Impact of an interprofessional course on pharmaconomists and other health professions students: A qualitative approach

Abstract

Background: Interprofessional education of healthcare professionals has been proposed as a strategy to enhance collaborative practice. This study is the first to explore interprofessional education involving pharmaconomist (PH) students. It aimed to identify the impact of an interprofessional course on PH and other health professions (KP) students. Methods: During the course, KP students cooperated in groups to solve a challenge from practice, where they practiced bringing their professional competencies into play. PH students participated by listening to their preliminary ideas and giving them feedback. All students were invited to answer electronic questionnaires, and at a workshop, teachers from both colleges shared their reflections on the results. The workshop was recorded and transcribed verbatim. All data was analysed in Excel and NVivo R1. Results: Five KP students (38%) and 27 PH students (63%) responded. Nine themes were derived, e.g., PH students’ professional confidence was boosted; KP students have underrated the competencies of PH students; it is important to know each other’s strengths and competencies. Conclusion: PH and KP students learned more about their competencies, those of other professions, and how they can complement each other in patient care.