This document summarizes an interprofessional education program called the Right Start Forum. [1] The program brings together medical, nursing, pharmacy, and exercise physiology students to learn through collaborative, real-world patient experiences over 2 weeks. [2] Evaluations found that the program significantly improved students' perceptions of interprofessional collaboration and communication. [3] Students reported that working with their peers from other disciplines and gaining clinical experiences were the most beneficial parts of the program.

1. 1
Right Start Forum
Interprofessional Education in a Rural Context
Sheila Keane, Senior Lecturer Allied Health
University Centre for Rural Health,
Northern NSW LHD,
Southern Cross University,
University of Sydney,
University of Wollongong,
University of Western Sydney
27 February 2012
Team Health Right Start Program Showcase
27 February 2012

2. 2
Introduction & Background
 IP education at the UCRH
 2007 – Jeff Fuller, Lindy Swain, Sheila Keane
 2010 – Frances Barraclough
 2011 - Hudson Birden
 It’s all about relationships
 Collaboration – institutions
 Collaboration – educators
 Collaboration – clinicians
 Collaboration – students
Team Health Right Start Program Showcase
27 February 2012

3. 3
Aim & Methods
 Aims:
 Deliver and formally evaluate the program
 Document the model
 Create a resource
 The unit:
 Students: medical, nursing, pharmacy, exercise physiology
 Real time, real people
 2 weeks, 2 aspects
 Passing it on
Team Health Right Start Program Showcase
27 February 2012

4. 4
o Pre-unit evaluation
o What is IPL? Why does it matter?
Session 1
o “Reviewing the Hospital Medical Record” Competition
o Review patient notes & history (in groups on the ward)
o Exploring teamwork (“Toxic Swamp”)
o Structured exercise - planning the patient interview
Session 2
o Reflecting on IP perspectives and patient centred care
o Student teams interview patients (in groups on the ward)
o Observe a discharge/care plan meeting/ward round
o Discuss team dynamics (observed at meeting on ward)
Session 3 o Identify barriers to IP practice in ‘real life’
o Groups work on care plan and case presentations
o Case presentations
Session 4 o Attending health professionals provide feedback
Team Health Right Start Program Showcase
o Post unit evaluation February 2012
27

5. 5
Evaluation Methods
 Interprofessional Education Perception Scale (IEPS)
Luecht R et al 1990. Assessing professional perceptions: design and validation of an
Interdisciplinary Education Perception Scale. Journal of Allied Health, 19(2): 181-91.
 Process evaluation
 What were the best things about
 What did you gain from
 What could have improved
 Would you recommend this program to other students?
 Feedback on specific activities (Likert)
Team Health Right Start Program Showcase
27 February 2012

6. 6
Results – IEPS
PRE POST
IEPS Item (average) (average)
Change
Individuals in other professions often seek the
3.94 5.06 1.13*
advice of people in my profession
I find it easy to communicate with members of
4.13 5.13 1.0*
other professions
Individuals in other professions respect the work
4.03 4.81 0.78*
done by my profession
Individuals in my profession have good relations
4.50 5.06 0.56*
with people in other professions
* p<.05
Team Health Right Start Program Showcase
27 February 2012

7. 7
Results – “Best Things”
 I found it excellent to work with the pharmacy student [on the case
presentation]. She asked me a lot of thoughtful questions and I found
it extremely useful to bounce ideas with her [M]*
 Working with students from other health professions [Px4][Ex3][Nx5]
 I got to put our discipline (exercise physiology) on the map and raise
awareness on what we do and how we can contribute specifically
 I felt as if I have contributed to a better future for hospital
multidisciplinary teams [N]
 Having an actual real life patient. Confirmation that nursing is the
broadest role [N]
 Seeing strengths and weaknesses of other health professions [M]
Team Health Right Start Program Showcase
27 February 2012

8. 8
Results – “What I gained”
 Confidence. YAY for me [N]
 Confidence in communicating with other health professionals [N]
 Importance of teamwork and asking eh right questions. Doctors aren’t
that bad  [N]
 Most importantly, I gained confidence interacting with other health
professions- this was really important and positive for me [N]
 Nothing [M]
 Felt like I had something to give, was able to impart as well as
depend on other students for knowledge [M]
 More confidence interacting with other specialties. Knowing what they
can offer to help me do my job better. [P]
Team Health Right Start Program Showcase
27 February 2012

9. 9
Conclusions & Lessons Learned
 This is an effective IP education model
 Learning objectives achieved
 Very well received by all participants
 Sustainable model
 Required inputs
 Students – IP, overlapping time (2wks) & location
 University curricular support
 Access to clinical populations
 Clinical educators & teaching resources (e.g. classroom!)
Team Health Right Start Program Showcase
27 February 2012

10. 10
Where to from here?
 Next offering Lismore UCRH July 2012
 Some cases in a community setting ??
 Disseminate the publication
 Explore transferability & enablers in new contexts
Team Health Right Start Program Showcase
27 February 2012