Journal of Allied Health最新文献

There has been growing recognition of the importance of interprofessional education (IPE) in preparing healthcare professionals for collaborative and patient-focused practices. While allied health professional programs have included IPE in their curricula for years, there is limited evidence of its impact on graduates' professional lives and its contribution to improved patient care. Faculty from eight accredited allied health programs were invited to complete a web-based survey. Most participants (n=190) reported already implementing IPE in their programs. Three-quarters of participants (n=143, 75%) reported they were not measuring the impact of IPE on graduates' professional lives. Among those that do measure it, one-third reported that IPE had "a great deal" or "a lot" of impact (n=17, 36.2%) on the professional lives of their graduates. Similarly, most participants (n=158, 84%) reported not assessing IPE's impact on overall patient care. Among those who did consider the effect on patient care, more than one-third (n=14, 45.2%) of the respondents indicated that IPE had "a great deal" or "a lot" of impact on patient care. Our results show that few programs measure IPE's effect on professional practice, with even fewer assessing its impact on patient care. Future research should prioritize longitudinal studies evaluating IPE's effectiveness in clinical settings and its connection to interprofessional practice in health settings.

Introduction: Educational approaches used in distance learning courses may be applicable to interprofessional education (IPE) simulation events to promote student engagement and learning.

Methods: Various strategies known to be effective when teaching online courses (real world applications, self-directed learning, reliance on previous life experiences, communities of practice, and emotional engagement) were incorporated into an interprofessional simulation event. Learning outcomes were captured quantitatively through student ratings of learning objective accomplishment and qualitatively through thematic analyses of learner reflections.

Results: Cumulative Likert responses for 375 interprofessional students exceeded 4.15±0.57 (1=disagree strongly; 5=strongly agree) for each learning objective statement. Students collectively submit¬ted 1,044 reflection comments. Inductive thematic analysis of skills and knowledge reinforced from participation identified 84 codes corresponding to 10 thematic areas: collab¬oration, communication, efficiency, knowledge, leadership, patient-centeredness, personal growth, roles, teams, and values/ethics. Moreover, a separate theoretical thematic analysis using newly revised 2023 Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) subcompetencies as a framework revealed that each subcompetency was reflected by ≥1 student comment.

Conclusion: Distance-learning principles can be applied to IPE events to promote engagement, accomplish learning objectives, and facilitate professional identify formation.

The entry-level physician assistant/associate (PA) education offers a solid foundation for general medical knowledge and clinical skills. Yet, there has been an increasing trend for PAs to complete a postgraduate (PG) fellowship/residency to gain specialized expertise in specific medical disciplines. We analyzed national data and compared PAs' annual income, educational attainment, background, and professional attributes with a PG fellowship/residency and those without. Descriptive and bivariate statistics, along with quantile regression, were conducted. We found distinct differences in demographic/practice characteristics of the two groups (all p<0.001). PAs with PG fellowship/residency vs those without were older (median age, 42 vs 38), identified as male (42.4% vs 29.4%), Black/African American (4.8% vs 3.3%), and Hispanic/ Latino(a/x) (8.0% vs 6.6%). Most PAs completed their PG fellowship/residency in emergency medicine and worked in hospitals. Furthermore, income levels between PAs with a PG fellowship/residency and those without, revealed a significant gap of $10,000 in favor of those with a fellowship/residency. However, after adjusting for confounders, quantile regression analysis estimated a narrowed gap ($1,500.60). These findings indicate that additional education may not be associated with a substantial income increase. Further research should investigate the income growth trajectory of a PG fellowship/residency, providing a deeper understanding of the economic implications.

Purpose: Chronic stroke is associated with declines in gait speed (GS) associated with loss of participation, endurance, and increased institutionalization. GS categories described by Perry and Fulk can designate gait function and set goals for rehabilitation. It is unknown which GS tests and associated functional categories have better utility for goal setting in a group of community-dwelling patients with chronic stroke.

Methods: An observational cohort design. A community-based clinic affiliated with a Doctor of Physical Therapy program. Included 21 patients with severe stroke. Patients received 10 weekly 1-hour pro-bono physical therapy sessions. GS was measured by the 10-meter walk test (10MWT) and 6-minute walk test (6MWT).

Results: Gains were found in the 6MWT (p=0.023) but not the 10MWT (p=0.569); however, minimum clinically important difference was not attained for either test. At discharge, fewer participants achieved the faster Fulk cut-offs than Perry cut-offs.

Discussion: Treatment was associated with improved GS using the 6MWT but not the 10MWT. Treatment impact was likely attenuated due to the limited dose of intervention. Applying functional GS categories as described by Fulk to people with severe stroke living in the community has more utility for program planning since achieving faster GS could prevent undesirable functional declines.

The Southeast Missouri State University College of Education, Health, and Human Studies (CEHHS) established an Interprofessional Education (IPE) Committee in 2019. The committee created a framework that included healthcare and non-healthcare students and faculty based on the shared collaborative efforts of each academic program. Since 2019, the CEHHS IPE Committee has continued to develop initiatives to facilitate IPE within the college to better prepare students for interprofessional practice in their respective fields of study. In this commentary, the CEHHS IPE Committee discusses new and continued initiatives to address challenges and barriers (e.g., speakers, university-wide research think tank, college IPE awards) over the past 2 years and faculty perspectives regarding the success of the committee's efforts. The committee has incorporated faculty suggestions and is developing an implementation plan for further IPE and improvements across CEHHS, which includes online resources for faculty with project templates, publishing guidance, and information about incorporating IPE competencies into courses.

