Skip to main content

Table 1 Interprofessional Education Activities per each Pharmacy Professional Year (Academic Year AY13-AY15)

From: A Middle Eastern journey of integrating Interprofessional Education into the healthcare curriculum: a SWOC analysis

Evidence/Behavior (Miller 1990)

Model of IPE (UBC 2009)

IPE Activity

Description of IPE Activity

Assessment

First Professional Year

Knows How

E

Introducing IPE:

• AY14: 52 students representing two professions: Pharmacy (QU), Human Nutrition (QU) and sport science (QU) students

• AY15: 112 students representing four professions: Pharmacy (QU), Medicine (QU), Nursing (UCQ) and Human Nutrition (QU).

• Two hour session

The session introduced students to the concept of IPE and team communication and started with an ice-breaker game. This was followed with two short videos highlighting interprofessional shared competencies and students were asked in their interprofessional teams to reflect on these and discuss their importance. The students then played a game where they had a series of ten professions and they had to match them to the correct role description. The student were then given a simple case about a patient recently diagnosed with diabetes and in their interprofessional teams they needed to identify which professionals would best meet the needs of this patient in the case, what would each profession do and how will the professions work together in a collaborative and effective team environment. Each activity ended with a large group summary discussion.

Student perceptions of team-based learning

Material included on final course examination

Second Year Professional Year

Knows How

E

IPE Smoking Cessation

• AY14: 51 students representing four professions: Pharmacy (QU), Medicine (WCMC-Q), Pharmacy Technician (CNAQ) and Public Health (QU).

• AY15: 72 students representing five professions: Medicine (WCMC-Q), Nursing (UCQ), Pharmacy (QU), Public Health (QU) and Respiratory Therapy (CNAQ)

• Three hour session

This IPE activity started with a short introduction about the IPE activity, getting to know each other session in which students in groups were asked to explore each other’s discipline, followed an icebreaker game entitled ‘Common Ground Game’. A short didactic lecture on tobacco use treatment followed, highlighting the challenges encountered by smokers as well as non-pharmacologic and pharmacologic treatment modalities for smoking cessation. Students then watched two short videos on motivational interviewing. The students were then given a case scenario of a patient recently diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who was a heavy smoker and desired to quit smoking. Students initially discussed each member’s professional perspective before making a team decision on the management of the case. Finally, students were asked to establish criteria for a smoking cessation clinic and consider how each discipline would work collaboratively to ensure delivered clinic care was patient-centered.

Student perceptions of team-based learning

Group reflective IPE assignment

Knows How

E/I

Being An effective Team Player

• AY13: 50 students representing three professions: Pharmacy (QU), Nursing (UCA) and Nutrition (QU).

• AY14: 112 students representing six professions: pharmacy (QU), medicine (WCMC-Q), nursing (UCQ), pharmacy technician (CNAQ), medical radiography (CNAQ) and paramedicine (CNAQ).

• AY15: 85 students representing six profession: Medicine (WCMC-Q), Nursing (UCQ), Paramedicine (CNAQ), Pharmacy (QU), Pharmacy Technician (CNAQ) and Respiratory Therapy (CNAQ).

•Three hour session

This IPE activity focused on the importance of teamwork in patient safety. The IPE started with a short introduction defining the meaning of IPE and an ice breaker. The students in their groups watched a video exploring the concept of team communication and decision making and were asked to reflect on it by answering given questions and were encouraged to discuss their professional perspectives. The students were then given a case scenario of a patient recently admitted to the emergency department with a paracetamol overdose resulting in his death due to faulty communication by the team. They were asked to discuss the case and draw a diagram of the flow of information among the health professionals in this story and highlight the points of communication breakdown and discuss strategies that could have prevented this from happening.

Student perceptions of team-based learning

Knows How

E/I

Introduction to case-based integrated care planning:

• AY13: 41 students representing two professions: Pharmacy (QU) and Human Nutrition (QU).

• 2 h session

This IPE activity focused on introducing students to shared decision-making and team-based care. The session occurred over 2 h and no required pre-readings or preparation were given to students in advance. All students had taken respective therapy instruction on Crohn’s Disease before the session. After a brief introduction and overview of the session outline, students were formed into small groups, given a paper-based case that described a Crohn’s Disease patient, and were required to identify and solve drug and nutrition therapy problems. Students were expected to integrate patient-specific goals of therapy, therapeutic alternatives (both pharmacological and non-pharmacological) that could be recommended for the patient, a final recommendation with justification to support their decision, and a monitoring plan for both efficacy and safety. The last 30 min of the session were reserved for large group discussion, facilitated by faculty from each discipline. Discussion focused on student feedback for each care plan component, as well as IPE competencies such as role clarification and shared decision-making.

Student perceptions of team-based learning

Material included on final course examination

Third Year Professional Year

Shows How

I

Diabetes Case Based Patient Care

• AY13: 33 students representing two professions: pharmacy (QU) and nursing (UCQ).

