bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of eSports as a commercial activity
Authors: Lokhman Natalia , Karashchuk Oksana , Kornilova Olena
Published: March 2018

The article deals with eSports as a perspective kind of commercial activity. The research urgency is determined by the fact that, given the active increase of eSports market with growth rates of more than 30% per year, the types of commercial activities in this field and in scientific papers are not studied in an adequate degree.
The purpose of the article is to evaluate the commercial activity development in eSports and to determine the perspectives for its further growth in Ukraine. In order to determine the key types of commercial activity in eSports, the main sources of revenue in this area compared to sports were investigated, which showed a large unrealized potential for increasing revenues from the sale of tickets to competitions, the realization of broadcasting rights and merchandising. The study also showed that the largest number of income sources in eSports is at the stage of cyber-tournaments, which can be explained by a large consumer audience at this stage. However, unlike the esports world practice, computer game producers and well-known manufacturers of consumer goods in Ukraine do not finance domestic competitions, and, therefore, this stage of commercial activity remains at a low level. In modern conditions, among the types of eSports activities in Ukraine, only the computer games production and the cyber-racers game are properly developed.
According to authors, to improve the eSports development in Ukraine, creating the national system of regular eSports competitions is needed, which will form the basis for the development of most types of commercial activities that are part of the cyber-tournaments. To do this, one needs to create appropriate platforms, as well as improve communications with fans in social networks and at amateur competitions. All this will make eSports a highly profitable business in Ukraine.
Enhancing the Quality of Urban Life in Urban Poverty Areas through a Strategy of Integral Multi Approaches: Public Spaces as Arena for Change
Authors: Elewa Ahmed
Published: March 2018

Urban poverty areas (UPA) in the main cities of the emerging and developing countries are representing the product of a chaotic urban-isation process. This process started through the recent decades as a result of the economic reform in many Emerging countries, mainly in Asia, South America, and some cases in Africa such as Egypt and South Africa. Under the umbrella of the term UPA, there are many other terms such as slums, shantytowns and informal urbanism. In this study, the focus is on a special case of UPA which exist in the main cities of the emerging countries and some cases of developing countries. These UPA have some of the slums characteristics, which indicate the low quality of the urban life such as the pollution of the urban environment, the high density of built up area and the lack of social spaces. However, these areas mainly consist of permanent buildings which were built in most cases by the dwellers themselves due to their basic socio-economic needs, also in most of the cases the basic infrastructure are available. The study hypothesis is discussing the possibility of enhancing the quality of urban life in those UPA through a strategy of integral mul-ti approaches based on the potential opportunities of public spaces. In other words, the key to a successful strategy is “integration”, meaning that all approaches, policies, and projects are considered in relation to one another. This includes the using of new approaches such as green infrastructure (GI) through an integration framework with the other prevalent urban approaches such as participatory, towards innova-tively interactive urban communities. An analytical comparative study was done based on qualitative methods by studying various case studies of UPA in main cities of emerging and developing countries that were up-graded through a strategy of integral multi approaches. These rely on the public spaces as a medium for change, as well the using of quantitative and qualitative methods through actual case studies. The results represent lessons from practice. Based on actual cases, the cumulative urban experiences through various selected cases of upgrading UPA showed that the success depends on the using of an integral approach (multi-disciplinary) that relies on livable innovative public spaces. The new approaches such as GI cannot stand alone, but the strategies can be efficient by using integral an multi approach strategy. The cases also showed that public spaces in UPA are cen-ters of the daily socioeconomic activities, which is why these areas can act as arenas for change, towards better quality of urban life.
Risks and Uncertainty in the Formal Solutions to the Informal Settlements in India
Authors: Abouelmagd Doaa Ahmed Shehata
Published: March 2018

This paper discusses various formal solutions adopted by the Indian official bodies to deal with the Indian informal settlements “the slums”. It focuses on Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) or the “Housing for All by 2022” as an essential housing act toward improv-ing the living conditions of the informal settlements, and to achieve cities and housing for all. According to the Indian 2011 censes, 66% of formal towns and cities in India have informal areas. Nearly one in every six urban Indian res-idents lives in a slum. Poor and rural immigrants find in the slums a physical shelter, but they lack quality of living and basic social-economic infrastructure. Bringing formal solution to the informal set-tlements is a challenge that requires deep understanding of the Indian heterogeneous population. This paper starts with the main housing policies that were launched in India during the 2000s, and extend to cover several case studies in In-dian cities based on a field visit conducted in India. It discusses sever-al concepts applied such as in-situ and relocation alternatives; possible improvements for the local communities by promoting livelihood re-sources; the concepts of using land as a resource, land pooling and public private partnership in developing the slums. This paper aims to understand the notion of risks and uncertainty in these solutions as constraints in improving the informal settlements in India for a better urbanism future.
Land Suitability Analysis as Multi Criteria Decision Making to Support the Egyptian Urban Development
Authors: El Sayed Marwa Adel
Published: March 2018

