Three scales were administered to measure attitudes of graduate students in health professions prior to their participation in an interprofessional education (IPE) pilot program. Overall, results indicated that students’ attitudes toward IPE were generally positive, but there is room for improvement. Additionally, medical students’ attitudes differed from the other disciplines.

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The primary purpose of this study was to craft and validate a set of core competencies necessary for an e-Helper to possess. A review of the literature guided the creation of the initial competencies. Following expert review, the competencies were revised and formatted into an online survey which was sent to respondents in four target groups: (a) school administrators who had adopted telepractice as a service delivery model; (b) SLPs experienced in telepractice within a school setting; (c) current e-Helpers, and (d) scholars experienced in telepractice. Sixty percent (21 out of 35) of the competencies were rated as “important” by 76-100% of respondents. The remaining competencies could be more or less important dependent on workplace requirements.

Advanced practice nurses fill a vital need in the U.S. by increasing access to needed healthcare. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are one type of advanced practice nurse with a long history of safe and effective peri-anesthetic care. Nurse anesthetists have a rich tradition of providing anesthetic care for rural and underserved communities, and are a primary provider of anesthesia for active and retired military personnel. CRNAs comprise over one-half of the actively practicing U.S. anesthesia workforce currently, and are able to function in any anesthetic care model. Nurse anesthesia educational programs (NAEPs) are the single source for new graduate nurse anesthetists in the U.S. Demographic, geographic and epidemiological factors have combined to produce a predicted increase in the demand for peri-operative anesthesia care among a complex, aging and increasing patient population. The uninterrupted or increased supply of CRNAs to the anesthesia workforce is important. The goal of this study was the production of a comprehensive analysis of potential resource constraints upon the NAEPs in the U.S. This was accomplished through a focused, prospective and correlational research design, grounded conceptually in Resource Dependence Theory. A novel survey tool was developed for the assessment of critical resource constraints, completed by U.S. NAEP administrators and faculty. This research was exploratory in nature and is the basis for continued work in critical resource planning tools for U.S. NAEPs.

Health provider student characteristics and professional program were evaluated as predictors of attitudes toward inter-professional (IP) teams. Sixteen months after completing a self-report battery of demographic and non-ability trait measures, participants completed a second survey (N = 213), assessing components of attitudes toward IP teams. Non-ability traits showed comparable within-program predictive validities for affective reactions toward IP behavior. Additionally, results indicated the incremental predictive validity of trait Dominance and Motivational Inter-professional Team Intelligence, over professional program, for IP attitudes and affective reactions toward IP behavior, respectively. The independent, relative, and joint roles of non-ability individual differences and professional program as determinants of IP training outcomes are discussed.

INTRODUCTION: Motivational Interviewing (MI) is an evidenced based counseling style to elicit health behavior change. Team-based student clinics are an ideal climate for students to learn and practice team-based care, yet little is understood as to how client-centered communication styles such as MI are implemented in a team setting. PURPOSE: The purpose of this dissertation was to conduct an exploratory study using mixed methods to better understand how an MI training translates to team-based communication with clients, the factors impacting team-based implementation of MI, and how team-based MI impacts clients’ perceived autonomy at a student-led, interprofessional, team-based wellness clinic for low-income seniors. METHODS: Fifty-five clinic sessions were audio recorded and participants completed the Health Care Climate Questionnaire to measure perceived autonomy support, 16 clinic participants were interviewed, and 15 health care students participated in four focus groups. The recordings were coded with the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity code (MITI 4.2.1). Independent t-tests, and multiple regression models were used to assess differences in MITI scores, association between MITI scores and team/patient characteristics, and associations between MITI scores and perceived autonomy support. Interviews and focus groups were qualitatively analyzed to identify themes. RESULTS: A short training in MI was not associated with MI proficiency as measured by the MITI, and student teams were found to overstate their use of MI on team-report measures. Less education, older age, and a larger team size were associated with lower MITI scores. High levels of perceived autonomy support were found across all clients, but MITI scores were not associated with perceived autonomy support. Clinic participant interviews identified benefits to engaging with the student teams including opportunities to socialize, as well as support in managing their health. The students found the MI training to be beneficial but noted that team dynamics ultimately effected MI use. CONCLUSION: It is possible to implement MI in team-based settings, but sufficient training and ongoing coaching is needed to ensure translation to practice. As health care programs continue to promote team-based care, further research is needed to fully understand how teams can effectively communicate with clients, and how they can provide the autonomy supportive environment needed to elicit internal motivation to engage clients in their own health management.

