“Understanding dementia together”: The design, delivery and evaluation of a collaborative, inter-professional dementia workshop for healthcare students
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Date
2025
Authors
O’Sullivan, Trish
Moore, Niamh
McVeigh, Joseph G
Timmons, Suzanne
Foley, Tony
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
SAGE Publications Ltd
Published Version
Abstract
Background: A collaborative, multi-disciplinary team input is crucial for the optimal management of the older adult with complex care needs such as dementia. Interprofessional learning (IPL) at undergraduate level can lead to improved collaborative knowledge and skills. The aim of this study was to develop, deliver and evaluate an IPL dementia workshop for healthcare students across 11 disciplines. A secondary aim was to determine whether there is a clinical application of learned knowledge in students who completed the workshop and subsequently underwent clinical placement. Methods: The design of the IPL workshop aligned with Kern’s map for the development of a curriculum in medical education. The Alzheimer’s Disease Knowledge Scale (ADKS) was used to assess students’ knowledge of dementia pre-and-post workshop, as well as opened-ended questions on role recognition and communication. Results: A total of 102 students completed the workshop questionnaire, with a follow up of 47 students on clinical placement. There was a statistically significant increase in students’ knowledge and confidence levels in communication with a person with dementia. Students reported positively on the workshop format, the collaborative nature of the workshop, as well as the role of the patient advocate. The follow up of students on clinical placement showed a perceived behavioural change in communication modification. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates the benefits of an IPL initiative across multiple disciplines, with perceived behavioural change on clinical placement. © The Author(s) 2024.
Description
Keywords
Collaborative , Dementia , Healthcare students , Interprofessional education
Citation
O’Sullivan, T., Moore, N., McVeigh, J. G., Timmons, S. and Foley, T. (2024) '“Understanding dementia together”: The design, delivery and evaluation of a collaborative, inter-professional dementia workshop for healthcare students', Dementia, 24(4), pp.720-737. DOI: 10.1177/14713012241296173