Sustainability in urban development is considered as a main concrete stone that effect directly the quality of life for its users. Land Suitability Analysis (LSA) using GIS as a multi criteria support tool reveals the best alternatives for the suitability of sustainable land development. Urban planners working under the umbrella of sustainability using recent technology should contribute their work directly to LSA. This paper aims to develop a new technique to be used by planner to reach best alternative for five main urban sectors (agriculture, Industry, Trade, Tourism, & Residential) using GIS as a multi criteria decision support tool (MCDS), accordingly choosing best city location will be accurately and analyzed upon LSA studies. LSA and MCDS are going to be applied on one survey unit map called Monof along Cairo – Alexandria Road. Results showed that different alternatives could be applied on the area of interest, and all of them are sustainable, but choosing the best deepened on the priority of querying the development sector. The paper suggests a pilot method for land development planning and choosing best city location that would be a guide for the governmental planning organization to support in taking right and analyzed planning decisions.
Integrating Sustainability within Architectural Education in Cairo
Authors: El-Feki Sameh , Kenawy Inji
Published: March 2018

Architectural education has great potential to moving the entire in-dustry towards sustainability within buildings and cities. Having the fundamental knowledge to apply the sustainable strategies can help solving different environmental challenges being faced today. Sus-tainability is then recognized as a core topic in architecture and to re-flect this recognition, it is crucial to integrate it into the architectural education curriculum. Many approaches are used to introduce the concept of sustainability into the architectural programs ranging from integrating the concept into existing modules to adding new mod-ules that are entirely dedicated towards this subject. The design stu-dio is the most dominant module in architectural education having the highest credit hours per week; and being a pool within which all subjects dissolve. The studio is characterized by creating a unique learning environment modelled around a problem solving practice. Introducing sustainability into design studio was then found to be a key potential that enable graduate architects to make sustainable de-cisions within their design process rather than handling it separately. Realizing that potential; architectural educational institutions used different approaches in order to include sustainability within their curricula. This paper sheds lights on the education of sustainability within the architectural curricula in a number of Egyptian universities. It dis-cusses the teaching and learning of sustainable design then, identi-fies and analyses different approaches used in integrating the con-cept of sustainability into the curriculum. Follows, a qualitative anal-ysis takes place from semi structured interview conducted to practi-tioners and educators from various universities in order to stand on methods used to integrate sustainability into their architectural cur-ricula. The findings are to develop recommendations that could help discovering the best practices that could enhance the learning experi-ence for integrating sustainability in design studio modules.
Faecal sludge reuse in Birendranagar, Nepal: a case study of the world health organisation's multiple barrier approach
Authors: Abeysuriya Kumi , Khawaja Nadira , Mills Freya , Carrard Naomi , Kome Antoinette , Willetts Juliet
Published: March 2018

This case study presents an innovative initiative to facilitate safe reuse of faecal sludge (FS) by introducing the World Health Organisation's multi-barrier approach within a Farmer Field Schools framework for participatory experiential learning. A novel FS treatment process based on fermentation by ‘effective organisms’ (EM) was piloted to test the feasibility, safety and acceptability of the resulting fertilizer. Fermented FS in agricultural application was found to perform at least as well as other common fertilizers it was compared with, while its lower cost delivered higher profits per cultivated hectare. Participating farmers found it easy to prepare and use, and viewed it favourably overall. EM-based fermentation was, however, found to be insufficient as an FS treatment to render safe reuse, particularly with respect to helminth inactivation. The paper discusses strengthening the treatment barrier, and improving the application of the multi-barrier approach by the systematic consideration of non-treatment barriers using guidance from the WHO's Sanitation Safety Planning Manual. Further research to enable effective monitoring and support systems for maintaining treatment and non-treatment barriers, and for understanding long term impacts of fermented FS application is recommended. In combination, adequately treated fermented FS may be a candidate for scale up necessary for meeting the Sustainable Development Goals.
Odour control: A successful experience in sorocaba city – Brazil
Authors: Cipriani M. , Schiavi R. , Santos F.
Published: March 2018