Training interprofessional healthcare teams continues to advance practice for patient-centered care. Empathy research is also advancing and has been explored in social work, psychology, and other healthcare areas. In the absence of understanding empathy in an interprofessional setting, educators are limited in preparing teams to develop empathy as part of core competencies This grounded theory study explored for a theory of how interprofessional healthcare teams conceptualize and operationalize empathy in their practice. Azjen's theory of planned behavior and Barrett-Lennard's cyclical model of empathy framed the study. Data were collected using 6 focus groups and 24 semistructured interviews of varied healthcare professionals working in an interprofessional setting in Ontario, Canada. Systematic data analysis utilizing Auerbach and Silverstein's (2003) approach revealed participants engaged in and valued empathy as a team. Empathy was identified as purposeful and intentional behaviors believed to be meaningful for positive patient outcomes. In addition, professionals identified the role of genuine intent in the practice of empathy. As a result of this study, a grounded theory of interprofessional intentional empathy centered care explains the conceptualization and operationalization of empathy in practice. Collective empathy in an interprofessional team model contributes to improved patient outcomes. The work of this study ascertains that empathy is not accidental; it should be cultivated in the form of intentional and genuine team experiences. This study advances social change by further identifying how the practice of empathy can be integrated into interprofessional healthcare education and praxis.

Training delivered to medical students and residents in behavioral health is widely acknowledged to be inadequate. While the use of standardized patients is common in medical training and education for physical health conditions via the adherence to clinical protocols for evaluation and treatment, this approach is infrequently used for behavioral health conditions. Used under specific circumstances, standardized patient encounters have long been considered a reliable method of training and assessing trainee performance on addressing physical health conditions, and are even comparable to ratings of directly observed encounters with real patients. This paper discusses common issues and challenges that arise in using standardized patients in behavioral health. Although current evidence of its value is modest and challenges in implementation exist, the use of standardized patients holds promise for medical training and education and as an evaluation tool in behavioral health.

Objective. To assess the impact of this international interprofessional learning experience on perceptions of pharmacist-physician relationships and interprofessional teams. Methods. Medical and pharmacy students completed a one-week interprofessional medical mission experience in the Dominican Republic. Anonymous surveys were administered to 17 students before and after completion to measure perceptions of pharmacist-physician relationships and interprofessional teams. Responses were matched and changes in perceptions were analyzed using the Wilcoxon Signed Rank test. The SPICE-R2 instrument was administered after the experience to measure attitudes toward interprofessional teams. Results. Of the 17 participants, 100% responded to all surveys. Significant improvements were seen in the perception of pharmacists as an integral part of medical mission trips (P=0.035) and confidence in the ability to communicate with other healthcare disciplines (P=0.033). All students stated they would recommend this experience, and agreed that interprofessional experiences enhance their team work skills and should be incorporated into their education. Student comments supported that this was a meaningful and effective interprofessional experience. The results of the SPICE-R2 demonstrated positive attitudes about interprofessional teams, with all questions having a median score of “agree” or “strongly agree.” Conclusions. An international interprofessional experience improved the perception of pharmacist-physician relationships. The experience provided understanding of the other healthcare discipline, an appreciation for the importance of interprofessional teamwork, increased student confidence in communicating with the other discipline, and cultivated interest in future interprofessional collaboration.

An interprofessional approach to pediatric behavioral care is increasingly important in the care of pediatric patients, who present to healthcare settings with a wide variety of concerns ranging from potty training to depression. Previously, much of the care of these patients have focused on a narrow approach to the problem, based on the expertise of the professional providing care. Faculty from three disciplines: Social Work, Psychology, and Medicine collaborated to design a course for students from these three disciplines to collaborate in attaining three goals: (1) reinforce the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration, (2) share clinical techniques and skills in a simulated interprofessional setting, and (3) practice collaboration within interprofessional teams. We detail the course goals and design and topics covered and discuss implementation of this course. Suggested module content and pedagogical design are discussed, and case examples are detailed with the goal of encouraging the adoption of similar courses.