• AY14: 72 students representing two professions: pharmacy (QU) and nursing (UCQ).

• AY15: 85 students representing two professions: pharmacy (QU) and nursing (UCQ).

• Three hour session

Course instructors adapted a diabetes case from an existing nursing resource to represent the progress of a patient through four stages of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA): 1)diagnosis and initial emergency department management; 2) admission to a critical care unit; 3) transition to a general medicine ward; and finally 4) discharge planning for home. A short case synopsis was provided to the classes in advance. Initial development and delivery of this activity involved 20 pharmacy students joining 8 nursing students at the UC-Q campus for a 2-h session. Following the session orientation and “icebreaker” activity, four pre-assigned mixed-discipline groups were formed and in the 30 min allotted, students worked together to answer pathophysiology and pharmacology questions within their assigned DKA care stage and formulated and prioritized a management plan according to their assessment of patient data provided, requirements for medical management and anticipated follow-up monitoring needs. All members then convened for each group’s presentation of assessment and management plans followed by open class discussion and clarifications at 15-min intervals.

Student reflection Exercise

DKA cases on final exam

Shows How

I

Diabetes Simulated Based Patient Care

• AY14: 65 students representing two professions: pharmacy (QU) and medicine (WCMC-Q).

Course contributors developed two diabetes case content and standardized patient (SP) scripts: one ambulatory clinic visit and one in-patient admission. Students received disease-related pre-readings before the IPE activity. Eight facilitators participated in the session which opened with a joint introduction followed by breakout of the pre-determined mixed discipline groups each assigned to one of the two cases which were portrayed by WCMC-Q SPs trained by the course contributors. Student teams were provided a written summary containing the patient chief complaint, medical and medication history, and pertinent investigations. With this data, they had 15 min to discuss their initial assessment, each discipline’s roles, and arrive at a consensus for information gathering priorities when they met the patient. They next had 10 min to interview the SP who appeared at the simulated care environment, to confirm existing and acquire new information. At the conclusion of this interview, the teams then collaborated to propose a patient care plan. Facilitators who had observed the encounters then led a 20-min debriefing discussion regarding the team findings, management decision-making and shared-care experience.

Student reflection Exercise

Fourth Year Professional Year

Shows How

I

Semester-long approach to integrated case-based learning:

• AY14: 38 students representing two professions: Pharmacy (QU) and Human Nutrition (QU)

• AY15: 51 students representing two professions: Pharmacy (QU) and Human Nutrition (QU)

• Initial face-to-face session for ice breakers and case distribution

• Care plan for case due 6 weeks later and release of new case

• Conclusion event and submission of SOAP note 6 weeks later

This semester-long course-based IPE interaction focused on care planning and health record documentation for students in their final year of study. The first session was given at the start of the semester and focused on the importance of IPE in practice, an icebreaker activity, and instructions for the first assignment. Students were instructed to work together in pre-assigned groups (consisting of both pharmacy and nutrition students) to develop a comprehensive, integrated care plan according to a case that was pre-developed by session leaders. In this instance, the case focused on cardiovascular disease that required the students to assess both pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches to care. Students were also asked to document the amount and types (face-to-face, telephone, email, videoconference, text message) of interactions during this stage of the activity. Approximately 2 months later, an integrated care plan was due for submission by student groups. Faculty from each respective program reviewed care plans and graded according to pre-established rubrics. Then, faculty updated the original case according to student answers and remotely instructed students to work within groups to solve the case and submit an integrated SOAP note (i.e. form of health record documentation) for evaluation. Upon completion of this portion, a large group face-to-face interaction occurred that summarized learning points and reviewed case answers. Learning objectives were assessed according to policies required from both programs.

Integrated Care Plan

Integrated SOAP note

Interaction log (types and amounts of student interaction) submitted not for credit

Knows How

I

Experiential Training

• AY14 & AY15: 25 pharmacy students (QU) per academic year

• Shadow & Interview Healthcare Professionals

• Participation in IPE Educational Session

Two IPE activities were incorporated into the undergraduate experiential training for the 4th year pharmacy students. The first activity provided students the opportunity to learn about and from the healthcare members within the hospital setting. Students were required to shadow two healthcare professionals from different disciplines for a minimum of one hour and then interview them to understand their role and contribution as a team member. A series of suggested questions were provided to the student to facilitate the interviewing of these professionals. After completion of the first activity, each student provided a one page reflection on the IPE experience. The second IPE activity required the pharmacy student to participate in an interprofessional team educational session where 2 or more healthcare professionals were actively engaged in a teaching or discussion session. Students were provided with pre and post session reflection questions to facilitate writing an one page reflection on this educational session. These IPE activities were adapted from the Centre for Interprofessional Education at the University of Toronto.

Two graded reflection Assignment