Search Results (45)

Pharmacy and nursing professions collaborate closely in healthcare settings. Effective interprofessional practice is now widely recognised as essential for achieving optimal patient care outcomes. Little has been published on nursing-pharmacy Interprofessional learning (IPL) in a simulated environment in Australian contexts. This study aimed to evaluate whether an IPL activity improved participants’ communication confidence, role understanding, clinical knowledge, and preparedness for hospital placement, while also assessing student satisfaction and identifying areas for improvement. A pedagogically structured teaching and learning model was developed, involving a high-fidelity on-campus simulated hospital ward, supplemented with a virtual online environment to immerse nursing and pharmacy students in a realistic clinical environment to achieve deep learning in preparation for safe practice. An online anonymous survey was conducted to evaluate participants’ experience and preparedness following the simulation. 280 students participated and 52 completed the evaluation. Most students reported that the experience boosted their confidence in communicating with other healthcare professionals (82%), increased clinical/therapeutic knowledge (86%), gave them a better understanding of the roles of nurses/pharmacists within the hospital setting (88%) and left them feeling better prepared for hospital placement (85%). Student free-text responses from the evaluation survey further supported the expansion of the IPL sessions in the future. IPL involving nursing and pharmacy students in a simulated hospital builds confidence in communicating and increases self-reported preparedness for placement. Full article

Background and Rationale: Visceral disorders, both functional and organic, significantly impact health-related quality of life and pose a challenge for healthcare systems. Osteopathy offers manual, systemic, and patient-centered approaches for their management, yet these remain controversial due to limited scientific support and methodological inconsistencies. In the evolving landscape of healthcare regulation in Europe, and particularly in Italy, exploring clinical reasoning and operational models in visceral osteopathy is essential. This study aimed to explore the beliefs, clinical reasoning, and management strategies of experienced Italian osteopaths in the treatment of visceral disorders using a Constructivist Grounded Theory approach. Methods: This qualitative study applied a Constructivist Grounded Theory approach to explore the beliefs and clinical practices of 10 experienced Italian osteopaths. Semi-structured interviews were transcribed, coded, and thematically analyzed, integrating literature comparisons to support theory generation. Results: Four core themes emerged: (1) education and professional development, (2) definition and identification of visceral disorders, (3) clinical management strategies, and (4) multidisciplinary collaboration. The findings reveal marked heterogeneity in diagnostic frameworks and treatment rationales, often driven by tradition and subjective interpretation rather than empirical evidence. Palpatory assessments were frequently prioritized over patient-reported outcomes. Conclusion: The study highlights substantial fragmentation in Italian visceral osteopathic practice, echoing challenges across Europe. Promoting a shift towards critical thinking, evidence-based models, shared terminology, and interprofessional integration is essential for contextualising osteopathic contributions to the care of individuals presenting with visceral-related problems. These findings provide insights into the fragmented clinical practices of Italian osteopaths and may contribute to shaping a more critical and evidence-informed approach within Italian osteopathic practice and professional development, which is now more relevant than ever, given the recent integration of osteopathy into the Italian higher education system. Full article

