Preparing advanced learners for geriatric team care: A short-term curricular model that works

ABSTRACT

Health outcomes for complex older adults are enhanced by interprofessional collaboration. Funded by a Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP), an interprofessional team of educators developed a short-term geriatrics experience, including four hours of pre-clinical education and 12–20 hours of immersion in team-based care for advanced learners in nursing (n = 70 APN), social work (n = 48 MSW), and medicine (n = 122 medical students). Content focused on five areas: medication management, dementia, depression, falls, and myths about aging. Learners completed pre/post surveys measuring knowledge of geriatrics, attitudes toward geriatric patients and team care, and post-surveys regarding perceptions of the overall clinical experience. Results showed significant improvement in knowledge and attitudes toward older adults and interprofessional (IP) team practice. Qualitative comments reflected increased empathy toward and enthusiasm for working with older adults, valuing IP teams, and a desire for geriatrics content earlier in their respective curricula.

KEYWORDS:

• Geriatrics education
• curriculum model
• interprofessional education

Acknowledgments

We thank Eskenazi Health, the IU Schools of Social Work, Nursing, and Medicine and health provider for serving as clinical preceptors; Steve Counsell, MD for his initial lead role in Indiana GETC; members of the Indiana GETC team for their contributions to the program; Julie VannersonMD for edits on the final versions of the manuscript.

Sponsor’s Role: This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number U1QHP28719 for the Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program. This information or content and conclusions are those of the authors and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. The sponsor did not participate in the design, methods, subject recruitment, data collections, analysis, or preparation of this paper.

Author contributions

Study concept and design: SG, GW, KF, JF, EM, DL

Acquisition of subjects and/or data: SG, GW, KF, JF, EM, SR, DL

Analysis and interpretation of data: SG, GW, KF, JF, EM, SR, NB, YT, DL

Preparation of manuscript: SG, GW, KF, JF, EM, SR, NB, YT, DL

Disclosure statement

The authors have no conflicts.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration [U1QHP28719].