Public concern over odours from sewage treatment facilities have been increasingly significantly in Brazil in recent years due to urban developments around existing plants or construction of new ones. The city of Sorocaba is an example where the expansion of the sewage collection and treatment system has increased and consequently more people have been exposed to bad odours. Due to this scenario, it was necessary to find a solution for this new challenge, but this is no easy task as people′s response to odours is subjective. In this case, odours must be quantified first in order to be controlled. An electronic sensor (‘nose’) of H2S (hydrogen sulfide) was installed at one selected pumping station and after one month of monitoring H2S levels some chemical products were tested in order to minimize bad odours. Best results were achieved using an iron salt blend (FeII and FeIII) directly to the sewage flow at 30 mg/L (as Fe), which reduced by 83% the H2S levels in the air. Such reduction was adequate for mitigating odour complaints regarding that pumping station.
Delineation of homogeneous regions for streamflow via fuzzy c-means in the Amazon
Authors: Pessoa Francisco Carlos Lira , Blanco Claudio José Cavalcante , Gomes Evanice Pinheiro
Published: March 2018

Lack of streamflow data is one of the main limitations in hydrologic studies. One method of solving this problem is by streamflow regionalization. The identification of hydrologically homogeneous regions is the main and most important stage of regionalization. In this study homogeneous flow regions are identified by fuzzy c-means (FCM) cluster analysis based on morpho-climatic characteristics from streamflow at 208 stream gauges in the Amazon region. The optimal number of clusters in the dataset was identified by applying the PBM validation index, maximized for ten clusters, with a fuzzing parameter of 1.6. The application dataset is best divided into 10 groups. These were well defined and demonstrated the Amazon's hydrologic similarity.
Proposing an Ecosystem of Digital Health Solutions for Teens With Chronic Conditions Transitioning to Self-Management and Independence: Exploratory Qualitative Study (Preprint)
Authors: Sezgin Emre , Weiler Monica , Weiler Anthony , Lin Simon
Published: March 2018

BACKGROUND

Chronic disease management is critical to quality of life for both teen patients with chronic conditions and their caregivers. However, current literature is largely limited to a specific digital health tool, method, or approach to manage a specific disease. Guiding principles on how to use digital tools to support the transition to independence are rare. Considering the physiological, psychological, and environmental changes that teens experience, the issues surrounding the transition to independence are worth investigating to develop a deeper understanding to inform future strategies for digital interventions.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to inform the design of digital health solutions by systematically identifying common challenges among teens and caregivers living with chronic diseases.

METHODS

Chronically ill teens (n=13) and their caregivers (n=13) were interviewed individually and together as a team. Verbal and projective techniques were used to examine teens’ and caregivers’ concerns in-depth. The recorded and transcribed responses were thematically analyzed to identify and organize the identified patterns.

RESULTS

Teens and their caregivers identified 10 challenges and suggested technological solutions. Recognized needs for social support, access to medical education, symptom monitoring, access to health care providers, and medical supply management were the predominant issues. The envisioned ideal transition included a 5-component solution ecosystem in the transition to independence for teens.

CONCLUSIONS

This novel study systematically summarizes the challenges, barriers, and technological solutions for teens with chronic conditions and their caregivers as teens transition to independence. A new solution ecosystem based on the 10 identified challenges would guide the design of future implementations to test and validate the effectiveness of the proposed 5-component ecosystem.
Assessing Student Attitudes as a Result of Participating in an Interprofessional Healthcare Elective Associated with a Student-Run Free Clinic
Authors: Shrader Sarah , Thompson Amy , Gonsalves Wanda
Published: March 2018

Background: An interprofessional elective using a student-run clinic can introduce students to professional roles, collaborative patient care, and health disparities. Methods and Findings: Students from four professions (pharmacy, medicine, physician assistant, and physical therapy) participated in a service-learning elective where they received weekly didactic lectures and provided healthcare in a student-run free clinic. Additional interprofessional activities included a quality improvement project and a case presentation. Students were administered anonymous surveys before and after the elective to assess changes in their attitudes toward interprofessional teamwork. A total of 93 and 74 students completed the pre-survey and post-survey, respectively. After participating in the elective, significantly more students reported working in interprofessional teams and understood the role of physician assistants. The majority of other attitudes about interprofessional collaboration and professional roles were sustained or improved after the elective.Conclusion: An interprofessional service-learning elective using didactic and experiential learning in an interprofessional, student-run free clinic sustained or improved student attitudes toward interprofessional teamwork. The elective had a significant impact on increased student experience working in interprofessional healthcare teams and increased understanding of health professions’ roles. Continued assessment of the impact on student behaviours and patient outcomes is warranted.
Creating Sustainable Change in the Interprofessional Academic Family Practice Setting: An Appreciative Inquiry Approach
Authors: Gotlib Conn Lesley , Oandasan Ivy F. , Creede Catherine , Jakubovicz Difat , Wilson Lynn
Published: March 2018