Background: The quality of palliative care (PC) services is closely linked to the effectiveness of interdisciplinary collaboration. A coordinated approach among professionals from different fields fosters holistic, person-centered care, ensuring comprehensive support for patients with complex conditions and their families. In hospital settings, In-Hospital Palliative Care Support Teams (EIHSCPs) play a key role in delivering specialized care, enhancing interdepartmental communication, training other healthcare professionals, and optimizing resources. Strong leadership by PC specialists, combined with effective team management, contributes to symptom relief, improved quality of life, and cost reduction. However, interdisciplinary collaboration presents challenges, including competing priorities, resource constraints, and communication barriers. Despite its recognized benefits, research on its implementation in PC, particularly in Portugal, remains scarce. Objective: This study explores the perspectives and practices of professionals within an EIHSCP, examining team dynamics, interprofessional collaboration, and key facilitators and barriers. Methods: Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with physicians, nurses, psychologists, and social workers from the EIHSCP in the Médio Tejo region. Data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis. Results: The interview findings were organized into three themes: (1) Social Representations and Interdisciplinary Practice; (2) Competencies for Interdisciplinary Practice; and (3) Challenges in Interdisciplinary Practice. Participants consistently highlighted that interdisciplinary collaboration enhances communication between services and improves care quality. While teamwork is central, patient- and family-centered care remains the priority. Key competencies include empathy, ethics, active listening, and cultural sensitivity, alongside structural and procedural elements such as team meetings, integrated communication, and clear referral criteria. Continuous education and professional development are essential. Challenges primarily stem from limited human and material resources, staff workload and stress, communication gaps between hospital and community teams, and insufficient institutional recognition. Suggested improvements focus on investing in ongoing training, strengthening communication and inter-institutional collaboration, and revising the organizational model of PC within Portugal’s National Health Service. Conclusions: Interdisciplinary collaboration in PC is fundamental for holistic, patient-centered care but is hindered by structural and organizational barriers. Full article

Background. A major goal for a significant portion of the osteopathic community is to update osteopathic principles, satisfying three needs: sourcing from the origin, proposing original and unique practical approaches, and describing the entire process in a scientifically updated way. On this line, several interprofessional proposals for healthcare providers have already been made by implementing patient-centered care and touch-based strategies informed by the enactive model. Enactivism principles can provide a foundation for rethinking osteopathic care by integrating environmental, psychological, social, and existential factors to facilitate the patient’s biobehavioral synchronization with the environment and social context, address health needs, and enhance the quality of multiprofessional healthcare services. However, there is a need to develop a conceptual model that offers a framework for organizing and interpreting disciplinary knowledge, guiding clinical observation and practical strategies, and defining both interprofessional collaboration and the unique focus of the profession. This scoping review and integrative hypothesis aim to fulfill the need for a more detailed and comprehensive understanding of the distinctive osteopathic care to biobehavioral synchrony, emphasizing both interprofessional collaboration and the profession’s unique competencies. Methods. The present article was developed in accordance with established guidelines for writing biomedical scoping reviews. Results. A total of 36 papers were considered for thematic and qualitative analyses, which supported the integrative hypothesis. Considering the current tenets for osteopathic rational practice, we propose an integrative hypothesis to focus on a practical framework for osteopathic patient biobehavioral synchronization. Patient–practitioner–environment synchronization could be promoted through a four-step process: (1) a narrative-based sense-making and decision-making process; (2) a touch-based shared sense-making and decision-making process; (3) hands-on, mindfulness-based osteopathic manipulative treatment; (4) patient active participatory osteopathic approaches to enhance person-centered care and rational practice. Conclusions and future directions: The proposed model fosters patient–practitioner synchronization by integrating updated traditional osteopathic narratives and body representations into practice, offering a culturally sensitive approach to promoting health, addressing contemporary health needs, and improving inclusive health services. Future studies are required to assess the transferability and applicability of this framework in modern settings worldwide. Full article

This perspective lays out the challenges and conundrums facing global health and discusses possible solutions applicable in the future. The world is facing numerous challenges that include those associated with globalization, climate change, emerging diseases, continuation of non-communicable diseases, reemerging communicable diseases, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), wars, terrorism, and humanitarian crises, among others. The recent challenges exaggerated by the COVID-19 pandemic have exposed vulnerabilities within healthcare systems, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). The solutions must be interprofessional and multifarious with collaborative efforts and partnerships. One world order seems to be a far-fetched ideal utopian goal, but it can be a remedy for ensuring health for all. In the meantime, strengthening the World Health Organization’s role in coordinating global health efforts and improving its capacity to respond to future health crises will be critical in ensuring that the vision of a unified, healthier world becomes a reality. Full article

