Professional partners: Longitudinal interprofessional education events with pharmacy and nursing programs

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Interprofessional Collaboration
• Pharmacy and Nursing Education

Background:

• A two-year longitudinal interprofessional education (IPE) program was designed by faculty from pharmacy and nursing schools.
• The program aimed to maximize collaborative learning opportunities for student groups.
• This initiative focused on creating a sustained, integrated educational experience.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline the structure and activities of a novel longitudinal IPE program.
• To detail the assessment tool used to evaluate student experiences.
• To evaluate the effectiveness and student perception of the IPE program.

Main Methods:

• Four distinct activities were developed for pharmacy and nursing students, covering core interprofessional topics.
• Topics included Vitals Techniques, Medication Reconciliation, End of Life Care, and Enteral/Parenteral Nutrition.
• Student evaluations were conducted using a modified Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Survey (ICCAS).

Main Results:

• Over 95% of students agreed that the activities were appropriate and beneficial for IPE.
• Students anecdotally reported enjoyment and appreciation for consistent group participation.
• The primary challenge involved scheduling and maintaining consistent student groups across activities.

Conclusions:

• A longitudinal IPE program was successfully implemented between pharmacy and nursing schools.
• The program provided a valuable and well-received collaborative learning experience for students.
• Sustained interprofessional collaboration in education can be effectively achieved through structured longitudinal programs.