Use of reflective writing within interprofessional education: a mixed-methods analysis

ABSTRACT

Nurturing student’s development of interprofessional collaboration is fundamental. Assessment-For-Learning can use reflection as one technique to support students’ growth. Thus, we investigated using reflective-writing within an interprofessional education (IPE) course using an exploratory mixed-methods design. In 2015, student-nurses, student-pharmacists, and student-physicians participated in an IPE course and completed self-assessments of student learning objectives (SLOs). In 2016, new cohorts of student-nurses, student-pharmacists, and student-physicians participated in the course and completed their self-assessments of SLOs; however, student-nurses and student-pharmacists also reflectively-wrote. Quantitatively comparing SLOs from 2015 cohorts with 2016 cohorts, we found that the effect-sizes (magnitude of difference) for those who reflectively-wrote (student-nurses and student-pharmacists) grew more than historical controls, whereas the effect-sizes remained unchanged for a control group (student-physicians) who did not reflectively-write. Qualitatively, initial and final reflective-writings were explored using content analysis. Initial reflective-writings helped students create a baseline for their final reflective-writings. In final reflective-writings, most students discussed their growth in understanding roles/responsibilities and communication, though limited growth was discussed for teams/teamwork and values/ethics. Thus, initial and final reflective-writings appeared useful within this IPE course. Initial reflective-writing further enhanced students’ self-assessed IPE improvement and recorded students’ baseline perceptions for later review, while final reflective-writings documented students’ self-actualized IPE development.

KEYWORDS:

• Interprofessional education
• mixed-methods
• didactic
• reflection
• reflective writing

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank fellow faculty within the University of Toledo’s interprofessional education program for helping to provide excellent learning opportunities for our many interprofessional students. Within our IPE program over the years, efforts of these faculty have consistently been shown to help foster our students’ growth in IPE.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Additional information

Funding

The MEDTAPP Healthcare Access Initiative is funded by the Ohio Department of Medicaid and administered by the Ohio Colleges of Medicine Government Resource Center. The views expressed in this [presentation, publication, report] are solely those of the authors and do not represent the views of the state of Ohio or federal Medicaid programs.

Notes on contributors

Michael J. Peeters

Dr. Michael J. Peeters is both a pharmacist and specialist in educational research methodologies. He completed a BSc Pharm (from University of Alberta), PharmD (from University of Washington), and Master of Education (from University of Toledo). He is currently a senior lecturer in the College of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Toledo.

Martha E. Sexton

Dr. Martha E. Sexton serves the College of Nursing as the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Department Chair, and Director of the LRC, Simulation and Interprofessional Education. Dr. Sexton received her PhD in Higher Education from UT with a focus on interprofessional education; specifically conflict within interprofessional healthcare teams.