Based on the importance of communication and teamwork in veterinary practice, we explored the impact of a blended learning course designed to enhance interprofessional communication skills among veterinary students and apprentice assistants. The blended learning course design included online modules, synchronous (online) seminars, and simulation training sessions. The asynchronous online elements should complement the varied schedules of different professions and meet the individual needs of participants, especially considering the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The course structure, evaluations, and outcomes were documented, showing a positive impact on knowledge gain concerning communication and self-assessment in communication skills. In the pretest, the participants scored 43.18% correct answers to a knowledge test, whereas 71.50% correct answers were given in the posttest. Some participants indicated an improvement in the self-assessment of their skills. For example, before the training only 13.64% answered the question “How prepared do you feel regarding your communication skills for entering the profession?” with “Very good” or “Good”, versus 50.00% in the posttest. There were also only 22.73% of participants who agreed to having sufficient understanding of the roles of other professional groups, while in the posttest, 81.82% agreed. The evaluations highlighted positive feedback on the organization, learning environment, and overall course structure. However, challenges such as limited resources, especially time and financial constraints, influenced the implementation and ongoing development of the course. Subsequent runs of the course could gather more data to further improve the teaching of veterinary interprofessional communication. This ongoing data collection would allow continuous insights into and adjustments to the teaching methods, ensuring maximum benefit for veterinary students and apprentice assistants. Full article

Addressing equity in healthcare is fundamental for delivering safe care to vulnerable patients, especially during COVID-19. This paper aims to identify barriers and enabling factors for general practitioners (GPs) in delivering safe and equitable care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Semi-structured interviews took place during May–July 2020 among 18 Flemish and 16 Dutch GPs. Thematic analysis of the interviews demonstrated that while GPs acknowledged a smooth information flow by governments and professional organizations on care guidelines, the fast-changing information challenged them to stay up to date. Media communication facilitated information dissemination but also fueled misinformation and miscommunication, creating unrealistic patient expectations. Certain guidelines and patient reluctance delayed necessary care. A shortage of personal protective equipment made GPs concerned about patient safety during face-to-face contacts. Teleconsultations became a popular alternative, but posed increased patient safety risks. GPs struggled to identify and reach vulnerable patients. Equitable care was hindered by time constraints; thus, having the appropriate materials facilitated such care. An interprofessional collaboration involving paramedical, social, and city services benefited patient safety and equity in healthcare. However, limitations in this collaboration pressured GPs. The unprecedented and resource-constrained environment challenged GPs’ capacity to provide the healthcare quality they aspired to deliver. A well-structured collaborative network involving all stakeholders could benefit safe and equitable care in future pandemics. Full article

The brain and its health are essential for our (physical mental, social, and spiritual) wellbeing, for being able to realize our potential as individuals, and also for a fair, well-functioning, and productive society. However, today the world is facing a healthcare crisis related to the very high (and increasing) burden of brain disorders. As a response to this crisis, the “Swiss Brain Health Plan” (SBHP) was conceptualized in the context of other initiatives launched to value, promote, and protect brain health over the entire life course. In the first section of this position paper, the following fundamental considerations of the SBHP are discussed: (1) the high (and increasing) burden of brain disorders in terms of prevalence (>50% of the population suffers from a brain disorder), disability, mortality, and costs; (2) the prevention of brain disorders; (3) the operational definition of brain health; (4) determinants of brain health; (5) international initiatives to promote brain (including mental) health including the World Health Organization (WHO) intersectorial global action plan on epilepsy and other neurological disorders (NDs) (IGAP) and the WHO comprehensive mental health action plan. In the second section of the paper, the five strategic objectives of the SBHP, which has the vision of promoting brain health for all across the entire life course, are presented: (1) to raise awareness; (2) strengthen cross-disciplinary and interprofessional training/educational programs for healthcare professionals; (3) foster research on brain health determinants and individualized prevention of brain disorders; (4) prioritize a holistic (non-disease-specific), integrated, person-centered public health approach to promote brain health and prevent brain disorders through collaborations across scientific, health care, commercial, societal and governmental stakeholders and insurance providers; (5) support, empower, and engage patients, caregivers, and patient organizations, and reduce the stigma and discrimination related to brain disorders. In the third section of the paper, the first (2024) steps in the implementation of the SHBP, which will be officially launched in Zurich on 22 November 2023, are presented: (1) a definition of the overall organization, governance, specific targets, and action areas of the SBHP; (2) the patronage and/or co-organization of events on such specific topics as brain research (Lausanne), dementia (Geneva), stroke (Basel), neurohumanities (Bellinzona), sleep (Lugano), and psychiatry (Zurich); (3) the conduction of a new study on the global burden of brain disorders in Switzerland; (4) the launching of an international Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) on Brain Health at the University of Bern. In the fourth section of the paper, there is a concise executive summary of the SBHP. Full article

