Medical Education Commons^™

Addressing Opioid Misuse And Abuse Through Interprofessional Engagement And Education, Marta J. Brooks, Suzanne E. Holm, Shelene Thomas, Amy J. Rich

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The purpose of this initiative was to develop and implement an interprofessional panel aimed to expose a university audience to the magnitude of opioid misuse and abuse, as well as demonstrate each health professional’s role in curbing the epidemic. Further, this experience was to provide a platform for interprofessional discussion and to share with attendees tangible action items to begin combatting the opioid epidemic.

Methods: An interdisciplinary committee of healthcare professionals collaborated to initiate a dialogue around opioid misuse and abuse to highlight the power of interprofessional (IP) collaboration in addressing the opioid epidemic. Each panel member shared …

Athletic Training Students Demonstrate Supplemental Oxygen Administration Skill Decay, But Retain Knowledge Over Six Months, David C. Berry, Jennifer K. Popp

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Research suggests skill decay occurs with emergency skills, such as supplemental oxygen administration (OA), since the frequency of medical emergencies in clinical settings is low. Identifying the presence and timeline for skill decay allows educators to employ strategies to prevent this occurrence. Therefore, this study evaluated retention of knowledge and clinical skills associated with supplemental oxygen administration, specifically nasal cannula (NC) and non-rebreather mask (NrM) usage in professional athletic training students.

Methods: Cross-sectional study. Twenty-nine athletic training students (males=11, females=18; age=21.03+1.38) enrolled in a Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE)-accredited professional athletic training programs. Participants’ …

Assessment Of Medical Screening And Clinical Reasoning Skills By Physical Therapy Students In A Simulated Patient Encounter, Therese E. Johnston

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Physical therapists (PTs) screen their patients for medical issues that may present as musculoskeletal conditions. In physical therapy education, learning activities followed by assessment of skills and clinical reasoning is important. The purposes of this study are to 1) demonstrate the feasibility of the use of standardized patients (SPs) and standardized physicians (SPhs) during a practical examination focused on medical screening, and 2) report outcomes related to the students’ abilities to screen for medical issues and make clinical decisions about referral to a physician.

Methods: Students evaluated a standardized patient in an outpatient setting model. After receiving …

Assessing Expectations Of Physician Assistant Program Applicants Using The Problem-Based Learning Readiness Questionnaire: Effect Of A 1-Hour Pbl Experience, Susan Hawkins, John Laird, Anthony Goreczny

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Physician Assistant (PA) programs using problem-based learning (PBL) and other self-directed learning pedagogies must inform applicants of the nature of this type of curriculum. The purpose of this study is to determine if the author-composed PBL Readiness Questionnaire can detect changes in applicant expectations of self, others, and facilitators following a one-hour PBL experience.

Method: Applicants to a Physician Assistant program took part in a one-hour PBL experience as part of their admissions interview process and 729 completed the PBL Readiness Questionnaire before and after the experience.

Results: Analysis of variance showed a significant increase in pre versus post …

Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis- A Case Report, Renee M. Horner, Douglas S. Gardenhire, Ralph D. Zimmerman

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

ABSTRACT

Background: Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis (PAP) is a rare pulmonary disorder caused by a congregation of excessive lipoproteinaceous material in the alveolar spaces due to impaired surfactant metabolism. The congregation of the protein in the alveolar space leads to difficulty in breathing, impaired pulmonary immunity, and susceptibility to both opportunistic and acquired pulmonary infections. Although Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis is rare, there are potential treatments. Whole-lung lavage is the most widely accepted therapy and course of treatment. An additional form of therapy, GM-CSF stimulating therapy, uses recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) technology to increase white cell production.

Purpose: The purpose …

Student And Faculty Perceptions Of Live Synchronous Distance Education For Allied Health Students Following Program Expansion To A Rural Campus, Betsy J. Becker, Kelsey Rutt, Allyson Huntley, Harlan Sayles, Kim Michael

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Background & Purpose: Distance education (DE) is a means to meet allied health workforce needs in rural locations where healthcare worker shortages are apparent. Five allied health programs were expanded to a rural campus teaching synchronously using distance education technology. The purpose of this convergent parallel mixed methods study was to explore perceptions of allied health students and faculty at two campus locations.

Methods: Quantitative and qualitative information were collected through a survey of students and faculty (physical therapy, physician assistant, and medical imaging [diagnostic medical sonography, radiography, magnetic resonance imaging] programs). Both campuses served as live and distance sites …

Paramedic Patient Advocacy: A Review And Discussion, Alan M. Batt, Gerard Ward, Joseph J. Acker

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Introduction: Patient advocacy is an often encountered term, but one for which no consistent definition exists. Advocacy is a new and developing role of the paramedic that is closely linked to the developing professionalism of paramedicine, along with the expanding role of the paramedic as a healthcare professional in the community. This role however requires exploration and clarification. Methods: A literature search was performed of multiple databases, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and prominent paramedic journals. Results: No published literature investigating the theory or practice of paramedic patient advocacy, the potential conflicts and benefits of this role, or the perceived and …

Lifestyle Medicine Professionals In Training: A Survey Of Behaviors, Knowledge And Needs, Camille A. Clarke, Jonathan P. Bonnet, Marsha Gail Davis, Elizabeth P. Frates

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Background/Purpose: It is well known that healthy lifestyle habits can influence chronic disease risk and outcomes. The effective practice of Lifestyle Medicine (LM), however, goes beyond general recommendations and has been encapsulated in well-defined clinical competencies. While it has been documented that graduating medical students feel inadequately prepared to counsel patients in nutrition and exercise, the purpose of this study is to explore the perceptions and experiences of Lifestyle Medicine in a group of interdisciplinary healthcare trainees. Methods: A pilot survey of trainees at the 2015 Annual American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) Conference assessed perspectives on the inclusion of …

Correlation Of Formative Assessments As The Means Of Predicting Summative Performance In Paramedic Students, William J. Leggio Jr, Alan M. Batt, Jennifer C. Berry, Tom Fentress, Marilee L. Vosper, Kelly Walsh, James Dinsch

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Background: Paramedic programs use formative assessments to determine cognitive competency. Understanding the number of failed formative units as a probability of passing the summative exam will allow programs to set additional benchmarks. The purpose of this study was to determine whether failure in formative exams determines success on a summative exam.

Methods: Formative and summative scores from 2011 – 2016 for paramedic students with accounts in Fisdap™, an Internet-based administrative database, were retrospectively reviewed for the following criteria: provided consent for research, completed all six formative (unit) examinations, and completed a summative (comprehensive) examination. Analyses were performed with Pearson correlations …

Developing Clinical Faculty Understanding Of Interprofessional Education: An Inter-Institutional, Interprofessional Approach, Debra A. Bierwas, Oaklee Rogers, Brenda Taubman, Lorie Kroneberger, Holly Carroll, Patrick Enking

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Introduction: The call for increasing interprofessional education requires institutional support for educators in the clinical environment. Innovative ideas, such as partnering with multiple universities and programs to facilitate an interprofessional workshop, have the opportunity to reach a broader group of clinical educators. The purpose of this study was to examine the attitude of healthcare professionals towards interprofessional learning, familiarity with concepts of interprofessional teaching, and interprofessional practice, and to examine the influence of an interprofessional faculty development workshop on participant familiarity with concepts of interprofessional teaching and learning. Methods: The occupational therapy, physical therapy, and physician assistant programs from two …

Developing Student Skills To Actively Engage In Feedback Conversations: A Pilot Study, Neil Tuttle, Andrea Bialocerkowski

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Students often have passive or counterproductive responses to feedback. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate a feedback training module containing online learning and live simulation. It was hypothesized that 1) student confidence in feedback skills would increase following the module, and 2) compared with a control group who undertook the module after their clinical placement, the feedback group who undertook the module before their placement would perform better on clinical placement on the sections of the Assessment of Physiotherapy Practice related to communication, but those related to clinical skills would not be affected. Methods: …

Understanding Gender Dysphoria: An Opinion Piece, Haley A. Cabe

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

This opinion piece on Gender Dysphoria explores the background of the condition, clinical presentation, treatment and prognosis, and specific barriers to care faced by transgender patients. The information provided is based on personal clinical observation as well as scholarly research. There is a clear need for continued exploration into Gender Dysphoria as this is a diagnosis all medical providers may encounter in practice. The purpose of this article is to provide a better understanding of the diagnosis of Gender Dysphoria and to highlight the need for improvement in medical providers’ education and clinical skills in order to reduce barriers to …

Implementation Of Competency Based Educational Strategies Into A First-Year Seminar For Interprofessional Healthcare Science Majors, Melissa M. Snyder, Amy Murphy-Nugen, Amy Rose, Gayle Wells, Carol Mackusick

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

ABSTRACT

Introduction: The Health Educators Academy at Western Carolina University was developed by the Dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences. Interdisciplinary fellows in the 2015 HEA focused on competency based education (CBE), which naturally incentivizes collaborative, interdisciplinary and interprofessional work. The 2015 Health Educator Academy Fellows researched healthcare competencies and designed curriculum changes that aligned within these parameters. This article discusses the creation of a first-year, interprofessional healthcare course that emphasizes CBE as well as interprofessional practice. Interprofessional Goals: The 2015 Academy Fellows believed that a collaborative course in the first-year curriculum that builds upon integral …

Developing Healthcare Practitioners’ Professional Expertise Through Effective Continuing Education: Commentary, Caroline Faucher

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Development of professional expertise is the transition from novice to expert within a profession through deliberate practice with feedback. While this development is actively stimulated during undergraduate studies, encouraging practicing healthcare professionals to pursue their development towards expertise doesn’t seem as obvious. This commentary briefly describes the development of professional expertise and the possible decline in performance that can occur with time. It then gives insight into the roles of continuing professional education in healthcare practitioners’ acquisition and maintenance of professional expertise.

The Abcs Of Ebp: Opportunities And Challenges For Evidence-Based Practice Education In Developing Countries, Ramprasad Muthukrishnan, Tatjana Ille, Saravana Kumar

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

The importance of embedding evidence-based practice as part curricula and practice is now well recognised in health disciplines. However, despite this recognition there continues to be ongoing challenges. Nowhere are these challenges more evident than in developing countries where a tsunami of challenges confronts health care stakeholders. This commentary sheds some light on opportunities and challenges for evidence-based practice education in developing counties.

Effect Of Two Semesters Of Small Group Problem-Based Learning (Pbl) On Expectations Of Physician Assistant Students Regarding Self, Others, And Facilitator Using The Pbl Readiness Questionnaire, Susan Hawkins, Mark Hertweck, Anthony Goreczny, John Laird

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess changes in expectations and perceptions among physician assistant (PA) program matriculants regarding small group problem-based learning (PBL) from the beginning to the end of the first didactic year. Some of the stress experienced by students entering health science professional programs using PBL may be due to lack of awareness of the goals and norms of PBL which differ from those of traditional lecture-based curricula. A change in student expectations as a result of participation in PBL would indicate that these goals and norms can be learned through participation. Methods: The authors …

Interprofessional Scenario-Based Learning For New Graduates In A Regional Setting: A Pilot Study, Priya Martin, Matthew Newby, Monica Moran, Matthew Browne, Saravana Kumar

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Introduction: Globally there is an increased emphasis on the provision of high quality healthcare and improved productivity under mounting financial constraints. Interprofessional collaboration and practice are considered crucial in promoting teamwork and optimising patient outcomes. However, there is a lack of structured, evaluated interprofessional learning opportunities for graduates in regional and rural health services in Australia. This pilot study reports on a novel interprofessional new graduate learning program that was developed and implemented to address the lack of structured post-qualification interprofessional learning opportunities in the Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service. Methods: Twenty-one participants enrolled in the six-month program, which …

Training Hospital Readiness In Speech-Language Pathology Students Through Simulation, Anna Miles, Selena Donaldson, Philippa Friary

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Simulated learning environments allow students to develop technical and clinical decision-making skills in a safe and realistic setting. The aim of this study was to evaluate speech-language pathology students’ perception of hospital readiness following a one-day simulation-based training day on swallowing management. Nineteen students attended the training day. Training included part-task skill learning and immersive simulated scenarios. Students were asked to complete course evaluation forms and participated in focus groups immediately after the day. Seven students participated in a further focus group after a five-week hospital placement within a month of the training day. Four students participated in a focus …

Attitudes Of Paramedic Students Towards Specific Medical Conditions: A Four-Year Study, Brett A. Williams, Malcolm J. Boyle, Stuart Howard

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the attitude of first year students entering a paramedic course over 4 consecutive yearly intakes toward patients with intellectual disability, substance abuse, attempted suicide, and acute mental illness. Method: The students’ attitude towards four medical conditions commonly encountered in the out-of-hospital setting was assessed using the Medical Condition Regard Scale (MCRS). The MCRS score ranges from 11 to 66. Results: 230 students in Victoria, Australia, participated in the study; 66% were female, and 76% of all students < 21 years of age. Students showed the most negative attitudes towards substance abuse, mean 35(SD+6.6), and the most positive attitude toward intellectual disability, mean 38.2(SD+6.3). Students in 2008 cohort displayed significantly higher regard for all medical conditions (pConclusions: The study findings suggest that these students in Victoria, Australia, entering an undergraduate paramedic or paramedic/nursing course have a relatively poor attitude towards the four reviewed medical conditions, particularly substance abuse.