Resource Center

Collaborating Across Borders 2015 Abstract

Presentation Background: The Nexus, as defined by the National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education, is the alignment of healthcare delivery with interprofessional education.[1] Development and maturation of the Nexus is viewed by experts in the field of interprofessional education and collaborative practice (IPECP) as an innovative strategy for achieving the Triple Aim [2] (i.e., improving the patient experience of care, improving the health of populations, and improving the per capita cost of healthcare).

To strengthen the Nexus, new IPECP-related practice models have been emerging across the nation. In 2013, an IPECP pilot project was developed and implemented in a clinical practice setting for a pre- and post-licensure healthcare provider population.[3] The project was a five-week long course that consisted of two face-to-face sessions and five on-line modules. The course supplied basic knowledge on the field of IPECP, and offered opportunities to apply knowledge gained through structured, team-based experiences. The long-term goal of the project was to have a positive impact on site- level outcomes, as defined by the Triple Aim.

This is a presentation on the use of five tools found within the Nexus of the project site. These tools were used for the development, implementation and evaluation of the 2013 pilot project. Listeners will be encouraged to consider application of the five tools to existing and future projects found within their own Nexus settings.

Project Methods: The following five tools were discerned for use in the development, implementation, and evaluation the 2013 IPECP pilot project: a) face-to- face interviews with healthcare educators and clinicians in the field of IPECP for recommendations on use of content, teaching strategies, and evaluation methodologies, b) assessment of the project site for strengths and weaknesses to teach, learn, and practice interprofessionally, using an IPECP site assessment tool,[4] c) informal collection of anonymous comments concerning attitudes towards IPECP from post-licensure providers at the practice site, d) visits to Nexus practice- sites engaged in developing patient-centered, team- based models of care, and e) ongoing input from experts in the field during the implementation phase of the project.

Project Results: Use of the five tools discerned within the Nexus of the project site yielded the following outcomes for use in the 2013 pilot project: a) interviews with experts generated six thematic concepts and requirements for project design, implementation, and evaluation, b) use of the site assessment tool identified level of site readiness to engage in an IPECP-related project, c) anonymous comments from post-licensure providers focused the intervention on areas of site weakness, d) visits to practice sites implementing IPECP underscored the value of tailoring the IPECP intervention to the unique needs of the practice site, and e) modifications to the project were made based on continuing input from experts in the field.

Presentation Conclusion: This presentation reports on the use of five tools found within the Nexus of a 2013 project site. These tools have application to current and future projects within other Nexus settings. Their use can further the development of IPECP, and support achievement of site-level outcomes, as defined by the Triple Aim.

[1] National Center for Interprofessional Education and Practice, Learn About the Nexus. Available from https://nexusipe.org/about-nexus

[2] BerwickD,NolanT,WhittingtonJ.Thetripleaim:Care,he alth,and cost. Health Affairs. 2008; 27: 759-769. PMID:18474969 http: //dx.doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.27.3.759

[3] Cerra, C., Drake, D., Sick, B., King, J., Chesney, M., & Lutfiyya, M.N., 2014. Building the foundation for culture change through the design, implementation, and assessment of an interprofessional education intervention. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 5(1), 46-57. doi: 10.5430/jnep.v5n1p46

[4] Regents of the University of Minnesota. InSITE (developed by Sick, B.). 2013. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Regents of the University of Minnesota.