Exploring early interprofessional socialization: a pilot study of student’s experiences in medical history taking

ABSTRACT

Traditional hierarchies and structures in healthcare, as well as traditional professional socialization practices, continue to create barriers to effective interprofessional collaboration. Nevertheless, some studies indicate that early socialization with other health professionals can build bridges and improve understanding of each other’s roles and contributions to patient care. This pilot study aimed to gain insights into the nursing and medical students’ experiences of interprofessional medical history taking during a collective learning activity. A descriptive case study was conducted using modified interviews based on the speed-dating (SD) technique to explore participants’ reasons for the choice of profession (SD1) and experiences of interprofessional history taking (SD2). Data were digitally captured using audio-recordings. An inductive-deductive approach to qualitative content analysis of transcribed responses was undertaken. Eighteen students (medicine n = 6; nursing n = 12) participated. Two main categories with sub-themes emerged from the inductive SD1 analysis: (a) reasons for choosing a career and (b) knowledge about professions. The SD2 deductive analysis identified three major categories with sub-themes: (a) breaking down barriers, (b) interprofessional role learning – interprofessional collaboration and (c) dual-identity development. Our findings showed that early interprofessional socialization of students supported their learning about the complementary roles of doctors and nurses and enabled them to gain early experiences of interprofessional teamwork.

KEYWORDS:

• Case study research
• interprofessional relations
• medical history taking
• professional education

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Christine Arnold

Christine Arnold, M.Sc. is a research assistant in the field of health services research at University Hospital Heidelberg with high interest in interprofessional cooperation and implementation science.

Sarah Berger

Dr. sc. hum. Sarah Berger MN(Hons) MBA BA RN recently completed her doctoral research in medical education with a focus on collaborative decision-making in groups. Other research interests include professionalism in health care, regulatory frameworks, codes of conduct/ethics and interprofessional education and collaboration.

Nadine Gronewold

Nadine Gronewold, M.Sc. is a research assistant at University Hospital Heidelberg, Department of General Internal and Psychosomatic Medicine. Her research focus is: psychocardiology, interprofessionality and e-mental-health.

Denise Schwabe

Denise Schwabe is educater at the Nursing school at University Hospital Heidelberg. After finishing her professional training for nursing she upgraded her qualification latest with the Master of Arts in educational science.

Burkhard Götsch

Burkhard Götsch is a Registered Nurse and holds a Diploma in Nursing Education. He is the Director of the Nursing School at the University Hospital Heidelberg and is responsible for the Nursing Education Programme. A further work field is the participation in the development and coordination of the interprofessional training ward at the University Hospital Heidelberg.

Cornelia Mahler

Prof. Dr. Cornelia Mahler M.A. RN is a Director Department of Nursing Science, University of Tuebingen, Germany, Programme Director - Bachelor of Nursing 2011 – 2018 Lead of Bachelor “Interprofessional Health Care”, Heidelberg, Germany. Founding member working group “Interprofessional Education” in the German Association for Medical Education (GMA).

Jobst-Hendrik Schultz

Jobst-Hendrik Schultz is a PD Dr. med. Jobst-Hendrik Schultz, MME is a Senior Physician at the Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics and Head of Medical Education at the Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Germany. His main clinical research interest is in comorbidity of depression and heart failure.