Lifelong learning has been integral to advancement of the nutrition and dietetics profession and its practitioners. Both the United States (US) Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (Academy) advocate for continuous skill development and professional growth. Responding to evolving environmental trends and diverse practice perspectives, the CDR joined the Joint Accreditation for Interprofessional Continuing Education organization in 2020, and the CDR is transforming its own continuing professional education (CPE) requirements and prior-approval program. This paper presents a historical perspective and a current state narrative review, chronicling past and recent developments in nutrition and dietetics CPE in the US, including opportunities for reflective learning and interprofessional continuing education (IPCE). Also explored are the establishment and expansion of the Joint Accreditation organization and its standards, as well as applicable case examples. Additionally, this paper outlines the CDR and the Academy’s strategies for advancing inclusion, diversity, equity, and access (IDEA) within the profession and identifies how CPE advancements may facilitate accessible and equitable CPE for an increasingly diverse membership of practitioners. Nutrition and dietetics professionals stand to benefit from a more comprehensive understanding of changes in CPE and the opportunities they may bring to the future of the profession. Full article

Paediatric palliative care is pivotal for addressing the complex needs of children with incurable diseases and their families. While home-based care offers a familiar and supportive environment, delivering comprehensive services in this context is challenging. The existing literature on home-based palliative care lacks detailed guidance for its organization and implementation. This qualitative narrative inquiry explores the organization and provision of home-based paediatric palliative care. Data were collected from healthcare practitioners using conversations, storytelling, and reflective journaling. Schwind’s Narrative Reflective Process was applied to synthesize the data, resulting in an in-depth case description. The narrative approach illuminates the complexities of home-based paediatric palliative, end-of-life, and after-death care. Key findings encompass the importance of early-care coordination, interprofessional collaboration, effective symptom management, emotional and psychosocial support, and comprehensive end-of-life planning. Through the case study of the child patient, the challenges and strategies for providing holistic, family-centred care within the home environment are described. Practical insights gained from this report can inform the development and improvement of home-based palliative care programs, benefiting researchers, practitioners, and policymakers seeking to optimize care for children and families in similar contexts. Full article

Research on organizational culture and teamwork is progressing substantially, and the interest in understanding culture as an organizational phenomenon and its links with other variables of organizations are perspectives that need to be considered to obtain a better understanding and knowledge of achieving organizational aims. The objective of this study was to analyze the research and its contributions to organizational culture and teamwork through indicators of quantity, quality and structure. The information was obtained from the Scopus and Web of Science databases through structured search equations. The bibliographic data were merged and processed using Microsoft Excel, and by applying and using the PRISMA 2020 statement, 836 records were obtained. VOSviewer software was used to map networks, overlay displays and analyze keyword densities. The findings revealed that organizational culture and teamwork are constantly expanding and being researched in different organizations, with studies relating organizational culture and teamwork to knowledge management, patient safety culture, knowledge exchange, interprofessional collaboration and innovation. The maximum number of publications on the topic occurred in 2019. As indicated by VOSviewer, the keyword communication was associated with three of the identified clusters, and the research agenda proposed the expanding of themes related to leadership, knowledge exchange, knowledge management, interprofessional collaboration and safety climate. Full article

