Expanding Pharmacy and Dietetics Students Knowledge and Attitudes Through Collaborative Care

Background
Interprofessional collaborative care is a key aspect of all academic experiences. Our goal is to develop pharmacists and dietetic-professionals that are team- and practice-ready to provide high-quality, patient-centered care to improve individual and population health outcomes. Using a case-based approach, the purpose of this pilot Interprofessional Experience was for students to learn about one another’s area of practice and to collaborate in creation of a care plan for the patient.

Design:

Senior undergraduate dietetics students and second- and third-year pharmacy students attended the 90-minute virtual event. Students worked together on a case focused on care for a patient with type 2 diabetes. Students were placed in virtual breakout groups to review, discuss, and develop a care plan. Students completed a pre- and post-survey.
Results
Thirty-four dietetic and 17 pharmacy students completed the pre-survey; 25 dietetic and 12 pharmacy students completed the post-survey. On 8 questions designed to gauge student perceived understanding and value of interprofessional work, students’ scores of value were higher on the post-survey. This change in scoring was significant for the 8 questions cumulatively (p=0.0165), but not for each individual question. This lack of statistical significance for individual questions may have been due to the relatively high baseline perceived value of interprofessional work as indicated on the pre-survey. While not significant, the two individual questions with the most positive change in pre and post-survey values were related to understanding their own profession’s role (37% strongly agree on pre-survey compared to 84% on the post-survey) and the role of others in the health care team (43% strongly agree on pre-survey compared to 87% on the post-survey), indicating that this activity may have aided in understanding how an interprofessional team works together.
Conclusion
Pharmacy and dietetics students reported that working with students from other health professions enhances their education, health outcomes are improved when patients are treated by a team, and all health professional students should receive education to establish collaborative care.

Reflections
Several lessons were learned including the need to exclude students who did not complete the post survey from data analysis. Each group should devise their own patient care google doc instead of having one for all students. Engagement could be improved by having equal numbers represented from each group and all group members should have their cameras on to enhance participation.