Nursing and medical student attitudes about communication and collaboration before and after an interprofessional education experience.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to examine attitudes about interprofessional communication and collaboration as well as the effect of an interprofessional educational intervention on health care students.


BACKGROUND
Interprofessional education requires an understanding of student attitudes about interprofessional communication and collaboration, as well as whether those attitudes are affected by participation in such educational initiatives.


METHODS
Medical and nursing students were placed in health care teams. Attitudes about communication and collaboration were measured at the beginning and end of the project using the Jefferson scale of Attitudes Toward Physician-Nurse Collaboration and the Baggs Collaboration and Satisfaction About Care Decisions tool.


RESULTS
Significant differences were seen between the medical and nursing groups as well as across time.


CONCLUSIONS
Compared with nursing students, medical students began their student careers with less positive attitudes toward interprofessional communication and collaboration. In spite of the three-semester health care team program, these differences persisted.
Linda R
LR
Delunas
Susan
S
Rouse
D000328:Adult; D003142:Communication; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019555:Physician-Nurse Relations; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult