Start Date
10-29-2016 3:15 PM
End Date
10-29-2016 4:15 PM
Description
a. Purpose:
The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to describe the shared experience of interprofessional health profession students participating in a service learning trip to Ecuador.
b. Background:
Few studies have examined interprofessional service learning (ISL) and interprofessional education (IPE) together. Students in short-term ISL/ IPE projects report an appreciation of the work of other health professions and respect for interprofessional teamwork. These results suggest that IPE occurring during ISL can contribute to development of interprofessional teamwork skills; however, further research examining the link between ISL and IPE is warranted.
c. Description of the Program:
The complexity of ISL and IPE occurring in an unfamiliar cultural environment is well suited for qualitative inquiry, which takes place within the natural setting. Phenomenology was chosen to investigate the students’ shared experience. Students worked for five days in an impoverished community in Ecuador providing health care at a local community health clinic, satellite sites in the surrounding community, and patient homes. Student’s observed interdisciplinary practice and some students engaged in a collaborative practice model during home visits. Students were interviewed about their interprofessional experiences and data were analyzed using phenomenological methods.
d. Results:
The ISL and IPE experience demystified other healthcare disciplines while supporting students’ personal and professional development. Four structural themes emerged.
e. Conclusion:
International service learning provided in an interprofessional context can foster relationships and familiarity among students to break down barriers to interprofessional communication, collaboration and teamwork.
f. Relevance to interprofessional education or practice:
Recognizing the shared purpose of patient care helped the students to learn more about the role and scope of other disciplines. The experience created a unique opportunity to see other professionals’ scope of practice in action, which served to demystify students’ disciplinary preconceptions and biases and in turn built trust and respect among the team members.
g. Learning objectives:
1. Recognize how qualitative phenomenologic research methods may serve as a tool to evaluate ISL and interprofessional education and collaboration activities in health profession students.
2. Discover how international service learning provides a unique opportunity for health profession students to engage interprofessional teamwork.
3. Describe how international service learning provided in an interprofessional context can foster relationships and familiarity among students that serves to break down barriers to interprofessional communication, collaboration and teamwork.
Included in
“In all of our differences we are humanly similar”: International service learning (ISL) and interprofessional education (IPE) in Ecuador
a. Purpose:
The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to describe the shared experience of interprofessional health profession students participating in a service learning trip to Ecuador.
b. Background:
Few studies have examined interprofessional service learning (ISL) and interprofessional education (IPE) together. Students in short-term ISL/ IPE projects report an appreciation of the work of other health professions and respect for interprofessional teamwork. These results suggest that IPE occurring during ISL can contribute to development of interprofessional teamwork skills; however, further research examining the link between ISL and IPE is warranted.
c. Description of the Program:
The complexity of ISL and IPE occurring in an unfamiliar cultural environment is well suited for qualitative inquiry, which takes place within the natural setting. Phenomenology was chosen to investigate the students’ shared experience. Students worked for five days in an impoverished community in Ecuador providing health care at a local community health clinic, satellite sites in the surrounding community, and patient homes. Student’s observed interdisciplinary practice and some students engaged in a collaborative practice model during home visits. Students were interviewed about their interprofessional experiences and data were analyzed using phenomenological methods.
d. Results:
The ISL and IPE experience demystified other healthcare disciplines while supporting students’ personal and professional development. Four structural themes emerged.
e. Conclusion:
International service learning provided in an interprofessional context can foster relationships and familiarity among students to break down barriers to interprofessional communication, collaboration and teamwork.
f. Relevance to interprofessional education or practice:
Recognizing the shared purpose of patient care helped the students to learn more about the role and scope of other disciplines. The experience created a unique opportunity to see other professionals’ scope of practice in action, which served to demystify students’ disciplinary preconceptions and biases and in turn built trust and respect among the team members.
g. Learning objectives:
1. Recognize how qualitative phenomenologic research methods may serve as a tool to evaluate ISL and interprofessional education and collaboration activities in health profession students.
2. Discover how international service learning provides a unique opportunity for health profession students to engage interprofessional teamwork.
3. Describe how international service learning provided in an interprofessional context can foster relationships and familiarity among students that serves to break down barriers to interprofessional communication, collaboration and teamwork.