different professional programs.
• Remote campuses can successfully participate in interprofessional education using digital tools.