Background: There is a global shift toward integrated care approaches in primary care. Understanding how to optimize healthcare team effectiveness is of utmost interest in Canada, where primary care reform targets the development of interprofessional teams of providers collaborating to improve patient care. This article presents findings from a longitudinal study of one primary healthcare team in transformation. A theory-based organizational change model is applied to understanding the processes of change in interprofessional healthcare teams.Methods and Findings: We report findings from two years after the implementation of an intervention to advance teamwork in one family health team in Ontario. The intervention was informed by the Appreciative Inquiry (AI) approach. Fifty hours of unstructured clinic observations and interviews were conducted. The findings revealed that a change in team practice, such as patient-centredness, and formal and informal communication opportunities, precede change in team discourse—the way that members speak and think about themselves as an integrated team.Conclusions: The evolution of teamwork in the family practice setting is a gradual, steady process that begins with important changes in the way that things are done (i.e., first-order change), and with continued support and nurturance, can eventually lead to changes in the way that members think and speak about their team (i.e., second-order change).
Designing and Operationalizing a Toolkit of Bilingual Interprofessional Education Assessment Instruments
Authors: MacDonald Colla J. , Archibald Douglas , Trumpower David , Casimiro Lynn , Cragg Betty , Jelley Wilma
Published: March 2018

This article addresses one of the most important unresolved issues of interprofessional education (IPE): assessment. Here we describe our process and experiences designing and operationalizing a toolkit of qualitative and quantitative IPE assessment instruments for online and face-to-face education programs developed concurrently in both English and French. The toolkit includes a) the quantitative W(e)Learn program evaluation survey, which aligns with the W(e)Learn framework, b) the quantitative Interprofessional Collaborative Competencies Attainment Survey (ICCAS), to self-assess competency development in collaborative practice using a post-post design, and c) qualitative team and learner contracts, with explanatory exemplars, that serve as both learning and assessment tools. These instruments are currently undergoing validation in hopes of a) increasing the likelihood that IPE experiences are planned and delivered effectively and b) increasing the justification and accountability of IPE experiences and practical outcomes. Although this validation process will continue for some time, the development of the IPE assessment tools is worthy of particular attention in order to guide further work in this field. French and English copies of the toolkit assessments can be downloaded from http://ennovativesolution.com/WeLearn/IPE-Instruments.html. Although these instruments were designed with interprofessional healthcare teams in mind, we feel they could readily be transferable to a variety of interdisciplinary tasks and settings, such as social work and human services education.
Exploring Effects of Interprofessional Education on Undergraduate Students Behaviour: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Just Johannes Maximilian , Schnell Martin W , Bongartz Maren , Schulz Christian
Published: March 2018

Background: One way to improve the quality of palliative care for elderly patients is to use an interprofessional team approach, which may be encouraged through interprofessional education (IPE). However, the effectiveness of IPE interventions has yet to be proven. We therefore designed a randomized controlled trial using a simulated practice setting to measure the effects of an IPE intervention on medical students’ clinical behaviour.Methods: Undergraduate nursing (N = 20) and medical (N = 20) students were evenly assigned to either an intervention or a control group. Students in the intervention group received interprofessional curriculum (12 teaching units), and the control group was given written material containing the content of the IPE curriculum. Using a pre-post design, clinical behaviour of matched pairs of nursing and medical students was analyzed for qualitative (care objectives) and quantitative aspects of communication (initiation, interruptions, speaking time, and exchanged information items). Statistical analyses included chi-square, Fisher’s exact, and t-tests, where appropriate.Results: Care objective scores improved in both groups (categories N = 6, p-range = intervention group: .001–.630; control group: .001–.888). Interruptions and speaking time showed no change between or within groups, while the number of nursing student-initiated contacts increased (p = .0007). The number of information items exchanged increased significantly in both the intervention group (Pre: M = 9.65, SD = 1.79; Post: M = 12.35, SD = 1.87; p = .001) and the control group (Pre: M = 8.75, SD = 2.59; Post: M = 11.75, SD = 2.22; p = .001).Conclusions:We found a moderate effect of IPE on a change in interprofessionalcommunication style.
Do We Have a Community of Inquiry?
Authors: Soubhi Hassan
Published: March 2018

N/A
Development, Implementation, and Formative Evaluation of Pre-licensure Workshops Using Participatory Action Research to Facilitate Interprofessional, Client-Centred Mental Healthcare
Authors: Vingilis Evelyn , Forchuk Cheryl , Orchard Carol , Shaw Lynn , King Gillian , McWilliam Carol , Khalili Hossein , Edwards Betty , Osaka Walter
Published: March 2018

