There is increasing acknowledgement that interprofessional education (IPE) holds promise for preparing health professionals as collaborative-ready practitioners. The effects of IPE on learning outcomes are critical in determining the value of such programs. Attitudes are recognized as a significant element in developing behaviors. This study was designed to determine attitudes and perceptions of students toward collaborative learning in an interprofessional context. Three hundred and five students completed a questionnaire regarding attitudes and perceptions toward interprofessional collaboration before and after an introductory IPE course. Also 202 graduating health professional students without IPE completed the same questionnaire. The questionnaire included questions from the University of West England Interprofessional Questionnaire (UWE IQ) and Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS). Independent samples t-tests revealed significant positive changes before and after the IPE course for UWEIQ IP-Learning subscale (p = 0.012) and RIPLS (p = 0.05). This study provides some evidence that students who participate in an introductory IPE course early in their professional preparation not only keep positive attitudes toward interprofessional learning, but improve them. As a result, they are expected to be more engaged in learning this important knowledge that should help them to become interprofessional collaborative-ready practitioners.
; §For complete list of contributors, see information below.Professional preparation in athletic training has grown from modest roots based in physical education in the 1960s to its emergence as a recognized health profession today. The profession has long embraced interprofessional practice (IPP), but many times has not been included in discussions held at the institutional, governmental, and international levels. As a result, the concept of interprofessional education (IPE), which has been an emphasis in medicine, nursing, and allied health since the 1990s, has not been a part of most athletic training programs. Investigations into IPE and IPP in athletic training have found that the concepts were misunderstood by athletic training educators because of a lack of common language and appreciation for their role in the future of health care. In 2012, the National Athletic Trainers' Association Executive Committee for Education authored ''Future Directions in Athletic Training'' to make recommendations regarding the evolution and promotion of IPE in athletic training. A primary part of this strategy was to develop a paper regarding IPE and IPP in athletic training to provide the profession and other stakeholders with background information and present model pedagogy that could be implemented in professional athletic training programs. The resulting document was created using a structured process that included a work group of authors from a wide range of settings.
Athletic trainers (ATs) are healthcare providers who work in collaboration with physicians, nurses, physical therapists and others to provide care to physically active individuals. Founded in 1950, the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) represents certified ATs and other individuals who support the athletic training profession. The Board of Certification (BOC) has the only accredited certification program for ATs in USA. It establishes and regularly reviews both the standards for the practice of athletic training and the continuing education requirements for certified ATs. In order to attain certification, candidates must demonstrate successful completion of either a bachelor's degree or master's degree program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) and pass the BOC certification exam. Currently, there are ∼42 000 ATs practicing in USA, with 48 states who regulate their practice. The purpose of this article is to provide a background for the profession of athletic training as well as describe and discuss the importance of including ATs in interprofessional education and practice initiatives.
BACKGROUND Sports medicine has grown from a special interest area in healthcare to an established profession in its own right. Containing many specialties and a range of professional inputs there are complex dynamics at work which often dictate the provision of care. Whilst interprofessional interventions have been successfully applied in more mainstream healthcare contexts there has been no equivalent application in sports medicine.
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