Using Kern’s Six-step Approach to Create a Web-based Interprofessional Curriculum on Age-friendly Care for Health Professions Students

Research Objectives: To develop, implement, and evaluate a web-based curriculum to support the delivery of age-friendly health care (AFC) to older adults.

Design: Kern’s 6-step approach guided the development of the curriculum including problem identification, targeted needs assessment, goals/specific measurable objectives, educational strategies, implementation, and evaluation. A convergent parallel mixed methods approach was used to evaluate outcomes. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed, then merged to compare, interrelate, and validate results.

Setting: University. Carnegie Classification R2

Participants: 434 students in Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, and Physician Assistant programs, 34 alumni, and 28 faculty.

Interventions: The curriculum was delivered during the didactic portion of each program before students embarked on clinical rotations. Programs selected the delivery option based on their needs. Delivery options included embedding the curriculum within a course, threading the modules across multiple semesters, and as a complement to course content.

Main Outcome Measures: Quantitative: Knowledge: scores on module-specific quizzes, Attitudes: scores on the UCLA Geriatric Attitudes Scale (GAS), and the Expectations Regarding Aging -12 (ERA-12).
Qualitative: Two reflection questions 1) the student’s role as a member of the older adults' healthcare team in the context of the AFC framework, 2) incorporating principles of AFC for older adults during their upcoming clinical rotations.

Results: Knowledge increased per successful completion of quizzes. No change in pre-post GAS or ERA-12 scores. Qualitative assessment identified four themes: interconnection between the 4Ms, importance of the interprofessional team, value-based care, and personal competency and accountability.

Conclusions: The web-based curriculum enhanced the readiness of health professions students to provide AFC while practicing at the top of their license. Students bought into the value of applying the AFC model and acknowledged their responsibility in being prepared to fully participate as a member of an interprofessional team. The curriculum appears to be one component that helps optimize the training of entry-level healthcare providers to better prepare them for interprofessional practice in the care of older adults.

Author(s) Disclosures: This work was part of the Georgia GWEP, supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of Award Number U1QHP33070 totaling $3.75M with 0% percentage financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government.