Background: This study presents a formative evaluation of nine pre-licensure workshops to educate on interprofessional, client-centred mental healthcare. The workshops, informed by the conceptual framework of Orchard, Curran, and Kabene had two key objectives: to stimulate networking and to socialize healthcare providers in working together.Methods and Findings: A participatory action research (PAR) methodology was used for workshop planning and evaluation. Descriptive surveys and feedback forms using closed- and open-ended questions were used to examine whether the intended population was reached, to determine participant satisfaction, and to investigate to what level program objectives had been implemented. Students (625) from different disciplines attended two-hour after-class workshops. The results indicated that students were interested in learning about interprofessionalism and satisfied in the knowledge, attitude, and skills (practice) they received from the workshops. Participants indicated that they had or intended to use some of their learning about interprofessional practice. Key successful approaches, such as the partnership with psychiatric consumers, were incorporated into later workshop series.Conclusions: The workshops demonstrated that interprofessional workshops can be one training component for pre-licensure students and can increase academic interest in interprofessional education.
Harnessing Complexity Science for Interprofessional Education Development: A Case Study
Authors: Weaver Lynda , McMurtry Angus , Conklin James , Brajtman Susan , Hall Pippa
Published: March 2018

Background: Developing learning activities for interprofessional education (IPE) with a group of stakeholders often involves negotiation, collectivity, creativity, innovation, and unpredictable results. Theoretical approaches that can explain and support such emergent processes are needed. This case study explored the applicability of complexity science to explain the experiences of committee members as they developed learning experiences for an IPE placement in a non-acute care hospital.Methods and Findings: Data from a focus group with project steering committee members were re-analyzed through the lens of complexity science—specifically, three key principles of complex systems and five conditions for nurturing collective learning. Quotes were compared against each of these principles and conditions and, if there was a sufficient match, categorized accordingly into themes. These general themes were then sorted into clusters of sub-themes.Conclusions: Complexity science provides a useful framework for understanding the open-ended, unpredictable, and innovative IPE development process analyzed in this article. It also offers helpful practical guidelines for future learning activity and curriculum development.
Differences in Pre-licensure Interprofessional Learning: Classroom Versus Practice Settings
Authors: Anderson Judy E. , Ateah Christine , Wener Pamela , Snow Wanda , Metge Colleen , MacDonald Laura , Fricke Moni , Ludwig Sora , Davis Penny
Published: March 2018

AbstractBackground: Health Canada and Cochrane reviews indicate a need for rigorous outcome testing following interprofessional learning, particularly in practice settings. This led to research questioning whether knowledge, attitudes, perceptions, values, and skills regarding collaborative patient care improve after interprofessional learning in classroom and practice settings based on the degree of exposure to interprofessional learning compared to a control group.Methods and Findings: Pre-licensure students from seven health-profession programs were assigned to three groups: Control (no intervention), Education (classroom-based interprofessional learning), and Full-Participant (classroom-based and practice-based interprofessional learning). They were later surveyed to assess outcomes. Immersion at an interprofessional practice setting had a greater impact on scores than classroom-based interprofessional education. Both interventions significantly improved attitudes, perceptions, knowledge, and skills related to interprofessional collaboration. Only immersion improved the perceived importance of sharing leadership. Changes after the education intervention persisted at five-month follow-up.Conclusions: Interprofessional learning in classroom and practice settings positively impacted participants' knowledge, attitudes, perceptions and values, and skills regarding interprofessional teamwork. Use of a longitudinal study with a control group provided evidence that pre-licensure interprofessional learning would increase awareness of the need to collaborate. Findings encourage longerterm study of how interprofessional learning in various settings could improve how future practitioners approach patient care.
Making the familiar extraordinary: Using a communication perspective to explore team based simulation as part of interprofessional education
Authors: Rowland Paula
Published: March 2018

This short report describes the qualitative analysis of a simulation exercise that was part of a larger interprofessional education curriculum designed to promote interprofessional collaboration within an acute care hospital. The purpose of this study was to explore the utility of a communication perspective as an analytic tool to support the intended learning outcomes of the interprofessional education initiative. In particular, the Coordinated Management of Meaning model was used as an exemplar of a pragmatic communication perspective. This study supports the need for scholars, practitioners, and educators to critically reflect on what we are making within our interprofessional education initiatives. The Coordinated Management of Meaning model provides a useful analytic frame to shape that reflection.
Evaluation of a Simulation-Based Interprofessional Educational Module on Adult Suctioning Using Action Research
Authors: Baker Cynthia , Medves Jennifer , Luctkar-Flude Marian , Hopkins-Rosseel Diana , Pulling Cheryl , Kelly-Turner Carly
Published: March 2018

