Abstract
A previous survey distributed to medical school deans in the Western Pacific Region (WPR) showed positive attitudes toward collaborative practice and interprofessional education (IPE). This study aimed to clarify the present state of IPE and the attitudes of nursing school deans in the WPR. The modified Attitudes Toward Health Care Teams Scale (ATHCTS) and the modified Readiness of healthcare students for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) were used. Unexpectedly, the response rate was less than 20%. Deans of nursing schools with IPE courses showed significantly more positive attitudes than those of schools without IPE courses. The mean score of the modified ATHCTS and RIPLS of deans of nursing schools in rural areas were significantly higher than those in urban areas. Compared with medical schools, nursing schools in the WPR pay less attention to IPE and this may be one of the present characteristics of the region.
Acknowledgements
We thank Dr. Mubashar Sheikh (former executive director, GHWA).
Declaration of interest
The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the writing and content of this article. The opinions expressed in this paper are those of the individual authors and do not represent the views of WHO/GHWA.