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Improving Pharmacy Students' Attitudes Toward Collaborative Practice Through a Large-scale Interprofessional Forum
Nicholas M Fusco1, Jaime Maerten-Rivera1, Fred Doloresco1,2
1State University of New York at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Buffalo, New York.
American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education
|September 12, 2019
Summary
A large-scale interprofessional forum significantly improved pharmacy students' attitudes toward collaborative practice. The forum enhanced teamwork, roles, community-centeredness, and reduced interprofessional biases, highlighting the value of interprofessional education.
Area of Science:
- Health Professions Education
- Pharmacy Education
- Interprofessional Practice
Background:
- Pharmacy students generally exhibit positive attitudes towards interprofessional collaborative practice.
- Pre-existing positive attitudes provide a foundation for further development through targeted educational interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the influence of a large-scale interprofessional forum on pharmacy students' attitudes.
- To measure changes in attitudes toward interprofessional collaborative practice following the forum.
Main Methods:
- Pharmacy students completed the Interprofessional Attitudes Scale (IPAS) pre- and post-forum.
- A total of 124 students provided valid pre- and post-intervention data.
- Data analysis involved computing mean scores for the total IPAS and its subscales.
Main Results:
- Students reported significant improvements in attitudes across most IPAS subscales post-forum, excluding Patient-Centeredness.
- Effect sizes indicated substantial positive changes in Teamwork, Roles and Responsibilities, and Community-Centeredness.
- Attitudes towards Interprofessional Biases and Diversity and Ethics also showed significant positive shifts.
Conclusions:
- Interprofessional education forums effectively enhance pharmacy students' positive attitudes towards collaborative practice.
- These interventions are crucial for shaping future healthcare professionals' collaborative skills and interprofessional outlook.
- The study underscores the importance of interprofessional forums in fostering a collaborative healthcare environment.