Attitudes and knowledge of students in the allied health professions toward their future professional team members

The investigators wished to explore final-year allied health students' knowledge of their future colleagues. A survey developed by Felsher and Ross (1994) was adapted and administered to 35 occupational therapy (OT), 35 physical therapy (PT), and 35 speech-language pathology (SLP) students. Findings suggested that all students had a good understanding and knowledge of their own professions. Differences were found among the three groups of students regarding their understanding of other disciplines and the overlap in OT and SLP roles. Specifically, OT and SLP students perceived their own professions as the primary providers of cognitive treatment. Ways to foster student understanding and collaboration are suggested.     

Attitudes of physical therapist students toward physical therapist assistants before and after full-time clinical internships

Development of attitudes of physical therapists (PTs) toward physical therapist assistants (PTAs) begins during their professional education, and attitudes are influenced further by clinical experiences. The purpose of this study was to understand attitudes of student PTs toward PTAs. We surveyed 66 clinical intern students enrolled in an entry-level master of physical therapy program. PT students received the same survey before and after their full-time clinical internship. Eleven Likert scale items were used to assess students' attitudes toward PTAs in the areas of competence, financial remuneration, and job security. One item was designed to determine whether PT students' level of contact with PTAs influenced attitudes. A random sample of 13 (20.9%) students who returned surveys were asked to participate in a telephone interview designed to enrich the quantitative data. After item analysis, five of the scale items were eliminated from the analyses due to poor internal consistency. Cronbach's alpha of the remaining six scale items was 0.75. Survey results reveal that PT students maintain an overall positive attitude toward PTAs before and after full-time clinical internship. Qualitative interview data support this finding. Students' attitudes in specific areas of PTA competence were negative and positive, however. The negative attitude may have been based on the students' beliefs that PTAs are not competent to perform physical therapy in situations that are changing or unpredictable. Positive attitudes may have been reflective of the students' beliefs that PTAs are competent to implement established plans of care. Student ranking of four professional issues showed a significant difference before and after full-time clinical internships.     

Interprofessional training in the context of clinical practice: goals and students' perceptions on clinical education wards

AIMS: This paper describes the context of interprofessional training on clinical education wards (CEWs) and reports students' perceptions of this type of interprofessional and professional training. CONTEXT: A 2-week interprofessional clinical course was designed for medical students in their surgical eighth term, and nursing, occupational therapy and physiotherapy students, all in their sixth term. Clinical tutors were responsible for the patients and also supervised the students. The goals for the students included: to provide the patients with good medical care, nursing and rehabilitation; to develop their own professional roles; to enhance their level of understanding of the other professions; to stress the importance of good communication for teamwork and for patient care; to enhance understanding of the role of the patient, and to become more aware of ethical aspects of health care. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A questionnaire developed by teachers from the 4 educational departments was used. A total of 962 students responded (78%). RESULTS: The CEWs provided the students with good clinical practice in terms of training in their own professions as well in learning more about the other professions. The importance of good communication for teamwork and for patient care was recognised. The quality of supervision and students' perception of their own professional roles were important factors regarding satisfaction with the CEW course. CONCLUSIONS: The CEW course seemed to provide the students with an opportunity to develop their own professional roles and their functions as team members.     

The influence of fieldwork on the preferred future practice areas of final year occupational therapy students

The student fieldwork experience has been recognised as an important influence on the areas of occupational therapy practice pursued by clinicians after graduation. The recruitment patterns of graduate occupational therapists is a key issue, especially in clinical areas such as rural practice and mental health. This study aimed to investigate the future practice preferences of 50 final year occupational therapy students from two occupational therapy schools in New South Wales, in relationship to their fieldwork experience, using a focus group and a survey. General physical dysfunction was the most popular area of future practice for this group. Results suggested that fieldwork influenced students through the programme content, the timing of placements, supervision, and students' personal responses to their experiences. The study also demonstrated that students use the fieldwork experience to guide their decision to enter an area of practice.     