AbstractBackground: Interprofessional collaboration in healthcare contributes to patientwell-being. The purpose of this action research study was to evaluate an innovative interprofessional simulation educational module for pre-licensure healthcare students on adult suctioning skills.Methods and Findings: Two suctioning scenarios were developed to provide multiprofessional groups of students the opportunity to collaborate in applying basicsuctioning skills within complex patient care situations. One group of nursing students (N= 23) and one group of physiotherapy students (N= 23) learned suctioning skills uniprofessionally in the usual programs of their respective schools. A third group of students (N= 45; 21 nursing, 24 physiotherapy) learned suctioning in the new, interprofessional simulation-based curriculum. Qualitative data were collected through direct observation of laboratory sessions, open-ended surveys, and focus groups. A thematic qualitative analysis was conducted, and four major themes emerged: instructors’ role expectations, prior student learning, student collaboration, and instructor communication. In addition, quantitative analysis of students’ readiness for interprofessional collaboration, confidence, and performance of suctioning skills revealed no significant differences between learners in the interprofessional labs and those in the uniprofessional labs.Conclusions: Development of the educational module using action research allowed for further development of a pedagogical approach to interprofessional education to increase its effectiveness.
South Eastern Interprofessional Collaborative Learning Environment (SEIPCLE): Nurturing Collaborative Practice
Authors: Byrnes Vaughan , O'Riordan Anne , Schroder Corinne , Chapman Christine , Medves Jennifer , Paterson Margo , Grigg Robyn
Published: March 2018

AbstractBackground: There has been tremendous pressure on Canada’s healthcare system to respond to the increasingly complex health needs of the population despite worsening constraints in financial and human resources. Interprofessional collaborative practice has been seen as an enabler for improving patient care and meeting the current demands on the healthcare system.Methods: The South Eastern Interprofessional Collaborative Learning Environment (SEIPCLE) project, funded by HealthForceOntario, focused on the development and evaluation of the collaborative practice care model in three clinical settings in Southeastern Ontario, Canada. The project was exploratory in nature and used a quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-tests matched with non-equivalent control groups. Several different measures were used, including the Collaborative Practice Assessment Tool (CPAT), an Interprofessional Clinical Education Survey, and a Patient Participation Survey. Quantitative outcome measures were derived from these instruments using factor analysis, and analyzed using regression modelling with co-variates. Focus groups, interviews, and questionnaires provided qualitative data that was coded conceptually and used to complement the results of analyses using quantitative measures. Intervention teams participated in educational components that addressed identified weaknesses in their collaborative practice. Educational components included online modules, workshops, and real-time activities.Findings: Implementation of educational components in the clinical setting posed a number of challenges to reducing the exposure time for some of the intervention teams. Barriers to and enablers of the development of collaborative practice in the healthcare system were identified.Conclusion: Overall, all three intervention teams demonstrated an increase in perceived levels of collaborative practice. Although the results were not statistically significant, the effect, size, and magnitude of change were considered substantial.
Patients’ Messages as Educators in an Interprofessional Health Education Program
Authors: Doucet Shelley , Lauckner Heidi , Wells Sandy
Published: March 2018

Background: Patients have traditionally played a passive role in health professional education. Health Mentors Programs are new, innovative interprofessional education initiatives that involve "health mentors" (volunteer community patient educators), who share their experiences navigating the healthcare system with an interprofessional team of four health professional students. The purpose of this research was to explore what motivated the patient educators to participate in the Dalhousie Health Mentors Program and what messages they wanted to instill in health professional students.Methods: Data were collected through seven semi-structured focus groups (N = 29) and one individual interview (N = 1), which were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Qualitative inductive thematic analysis was used to identify key themes.Findings: Our study demonstrated that patients want to play an active role in educating health professional students with the hope of improving the healthcare system. The mentors wanted to convey to the students the importance of interprofessional collaboration, understanding patients are people first, listening to patients, and understanding the visible and invisible impacts of living with chronic conditions.Conclusions: If we expect our students to become competent in providing interprofessional, patient-centred care, it is important that we provide opportunities for patients to be actively involved in health professional education, as they have important messages that cannot be taught from a textbook.
Law and Psychiatry Seminar: An Advanced Intervention in Interprofessional Education and Attitudinal Improvement
Authors: Mela Mansfield , Trinder Krista , Luther Glen , D'Eon Marcel
Published: March 2018

Background: The tenuous relationship between psychiatrists and lawyers does not serve mental health patients in conflict with the law or society well. The characteristic miscommunication that occurs, though premised on differential pedagogical constructs, presents an opportunity to intervene from the pre-licensure educationalstage with the hope of positively affecting future practice.Methods: Law students and psychiatric residents were brought together to interact with each other and with instructors from the two fields through the Law and Psychiatry interprofessional seminar series. We examined the attitudes and perceived co-operation of learners in this seminar in comparison to a control group of law students (Human Rights class) who did not have any interprofessional interaction.Findings: Learners in the interprofessional seminar series reported more positive attitudes toward members of the other profession after completing the course. Additional positive changes in the level of perception of and actual co-operation with the other profession were noted with high satisfaction among participants.Conclusions: Learning activities that can foster positive interactions with and understanding of other professions may improve relations and collaboration in interprofessional education. The potential impact and benefit for the patient and the system are worthwhile.
Collaborative Inter-relational Healthcare Research: A Conceptual Framework Informed by a Qualitative Enquiry
Authors: Soever Leslie J. , Veinot Paula L. , Bell Mary J.
Published: March 2018