The purpose of this study was to assess student perceptions of face-to-face (F2F) versus virtual student events. A secondary goal of this study was to engage students in a deeper dialogue to provide insight into ways to improve the student learning experience for both modalities. The researchers conducted a mixed methods study to investigate student perceptions following F2F and virtual University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center School of Health Professions student events. Utilizing a Likert survey, as well as voluntary focus groups, researchers examined how students experienced student events with the intention of establishing best practices for increasing engagement in future student events. The major themes uncovered in the research indicated that students prefer the F2F format and the benefits of working with someone in-person. The virtual event highlights included interactive games, breakout groups and convenience of the event while the F2F bene¬fits included the free food, human interaction, and the increased student participation.

Medical Assistants (MAs) play a crucial role in the U.S. healthcare system, particularly in primary care settings. This study investigated the current state of the MA workforce in Colorado and beyond, focusing on career pathways, training needs, and opportunities for advancement. Using a mixed-methods approach, the researchers surveyed graduates of the National Institute of Medical Assistant Advancement MA training program (n=28) and interviewed MAs (n=2) and safety net health clinic leadership (n=4). The study revealed a predominantly female (93.1%) and ethnically diverse workforce, with high job satisfaction but varying awareness of career advancement opportunities. Key findings include the clinical readiness of graduates from comprehensive training programs, the need for standardized career pathways, and the importance of addressing workload disparities. The research underscores the potential of MAs as cultural bridges in healthcare settings and highlights the necessity for improved communication about educational and career opportunities. These insights provide valuable direction for developing strategies to enhance MA training, retention, and career advancement, ultimately contributing to a more robust and effective healthcare workforce in medically underserved communities.

Motivational interviewing (MI) is a collaborative communication style used in various healthcare settings to strengthen a patient's motivation and commitment to change. MI strategies are often incorporated into higher education training programs across healthcare disciplines, making the topic ideal for learning in an interprofessional format. As an evidence-informed practice, students from all health professions benefit from gaining these communication skills to optimize patient outcomes and enhance interpersonal communication. The purpose of this paper is to describe effective MI training practices and identify strategies for teaching MI in an interprofessional format that aligns with the Interprofessional Collaborative Core Competencies (IPEC). The collaborative nature of interprofessional education with its emphasis on communication, teamwork, and psychological safety offers an ideal learning environment to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of MI training. Suggestions are provided for integrating MI into interprofessional classrooms and clinical curriculum.

Objectives: Measuring patient health outcomes is important for effective healthcare. Community-based allied health care provides services for people with complex and often deteriorating conditions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate if a single outcome measure was applicable across a multidisciplinary team of eight allied health professions to measure the impact of the team. The chosen measure was the EuroQoL, 5-dimension, 5-level (EQ-5D-5L) which we compared to changes in discipline specific functional and quality of life measures.

Methods: Any adult attending community-based services could participate. Both measures were administered at the start of care and repeated 3 months later or at time of discharge. Disciplines and outcome measures included were: psychology (DASS-21); occupational therapy (COPM); social work (ORS); dietetics (Qualcibo); podiatry (wound depth); physiotherapy (6 minute walk test); exercise physiology (Quick¬DASH); and speech pathology (AusTOMs).

Results: Improvements in discipline specific measures were seen in occupational therapy; social work; dietetics; podiatry; and speech pathology (swallow impairment, swallow distress). There was no statistical difference in mean EQ-5D-5L utility score and visual analogue scale. At 3-month follow-up, less participants reported moderate, severe/extreme problems or inability to complete tasks for mobility, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression dimensions but were not significant.

Implications: Results suggest the EQ-5D-5L was unresponsive to the improvement demonstrated with discipline-specific measures in a community-based allied health setting over a 3-month time frame.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of a modified mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) curriculum in reducing burnout and depression and increasing the tolerance of ambiguity in physician assistant/associate (PA) students.

Methods: A comprehensive modified MBSR curriculum was designed based on evidence-based practices and implemented for PA students in the didactic phase of the curriculum. To measure its efficacy, using a prospective cohort design, we evaluated changes in burnout (Maslach Burnout Inventory), depression (Harvard Dep. of Psychiatry/National Depression Screening Day), and tolerance of ambiguity (Tolerance of Ambiguity in Medical Students and Doctors, TAMSAD) in students before and after the implementation of the curriculum (n=85). We compared results to two other PA programs not receiving the MBSR curriculum (n=46). The students also provided qualitative assessments of the program.

Results: The percentage of students reporting burnout on the Maslach Burnout Inventory decreased by 9.9% after implementation of the curriculum in the intervention group and increased by 18.2% in the control group. The percentage of students reporting difficulty concentrating decreased by 22.9% in the intervention group after MBSR and increased by 5.9% in the control group. The scores on the TAMSAD scale showed a marked improvement in the intervention group (55 to 59) after the curriculum was implemented with no change in the control group. The students also provided qualitative assessments of the program related to types and benefits of the mindful wellness practice utilized.

Conclusions: The mindful wellness curriculum could be implemented effectively in other allied health programs to address the ever-increasing mental health challenges that students face. Increased levels of the tolerance of ambiguity allow students to more confidently face life's uncertainties and a rigorous curriculum.