Social issues in medicine: a follow-up comparison of senior-year medical students'' attitudes with contemporaries in non-medical faculties

A comparison of first-year medical students' attitudes to social issues in medicine with attitudes of non-medical first-year students in 1983 found that the medical group was less conservative towards general social issues but more conservative in relation to those areas which closely affect the doctor's role, particularly the place of allied health professions and government intervention in health care. This paper reports a follow-up study of the same groups of students when they had reached senior years in their respective courses. While medical student conservatism on general social issues continues to be no greater than other student groups there is a marked increase in conservatism of attitudes towards government involvement in health care and regulation of costs. Attitudes to allied health professions and preventive care remain unchanged but senior medical students are significantly less likely to recognize social factors as determinants of illness than they were when they commenced the study of medicine. Specific curricular attention to social and behavioural medicine does not appear to counteract the predominantly biomedical perspective students experience in teaching hospitals, the major venue for their clinical education.     

医学生农村基层择业意向调查及因素分析——基于甘肃省的调查

目的:基于甘肃省数据,调查医学院校毕业生农村基层择业意向,分析其影响因素,为农村卫生人力资源决策提供参考依据。方法:问卷调查甘肃省六所医学高校临床及护理专业临近毕业的学生(本科生五年级、专科生三年级,不包括甘肃省订单定向医学生),采用卡方检验和二元Logistic回归对统计资料进行分析。结果:具有农村基层择业意向的医学生占55.6%,其中,专科生是本科生的2.3倍;"非常愿意"去基层工作的医学生占比为13.8%;家庭人均收入低、月薪期望值不高、农村户籍、了解农村基层就业政策的医学生更容易选择去基层就业。结论:医学生农村基层择业意向受自身因素(学历、户籍等)、卫生人力干预政策、学校就业指导、社会环境等诸多因素影响。卫生决策及管理部门需要综合考虑上述因素,通过推行合理的招募政策,加强农村基层医疗技术设备及基础设施建设,改善农村基层就业环境和职业发展机会,强化医学生就业指导工作等策略,增强医学生农村基层择业意向。     

Development, implementation, and short-term effectiveness of an interprofessional education course in a school of health professions

It is accepted that interprofessional education (IPE) has positive benefits for health profession students, including effective communication, increased teamwork skills, and better appreciation for the roles of other health professions. However, the question remains of how to effectively deliver IPE for health professions students in an educational environment. To address this problem, the University of Texas Southwestern School of Health Professions developed an IPE course, Interdisciplinary Development, Education, and Active Learning (IDEAL), incorporating seven disciplines represented within the school. The hypothesis was that a two-semester exposure to the new curriculum and related activities would have a significant positive influence on students' understanding of the elements required for effective communication (e.g., listening and interpersonal skills), teamwork skills, and understanding the roles of other health professions. An assessment of a student's understanding of communication and teamwork skills was administered on the first and last day of the IDEAL course to test the hypothesis and determine if course objectives of improving student's communication and teamwork skills were met. Questions were divided into three focus areas of teamwork, listening, and interpersonal communication. Findings showed a significant (p < 0.016) increase in scores for all three areas, the largest being in teamwork. Also, results from an anonymous, open-ended survey of the overall IDEAL course at the end of the course showed overwhelming consensus regarding the success and effectiveness of the healthcare team grand rounds presentations from which the students learned about other professions and their roles on the healthcare team in a case-based format.     