Background: Interprofessional education is an important precursor to developing collaborative interprofessional healthcare teams. Both have been studied extensively. Less is known about factors contributing to successful interprofessional research. This study examined the perspectives of members of an interprofessional healthcare research team regarding their involvement as research team members.Methods & Findings: Phase 1: Semi-structured one-on-one interviews were conducted with research team members. Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Each transcript was analyzed using a comparative contrast approach. Concepts emerging from the data were categorized broadly under the following themes: raison d’être, key elements of an interprofessional research team, communication, unavoidable logistics, and what is the value? Phase 2: Upon completion of the analysis, a preliminary conceptual framework for conducting interprofessional healthcare research was proposed and presented to the research team. Phase 3: A validation process was undertaken to further define the framework.Conclusions: Key components of the conceptual framework included values (trust, respect for each other, and common interest[s]) and structural prerequisites (expertise in the topic area, funding, team leadership time, associated workload, organized and co-ordinated management, and forums for multi-modal communication).
Becoming a Nursing and Social Work Student: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis of Interprofessional Education
Authors: Allen Daniel Christopher , Baker Tracey , Rootes David Leonard
Published: March 2018

Background: The call for interprofessional nursing and social work education in the United Kingdom has led to the development of a singularly integrated nursing and social work degree. Although evidence exists to highlight the impact of this degree in practice, details of the experience of interprofessional nursing and social work education have not been studied in equal depth.Methods and Findings: Guided by the tenets of interpretive phenomenological analysis, six students who had recently completed the first year of a nursing and social work degree were asked to describe their experiences of interprofessional education. The dominant theme that emerged from analysis highlighted the importance of providing students with a bespoke curriculum, which could communicate their full and inclusive integration. Where this was not achieved, students explained that they could become confused by increased workloads and a sense of separatism.Conclusions: When combining nursing and social work into a single degree, pedagogic strategies must be confidently prepared to deliver a specific interprofessional nursing and social work curriculum. Above all, this curriculum must demonstrate an integrated philosophy and distinctive orientation to inclusive interprofessional education.
Harmonious Healthcare Teams: What Healthcare Professionals Can and Cannot Learn from Chamber Musicians
Authors: Whitehead Clare M.C. , Whitehead Cynthia , McLaughlin Gabrielle F.D. , Austin Zubin
Published: March 2018

Background: As healthcare becomes increasingly team based, we need new ways of educating trainees to be collaborative team members. One approach is to look to other professions that have developed highly effective ways of collaborating. Doctors have already turned to musicians for specific lessons; however, as of yet, there has been little empirical study of the ways that musicians interact in ensembles, or analysis of how this might provide insights for healthcare. Our hypothesis is that healthcare teams might learn from understanding collaborative practices of chamber musicians.Methods and Findings: We undertook an exploratory study of professional musicians playing in non-conducted ensembles. We used semi-structured interviews to explore factors the musicians considered important for effective group function. The interviews were transcribed and coded thematically. We identified three prominent themes that have relevance for healthcare teams.Conclusions: The highly individual nature of each musical group’s identity suggests that a focus on generic interprofessional education skills development may be insufficient. Furthermore, musicians’ understanding of the fundamental role of non-melodic parts provides the possibility of more nuanced leadership models. Finally, essential differences between musicians’ interactions in rehearsals and performances highlight the importance of varied forms of group interactions.
Action, Reflection, and Evolution: A Pilot Implementation of Interprofessional Education across Three Rehabilitation Disciplines
Authors: Paslawski Teresa , Kahlke Renate , Hatch Tara , Hall Mark , McFarlane Lu-Anne , Norton Barbara , Taylor Elizabeth , King Sharla
Published: March 2018