The food system plays a crucial role in the relationship between environmental, population and individual health. While leading healthcare and environmental organizations call for urgent action to address climate–planetary–human health crises, it is often challenging for healthcare organizations to respond at a systems level to these concerns. Additionally, there is little consensus and limited research exploring how future health professionals should be trained in order to work at both the individual and systems level to address or prevent the negative health impacts related to the current food system. The intervention of a 6-week, hands-on cooking and nutrition course for graduate health professional students which examines these intersections and equips students with clinically applicable skills was examined using matched pre- and post-course surveys and thematic analysis of reflective assignments. Results indicate improved knowledge and confidence in areas including understanding the food system, guiding patients through dietary change, working interprofessionally, and applying basic nutrition concepts to clinical practice. Full article

According to the Institute of Medicine, immediate steps must be taken across the United States to educate and train the healthcare workforce to work collaboratively to address the needs of the growing older adult population. The Geriatric Practice Leadership Institute (GPLI) was designed to support professional teams working in acute and post-acute care in transforming their organization into a designated Age-Friendly Health System. The program was built around the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Age-Friendly Health Systems 4Ms framework. This framework focuses on What Matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility (the 4Ms) in supporting care for older adults. The GPLI program is an online, seven-month team-based program with four to seven participants from one organization per team. Additionally, each team selected, developed, and completed a quality improvement project based on Age-Friendly Health Systems 4Ms. The curriculum also includes organizational culture, leadership, and interprofessional team-building modules. Using a post-completion survey, the experiences of 41 participants in the GPLI program were assessed. All respondents found the information in the program ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ valuable, and their executive sponsor ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ valuable in supporting their team’s involvement and project. The GPLI program has trained over 200 healthcare professionals and teams that have successfully implemented projects across their organizations. Full article

(1) Background: The Master of Clinical Science program (MClSc) in Advanced Healthcare Practice at (University) introduced a new “Interprofessional Pain Management” (IPM) field in September 2019. The purpose of this study is to inquire into the following research question: What are MClSc Interprofessional Pain Management students’ lived experiences of participating in pain management education? (2) This study followed an interpretivist research design. The text that was considered central to descriptions of the lived experience of participating in the IPM program was highlighted and organized into a spreadsheet and then sorted into themes. (3) Results: Five themes in regard to the lived experiences of participating in the first cohort of the MClSc IPM program were identified: Reflection on Stagnation in Professional Disciplines; Meaning Making Through Dialogue with Like-Minded Learners; Challenging Ideas and Critical Thinking at Play; Interprofessionalism as Part of Ideal Practice; and Becoming a Competent Person-Centred Partner in Pain Care. (4) Conclusions: This program offers a unique approach to learning while creating an online platform to work, collaborate, and challenge like-minded experts in the field of pain. In doing this research, we hope that more practitioners will work towards the goal of becoming competent, person-centered pain care providers. Full article

The prevalence of oral diseases in the older adult population remains high worldwide and is expected to surge in the coming decade. The World Health Organization (WHO) has listed the oral health of older adults as one of its pivotal concerns. Oral health affects general health, and oral diseases increase mortality and morbidity in older adults. Integrating oral health into the general health service with a patient-centred approach can be an effective way to improve oral and systemic health for older adults simultaneously. This integration tackles the shared risk factors of both oral and noncommunicable diseases, aids in the early detection of systemic disease, strengthens health surveillance, enhances efficient data sharing, and allows for the better allocation of resources and the workforce in the healthcare system. However, the oral healthcare sector operates as an isolated field, with an emphasis on intervention rather than prevention, which presents a key challenge to the success of integration. Therefore, refocusing oral healthcare service on prevention is paramount. In addition, approaches taken in clinical practice implementation, interprofessional education and training, technology and innovation, research and evaluation, advocacy by national professional oral healthcare organizations, and policy making will ensure the efficient, effective, and long-term integration of oral and general health services. Integrating these services would foster the accessibility and affordability of oral healthcare services for older adults to improve their oral health and overall well-being in the coming decade. This review aims to discuss the merits and outline the challenges of integrating oral health into general health services for older adults and to propose the approaches that could be taken. Full article