Health Care Students’ Attitudes Towards Working with Sexual Health in Their Professional Roles: Survey of Students at Nursing,Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Programmes

The aim of this study was to explore differences and similarities in health care students’ attitudes towards working with and communicating with patients about sexual health issues in their future professions. The aim was also to explore whether the students’ gender, age and future professions were influencing factors and whether there was a change in attitude depending on educational levels, gender, age and future professions. The study also aimed to explore the potential development of those differences and similarities in attitudes between health care students having achieved different levels of education and training in their future professions. A cross-sectional quantitative study was performed with an online survey distributed to nursing, occupational therapy and physiotherapy students. The students believed that they needed increased sexual health education and increased communication skills about sexual health. Gender and future profession are factors that significantly affect the attitudes of the students towards working with sexual health. Nursing and occupational therapy students have a more positive attitude towards addressing sexual health in their future professions than do physiotherapy students. Further research is needed in this field to improve competence in sexual health for all student groups, particularly physiotherapy students. Further research is also needed to explore the significance of gender regarding education in sexual health and attitudes towards working with sexual health.     

更新家长观念，引导医护毕业生多元化就业

目的：探讨更新家长观念对引导学生就业的作用。方法：以问卷调查形式，了解并分析家长在开展就业活动前后对专业认识、就业观念、实习选择等方面的变化。通过针对学生及家长开展一系列就业指导工作，更新家长的就业观念，引导学生扩大就业思路，到省外大城市去实习就业，到乡镇医院、社区医院去就业。结果：2007届、2008届学生家长在学生入学时、实习前后对专业认识、就业观念、实习选择等方面有了许多变化；家长的就业观念对中专学生的就业有一定的影响。结论：医学中专生顺利就业必须更新家长的就业观念。就业指导专业认识就业观念     

Perceptions of competency attainment in clinical dietetics: academic Plan IV vs. dietetic internships

A national survey of all Plan IV representatives and dietetic internship directors in programs with a general or clinical emphasis was conducted to determine the level of competence in clinical dietetics expected of Plan IV graduates. Dietetic interns were asked to rate themselves on competency attainment at the beginning and near the end of the internship. The ADA's Role Delineation Study for Entry-level Personnel in Clinical Dietetics was used as the basis for the survey questionnaire. Completed questionnaires were returned by 137 Plan IV representatives (54%), 71 dietetic internship directors (75%), and 530 dietetic interns (62%). Highly significant differences were found among the three groups. Plan IV representatives had higher expectations of students than internship directors. Interns consistently rated their competency levels for all responsibilities below those indicated by either group of directors. All three groups indicated that students were better prepared for client-focus responsibilities than for professional or organizational-level responsibilities. Interns' self-ratings suggested that similar amounts of learning occurred in each of the three areas during the internship. Nutrition-related work experience immediately prior to the internship influenced students' perceived competency level at the beginning of the internship, but differences between those students and the ones with other or no work experience were overcome as students neared the end of their internships. For most major responsibilities, the students' perceived levels of competence did not change after the first few months of the internship.     

Are Physicians Educable?

Third-year medical students on their pediatric rotation at the University of New Mexico (UNM) are assigned to spend two mornings with school nurses at the students' choice of schools. Each student is given a list of goals and questions relating to those goals to guide his/her experience. Following the two sessions, each student answers a questionnaire testing understanding of aspects of the school nurse's work and interrelationships between school nurses and physicians. Of the first 67 students responding to the questionnaire, 66 found the program valuable and worthy of continuation. The medical students' understanding of the capabilities and limitations of the nurses whose work they observed appeared excellent. Two-thirds of the students perceive poor communication with physicians as a major frustration for the nurses. Their appreciation of this need, plus their ability to recognize the many capabilities of school nurses, should result in better interaction between the two professions.     