Background: Interprofessional collaboration (IPC) is accepted as standard practice in healthcare. Because of this expectation, there is an increased need for growth in interprofessional education (IPE). Despite this need, the scholarship of IPE is limited. To better understand the challenges of IPE and improve on future endeavours, this article describes an IPE collaboration that was less successful, and the conclusions drawn from team reflection regarding IPE. We report on the challenges and the lessons learned.Methods and Findings: After one year of an IPE pilot project, the research team conducted a reflection exercise involving three iterations: 1) initial group meeting to discuss reflection questions, 2) individual review of meeting notes, 3) subsequent group meeting to confirm accuracy of the data. The confirmed data were then analyzed using thematic analysis.Conclusions: The key themes that emerged regarding the limited success of the pilot were focused on communication—between members of the research team, with the students, and with other faculty impacted by the pilot. Recommendations regarding improvements to facilitate future IPE initiatives are discussed. The summary conclusion of our exercise acknowledged that as IP educators we must remain vigilant to demonstrate IPC in the same manner as we teach it.
Community Partnership Interprofessional Program as Pedagogy: Process Outcomes and Faculty Impressions
Authors: Littleton Mary Ann , Silver Ken Z. , Grover Susan L. , Ward Rachel , Byington Randy L. , Florence Joseph A.
Published: March 2018

Background: Since 1992, East Tennessee State University (ETSU) has augmented traditional health professions curricula with community-based, experiential learning through the Community Partnership Interprofessional Rural Health Program. The program was expanded in 2005 by including more interprofessional faculty, students, and community partners. Interprofessional teams of students and faculty work with community organizations to identify health needs and assets and implement health education programs or services.Methods and Findings: Course process outcomes were compiled from a survey of section reports and presentations. Faculty impressions of being involved in the course were gathered through conducting interviews with five interprofessional faculty. From 2005–2011, community partners included individuals, groups, and organizations within seven counties in Tennessee. Forty programs and services have been implemented through the program during the past seven years. Faculty reported the main reasons for being involved are their interests in interprofessional education and working in communities. Faculty also cited 12 different types of teaching strategies (pedagogical approaches) employed through the course.Conclusions: The Community Partnership Interprofessional Rural Health Program at ETSU is a testing ground for the unique combination of communitybased learning and interprofessional health education. Study findings demonstrate how the course has benefited faculty, students, and communities.
“The Power of Many Minds Working Together”: Qualitative Study of an Interprofessional, Service-Learning Capstone Course
Authors: Leander Sheila Adams , Maloney S. Maggie , Ruebling Irma , Banks Rebecca , Pole David , Kettenbach Ginge
Published: March 2018

Background: An interprofessional faculty group analyzed a critical reflection assignment of students in a service-learning practicum interprofessional education (IPE) course. Students were from ten programs: physical therapy, occupational therapy, nuclear medicine technology, radiation therapy, athletic training, nursing, investigative medical science, cytotechnology, nutrition and dietetics, and clinical laboratory science. Research questions investigated what the assignments revealed about students’ application of beliefs, emotions, and behaviours, and if course objectives were met.Methods and Findings: This qualitative study retrospectively analyzed one critical reflection from the course conducted in 2011. Researchers selected a stratified sample of 40 assignments from a population of 278. Nine major themes emerged: achieving IPE outcomes, engaging in team process, learning culture/community engagement, being client/patient centred, becoming aware of behaviours, experiencing barriers, articulating beliefs, connecting with course objectives, and expressing emotions.Conclusions: In an IPE practicum course, transformative learning was evident. Students articulated beliefs, emotions, and behaviours related to interprofessional teamwork. Students expressed detailed understanding of team processes. For future research, critical reflection assignments were useful to assess student beliefs, emotions, and behaviours in a practicum course. We suggest studying practice among health professionals who have experienced IPE compared with those who have not had IPE in their professional curricula.
Curricular Factors that Unintentionally Affect Learning in a Community-Based Interprofessional Education Program: The Student Perspective
Authors: Doucet Shelley Anne , MacKenzie Diane , Loney Elaine , Godden-Webster Anne , Lauckner Heidi , Brown Peggy Alexiadis , Andrews Cynthia , Packer Tanya L.
Published: March 2018

Background: The Dalhousie Health Mentors Program (DHMP) is a community-based, pre-licensure interprofessional education initiative that aims to prepare health professional students for collaborative practice in the care of patients with chronic conditions. This program evaluation explores the students’ 1) learning and plans to incorporate skills into future practice; 2) ratings of program content, delivery, and assignments; 3) perspectives of curricular factors that inadvertently acted as barriers to learning; and 4) program improvement suggestions.Methods: All students (N = 745) from the 16 participating health programs were invited to complete an online mixed methods program evaluation survey at the conclusion of the 2012–2013 DHMP. A total of 295 students (40% response rate) responded to the Likert-type questions analyzed using descriptive and non-parametric statistics. Of these students, 204 (69%) provided responses to 10 open-ended questions, which were analyzed thematically.Findings: While the majority of respondents agreed that they achieved the DHMP learning objectives, the mixed-methods approach identified curriculum integration, team composition, and effectiveness of learning assignments as factors that unintentionally acted as barriers to learning, with three key student recommendations for program improvement.Conclusions: Educators and program planners need to be aware that even well-intended learning activities may result in unintended experiences that hamper interprofessional learning.