Interprofessional Collaborative Attitudes: Comparing Social Work Learners to Their Medicine and Nursing Peers

Authors

• Joseph Bartholomew, Phyllis and Harvey Sandler School of Social Work, Florida Atlantic UniversityFollow
• Marcia Mount French, School of Social Work, Indiana University
• Hea-Won Kim, School of Social Work, Indiana University

Publication Date

3-1-2023

Abstract

Interprofessional learning activities in higher education aim to unite healthcare professionals in their future practice, thus reducing duplication and fragmentation of services. This study uses a social learning perspective to examine advanced practice medicine, nursing, and social work learners’ attitudes toward interprofessional education and collaborative practice activities within their university programs. The authors used a cross-sectional design to administer a questionnaire that included the Interprofessional Attitudes Scale (IPAS) to 151 advanced practice health care learners (internal medicine residents, nurse practitioner students, master’s-level social work students). Findings indicated significant differences in three subsections of the IPAS. Social work learners possessed a more favorable attitude than their medicine and nursing peers on teamwork, roles, responsibilities, and community-centeredness. Social work and nurse practitioner students indicated higher interprofessional bias issues than medical residents. The participants’ age was also found to be significant in the study. Further exploration will afford a more substantial knowledge base to address the fragmented, siloed, and service duplication that works against a more comprehensive and efficient healthcare system.

Recommended Citation

Bartholomew, Joseph; Mount French, Marcia; and Kim, Hea-Won (2023) "Interprofessional Collaborative Attitudes: Comparing Social Work Learners to Their Medicine and Nursing Peers," Florida Public Health Review: Vol. 20, Article 4.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/fphr/vol20/iss1/4