Interprofessional education increases knowledge, promotes team building, and changes practice in the care of Parkinson's disease

National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education's picture
Submitted by National Center... on Dec 2, 2015 - 1:43pm CST

Resource Type: 
Journal Article

Objective

Examine outcomes for the National Parkinson Foundation (NPF) Allied Team Training for Parkinson (ATTP), an interprofessional education (IPE) program in Parkinson's disease (PD) and team-based care for medicine, nursing, occupational, physical and music therapies, physician assistant, social work and speech-language pathology disciplines.

Background

Healthcare professionals need education in evidence-based PD practices and working effectively in teams. Few evidence-based models of IPE in PD exist.

Methods

Knowledge about PD, team-based care, the role of other disciplines and attitudes towards healthcare teams were measured before and after a protocol-driven training program. Knowledge, attitudes and practice changes were again measured at 6-month post-training. Trainee results were compared to results of controls.

Results

Twenty-six NPF–ATTP trainings were held across the U.S. (2003–2013). Compared to control participants (n = 100), trainees (n = 1468) showed statistically significant posttest improvement in all major outcomes, including self-perceived (p < 0.001) and objective knowledge (p < 0.001), Understanding Role of Other Disciplines (p < 0.001), Attitudes Toward Health Care Teams Scale (p < 0.001), and the Attitudes Toward Value of Teams (p < 0.001) subscale. Despite some decline, significant improvements were largely sustained at six-month post-training. Qualitative analyses confirmed post-training practice changes.

Conclusions

The NPF–ATTP model IPE program showed sustained positive gains in knowledge of PD, team strategies and role of other disciplines, team attitudes, and important practice improvements. Further research should examine longer-term outcomes, objectively measure practice changes and mediators, and determine impact on patient outcomes.

Author(s): 
Elaine V. Cohen
Ruth Hagestuen
Gladys Gonzalez-Ramos
Hillel W. Cohen
Celia Bassich
Elaine Book
Kathy P. Bradley
Julie H. Carter
Mariann Di Minno
Joan Gardner
Monique Giroux
Manny J. Gonzalez
Sandra Holten
Ricky Joseph
Denise D. Kornegay
Patricia A. Simpson
Concetta M. Tomaino
Richard P. Vandendolder
Maria Walde-Douglas
Rosemary Wichmann
John C. Morgan
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