医患关系现状对医学生择业和就业影响的分析

摘要:目的　调查在校医学生对医患关系现状的认知情况,并探讨其对医学生择业和就业的影响。方法　对南通大学医学院的466名在校医学生进行医患关系认知的相关资料调查,并进行统计分析。结果　79.19%的医学生认为现今医患关系较为紧张,家中无医务人员的医学生认为医患关系更为紧张（χ2＝6.01,P＝0.01）。与低年级相比,更多参加过临床见习和实习的高年级学生认为医患关系不和谐会影响临床诊疗效果（χ2＝5.83,P＝0.02）、感觉心理压力大（χ2＝30.70,P＝0.001）,并对就业产生消极影响（χ2＝21.01,P＜0.001）、甚至后悔学医（χ2＝10.65,P＜0.001）。医患关系紧张性认知与使医生诊疗方法偏于保守呈显著正相关（r＝0.28,P＜0.001）,与对医学生就业消极影响呈显著正相关（r＝0.14,P＝0.004）。结论　医学生对医患关系总体认知以“紧张”为主,医患关系现状对医学生的就业和择业产生了负面影响,且参与过临床见习的医学生对医患关系现状更为悲观。     

Impact of an interprofessional community-based educational experience on students' perceptions of other health professions and older adults

Caring for older adults has become increasingly complex due to multiple health and societal factors. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of an interprofessional community-based educational project on students' attitudes toward other health care professions and older adults. A pretest and posttest quasi-experimental research design was implemented with 64 participating students from four health care professions (nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and pharmacy). These students completed the Interdisciplinary Education Perception Scale (IEPS) and Survey of Attitudes on Aging Scale (SAAS) before and following an educational experience with older adults. Qualitative data were collected through student reflection journals and focus groups with participating students. The results of the study showed that interprofessional community-based learning had a significant impact on some students' attitudes toward older adults. The difference between pretest and posttest reached a statistically significant level on the SAAS in occupational therapy (p = 0.013) and physical therapy students (p = 0.044). No significant differences, however, were found between the pretest and posttest in pharmacy (p = 0.097) or nursing students (p = 0.144). Similarly, the experience also had a positive impact on some students' perceptions of other health care professions as measured by the IEPS. A significant difference was found between the pretest and posttest in occupational therapy (p = 0.000) and physical therapy students (p = 0.028). This study indicates that interprofessional community-based learning can be an effective method for some students to increase their understanding and respect toward other health professionals and older adults.     

African-American students' perceptions of their majors, future professions, and the dietetics major and profession: a qualitative analysis

African-American professionals are underrepresented in the profession of dietetics. This preliminary qualitative study identified African-American students' perceptions of their majors, future professions, and the dietetics major/profession to understand why they did or did not enter dietetics. It was hypothesized that dietetics students chose dietetics primarily for altruistic reasons, whereas students in other fields of study did not choose dietetics due to lack of awareness of dietetics. To learn students' views, African-American college students engaged in elicitation interviews or focus group discussions. Twenty-eight women and 12 men participated. Phenomenologic analysis identified common themes and meanings: African-American students selected their majors for a variety of reasons, including desire to help people, interest in the field, recommendation from an adult, and family influence. African-American students in fields of study other than dietetics believed that the dietetics major was not selected due to lack of awareness about dietetics. Both dietetics students and students in other fields of study perceived versatility, ability to work with/help people, and to have an influence as positive qualities about their future professions. Advanced degree and training requirements, lack of diversity, and low salary were identified as negative qualities about future professions. African-American students in fields of study other than dietetics had not been exposed to the dietetics major, careers, and profession. Recruitment efforts should begin early to increase the number of African-American students in dietetics.     

吴忠市城区学生饮用奶制品现状及影响因素分析

目的了解吴忠市城区学生饮用奶及奶制品的现况及其影响因素,为实施学生奶计划提供科学依据。方法采用分层整群随机抽样方法,对吴忠市城区3所小学、3所中学的2565名学生进行问卷调查。结果学生每周饮用牛奶或奶制品4次或以上者占46.20%,平均每周饮用鲜牛奶量≥1000mL者占22.38%,有51.32%的学生表示喜欢饮奶或奶制品,58.91%的家长鼓励学生饮牛奶或奶制品,尚有10.99%的家长因家庭经济困难无法让学生坚持饮奶。学生家庭月收入、母亲文化程度、学生对饮奶的态度及家长是否鼓励饮奶是学生饮奶的影响因素。结论吴忠市城区学生饮用奶制品尚不普遍。在吴忠市实施学生奶计划是完全可行的,其关键在于宣传、组织和行动。     

The health of students in institutes of higher education: an important and neglected public health problem?

