Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to apply a quality improvement model in the application of an intraprofessional educational experience by improving student perceptions of collaboration and increasing the number of collaborative experiences within the dental hygiene curriculum.
Methods: A quality improvement model, Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) developed by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), was used to initiate an intraprofessional education experience for dental hygiene and dental students. Faculty members utilized the PDSA worksheet to plan, implement, and analyze the educational experience. Pre- and post-session surveys were used to measure dental hygiene student perceptions of their ability to perform four Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) sub-competencies. Statistical analysis was carried out on the pre and post session surveys. Students were also given the opportunity to discuss their learning and intraprofessional experiences in a reflection assignment.
Results: Dental hygiene students demonstrated positive changes from pre- to post-session survey data in in all four targeted IPEC sub-competencies. Statistical significance was noted in three of the four IPEC sub-competency rating statements. Themes from the reflection assignments indicated student learning in the areas of teamwork and communication. Dental hygiene faculty applied the information gained from the assessments as part of the IHI PDSA cycle for improvement in health care to evaluate and plan for future learning experiences.
Conclusion: Meaningful intraprofessional education experiences between dental hygiene and dental students support collaborative practice skills and should be integrated into dental and dental hygiene curricula. Applying a continuous quality improvement model, such as the IHI PDSA, can assist educators in planning, implementing, and evaluating curricular changes in order to improve student learning outcomes.
- intraprofesional collaboration
- intraprofessional education
- dental hygiene education
- quality improvement models
Footnotes
Tricia S. Barker, RDH, MEd is an assistant professor of clinical comprehensive dentistry and Biomaterials in the dental hygiene program; Chet A. Smith, DDS is an associate professor of clinical diagnostic sciences in the school of dentistry; Geri M. Waguespack, RDH, MS is a professor of clinical comprehensive dentistry and biomaterials in the dental hygiene program; Donald E. Mercante, PhD is an associate dean for academic affairs and professor of biostatistics; Tina P. Gunaldo, PhD, DPT, MHS is the Director, Center for Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice; all are at the Louisiana State University Health – New Orleans, LA
This manuscript supports the NDHRA priority area: Professional development: Education (Educational models).
Disclosure
This study was supported in part by 1 U54 GM104940 from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health, which funds the Louisiana Clinical and Translational Science Center. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
- Received June 7, 2017.
- Accepted July 9, 2018.
- Copyright © 2018 The American Dental Hygienists’ Association