| dc.description.abstract | Despite the widespread endorsement of interprofessional education (IPE), health
care education has not implemented the strategy to the extent expected. Decisions to adopt
and implement IPE must be based on evidence indicating that the approach is superior in
promoting collaboration as compared to the traditional, uniprofessional educational
approach. Evidence supports that incorporating IPE into the curricula generally improves
students' attitudes, perceptions, and knowledge of teamwork skills on a short-term basis.
Whether IPE produces graduates who are prepared to collaborate more effectively on the
health care team in practice has not been determined because valid instruments have not
been developed to measure the collaborative competencies expected for health care
students and professionals.
This dissertation examined the psychometric properties of an instrument designed
by the researcher to measure collaborative competencies in health care students. In
addition, this study examined the impact of IPE on undergraduate nursing students' ability
to collaborate with other members of the health care team. Using an electronic version of
the instrument, data were collected during the spring semester of 2011. The convenience
sample (n = 293) included baccalaureate nursing students enrolled at two midwest state
universities that incorporated IPE into the curriculum and six midwest state universities
that did not incorporate IPE into the curriculum.
Factor analysis was conducted using two, four, five, and six factor rotations with
varimax and promax rotations. The four- factor model with promax rotation provided the best defined factor structure, demonstrating a combination of empirical findings and
theoretical constructs. Results indicated that patient-centered care, role clarification,
interprofessional communication, and teamwork are constructs that can be used to design
competencies for collaboration. The construct of conflict resolution did not emerge as a
separate factor.
The independent-samples t-test revealed significant differences between the mean
scores for interprofessional communication (p = 0.010) and health care teamwork (p =
0.044) between non-IPE and IPE groups. One-way ANOVA analysis revealed no
significant differences for gender, previous experience, or GP A. Students in the older age
group (> 31) rated themselves significantly higher in the factors of role clarification (p =
0.002), interprofessional teamwork (p < 0.001), and patient-centered care (p = 0.003). | en_US |