BACKGROUND: A survey of students in three UK higher education establishments was undertaken to obtain information about students' physical and emotional well-being, their attitudes to, and beliefs about health, and the prevalence of risk factors for future ill health. METHODS: Health was measured by the prevalence of longstanding illness and by the SF-36 health status measurement tool. Survey results were compared with equivalent data for 18- to 34-year-olds in the local population. The prevalence of long-standing illness was also compared with two national surveys. RESULTS: The survey achieved a 49 per cent response rate. More than one-third of respondents reported a long-standing illness, a higher prevalence than in all comparison surveys. Students scored significantly worse than their peers in the local population on all eight SF-36 dimensions. The greatest difference was for role limitations as a result of emotional problems. The main sources of emotional distress were study or work problems and money. CONCLUSION: The poor response rate in this survey dictates the need for caution in interpretation of the results. However, they suggest that the health of students is poor relative to that of their peers, and that their emotional health is more of a problem than their physical health. Public health practitioners might want to pay more attention to the health of this important and relatively neglected group. Worries about studies and money appear to be affecting students' academic work, and this should be of concern to higher education establishments.     

Evaluating career values of dietetic students. A model for other allied health professions

Increased job opportunities in health professions make recruitment of students imperative. Effective recruitment requires a knowledge of what students value when making career decisions. This study of dietetic (n = 514) and other college students (n = 352) showed that achievement and economic security were the most important factors in their career selection regardless of major or race. Dietetic majors rated achievement, economic security, ability utilization, personal development, altruism, and working conditions significantly higher than did nondietetic students (p < or = 0.001). Economic security was rated significantly more important by dietetic and allied health majors than by other students. Many of the values important to students in this study are attainable through careers in dietetics and other allied health professions. The results of this study should be examined further with a larger sample of allied health majors to assist educators in recruiting and providing career counseling to students.     

Changes in students' perceptions of interdisciplinary practice reaching the older adult through mobile service delivery

This study examined students' perceptions of interdisciplinary health care practice in a facilitated, community-based practicum experience. Students' perceptions of interdisciplinary practice relative to their own profession and other health disciplines were examined before and after involvement in mobile service delivery to the older adult in a collaborative team approach. The Interdisciplinary Education Perception Scale was used to collect data before and after planned and facilitated interdisciplinary experiences of students enrolled in health professional programs (nursing, dietetics, physical therapy, occupational therapy, pharmacy, health education, social work, and physician assistant). Univariate repeated-measures analysis of variance revealed significant pretest to posttest and discipline effects following the interdisciplinary interaction of students in the practicum experience. Univariate analysis revealed a significant change in students' perceptions of professional competence and autonomy, actual cooperation and resource sharing within and across professions, and understanding of the value and contributions of other professionals from pretest to posttest. The findings support the need for educators to facilitate communication through innovative interdisciplinary clinical opportunities for health professions students to influence perceptions that promote active participation in a team approach to care delivery in an increasingly complex health care system.     

Assessing continuing education needs of five allied health professions in rural California.

Meeting the needs of rural health care professionals for continuing education remains a challenge for health planners. An assessment of these needs is the focus of this survey of rural practitioners. A continuing education needs survey of five allied health professions in an agricultural region of California was conducted. Variables selected related to professional education and retention and included paramedics, physical therapists, pharmacists, clinical psychologists, and medical technologists. Results indicated a strong need for high quality, moderate cost, locally offered continuing education seminars. Access to professional literature searches was also regarded as important. Several of the selected health profession groups were concerned about maintaining licensure; most intended to remain in their professions for at least six to ten years. These survey findings clearly suggest a need for centrally coordinated continuing education opportunities for allied health personnel in rural service delivery areas.