Evaluating the Impact of Interprofessional Service Learning on Health Professions Students Assessing Fall Risk of Individuals with Parkinsons

Research Objectives: To assess changes in learners’ perceived interprofessional (IP) abilities following participation in a community-based service-learning activity during which IP teams conducted multi-factorial fall risk assessments of persons with Parkinson’s Disease (PWP).

Design: This activity utilized a retrospective pre-post design using the revised Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Survey (ICCAS-R), a validated 20-item instrument, to measure changes in learners’ perceived IP abilities in the areas of communication, collaboration, roles and responsibilities, patient/family-centered care, conflict management and resolution, and team functioning. No personal identification data was collected.

Prior to the activity, learners attended an online orientation and an on-site briefing regarding the procedures for the IP team assessment, which included utilizing a modified CDC STEADI Fall Risk checklist. Learners were divided into IP teams that conducted assessments on 25 PWP, 13 of whom were identified as at risk for falls and 17 who requested information to decrease their fall risk.

Setting: The activity was conducted at a community-wide Parkinson’s Foundation Moving Day Walk.

Participants: 50 health professions students voluntarily participated in the activity, and 42 completed the survey (7 athletic training, 14 nursing, 5 occupational therapy, 6 optometry, 6 pharmacy, and 12 physical therapy).

Interventions: Performing interprofessional screening of PWP.

Main Outcome Measures: Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Survey (ICCAS-R).

Results: A paired samples t-test was used to evaluate pre- to post-changes of the ICCAS-R. All 20 items indicated statistically significant results (p <.001), and a moderate to large effect size was noted (0.502 - -.820). Following the activity, 83% of learners reported they felt ‘Much better now,’ and 17% reported they felt ‘Somewhat better now’ regarding their ability to provide IP care. Physical therapy learners demonstrated significantly higher score changes compared to nursing students in four areas including 1) using an IP team approach with the patient to provide whole-person care (p = 0.03, CI 0.061 - 1.739); 2) recognizing how others’ skills and knowledge complement and overlap with their own (p = 0.022, CI 0.130 - 1.925) ; 3) learning with, from, and about IP team members to enhance care (p = 0.037, CI 0.037; and 4) providing constructive feedback to IP team members (p = 0.026, CI 0.084 - 1.916).

Conclusions: The findings from this IP service-learning activity indicate improvements in perceived IP competencies. Providing IP service-learning opportunities for health professions learners holds much potential for increasing perceived IP abilities while also serving communities in need.

Author(s) Disclosures: There are no disclosures or conflicts of interest for all authors.