The effect of interprofessional team-based learning among nursing students: A quasi-experimental study.
BACKGROUND
Although interprofessional education has received attention in recent years as a means of providing opportunities for health-care professionals to learn with, from and about other disciplines and enhance the quality of patient care, evidence of its effectiveness is limited. Interprofessional team-based learning was introduced to make it possible for students in different healthcare disciplines to interact with each other, and to prepare them to function effectively within a team in their future career.


OBJECTIVE
To examine the effects of interprofessional team-based learning for undergraduate nursing students in terms of knowledge level, readiness for interprofessional learning, attitude towards various aspects of team learning, and perceived collective efficacy.


METHODS
The study employed a one-group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design.


METHODS
An interprofessional education program was given to students from two universities in Hong Kong who were in different healthcare disciplines including medicine, nursing, pharmacy, biomedical science, and Chinese medicine programs. The program was based on four phases of student learning- individual readiness assessment test, ice breaking session, team readiness assessment test, and application exercise. Nursing students involved in the program were invited to complete anonymous questionnaires to evaluate their interprofessional team experience.


RESULTS
A total of 40 nursing students (9 male, 31 female) participated in the study. A statistically significant improvement was identified in their knowledge level (p<0.001), attitude towards readiness for interprofessional learning, team learning, and perceived collective efficacy (p<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that interprofessional team-based learning can enhance cross-disciplinary learning and outcomes resulting from team efforts.
School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon FG512, Hong Kong. Electronic address: Arkers.wong@polyu.edu.hk.
Arkers Kwan Ching
AKC
Wong
School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon GH519, Hong Kong. Electronic address: Frances.wong@polyu.edu.hk.
Frances Kam Yuet
FKY
Wong
Institute of Medical and Health Sciences Education, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong. Electronic address: lapki@hku.hk.
Lap Ki
LK
Chan
School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong. Electronic address: Namkiu.chan@polyu.edu.hk.
Namkiu
N
Chan
Institute of Medical and Health Sciences Education, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong. Electronic address: Ganotc75@hku.hk.
Fraide A
FA
Ganotice
School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong. Electronic address: mc-jacq.ho@polyu.edu.hk.
Jacqueline
J
Ho
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D004506:Education, Nursing; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008297:Male; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018794:Problem-Based Learning; D013336:Students, Health Occupations / Q000523:psychology*; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Interprofessional education; Interprofessional team-based learning; Nursing education; Patient care