Aug 2026· Frontiers in Medicine· Vol 13· 0 citations· 26 references
Medicine
Abstract
Introduction Interprofessional collaboration between nurses and physicians is essential for effective patient care, safe clinical workflows, and patient-centered outcomes. Despite its importance, interprofessional knowledge is insufficiently integrated into German medical education, potentially limiting students’ readiness for collaborative practice and their understanding of professional roles in clinical settings. This study explored how medical students perceive nurses’ work, nursing-related learning experiences, and interprofessional collaboration and Role Understanding within undergraduate medical education. Methods Fourteen medical students (1st–6th year) at the University of Magdeburg participated in semi-structured interviews recruited using purposive sampling to ensure variation across study years. Transcripts were analyzed using Mayring’s qualitative content analysis to identify categories and themes. Analytical rigor was ensured through independent coding and interdisciplinary validation in a research workshop. Results Seven themes were identified: Interprofessional Collaboration and Role Understanding, First Clinical Experiences, Nursing During the Practicum, Nursing-Related Learning Experiences During Medical School, Desired Nursing-Related Learning Experiences, Importance of Nursing, and Patient Well-being. The mandatory nursing practicum emerged as a key formative experience shaping early interprofessional role understanding. Students reported variability in supervision and structure, alongside limited curricular integration of nursing content. While interprofessional collaboration was considered essential, participants expressed uncertainty regarding nursing roles and responsibilities and emphasized the need for structured opportunities for interprofessional and nursing-related learning, including clinical skills, communication, and management of complex patient situations. Conclusion Medical students’ perceptions of nursing are strongly shaped by early and variably structured clinical experiences, particularly the nursing internship. The findings suggest that current medical curricula insufficiently support the systematic development of interprofessional role understanding. The structured integration of nursing-related learning experiences and explicit teaching about nursing roles, nursing-related practical skills and clinical workflows into medical education may strengthen interprofessional collaboration and support patient-centered care.
It is demonstrated that a single, well-designed interprofessional simulation session can yield meaningful educational benefits, with potential downstream benefits for patient safety in critical-care environments.
Niall Brown, Samuel Wilson, Mathieu Figeys et al.· Health Education in Practice...· 0 citations
Interprofessional education (IPE) is increasingly implemented to prepare health professions students for collaborative practice. This exploratory pilot examined how medical and nursing students experienced and applied interprofessional communication and teamwork in clinical practice after a simulation based IPE session. This exploratory mixed-methods pilot study involved eight third year medical and nursing students at a Vietnamese medical university. Students completed the Students' Perceptions of Interprofessional Clinical Education-Revised (SPICE R2) questionnaire before and after the session and submitted reflective essays 3 months later. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively using Wilcoxon signed rank tests, and essays were examined using inductive reflexive thematic analysis. SPICE-R2 scores increased across all domains from preto post-test. The total median score rose from 3.90 (interquartile range [IQR], 3.83-4.38) to 4.60 (IQR, 4.40-4.83) (p=0.01). Thematic analysis generated five themes describing movement from parallel to shared care, greater use of structured communication, clearer appreciation of roles, recognition of shared responsibility for patient safety, and persisting barriers related to hierarchy and workload. This study suggests that a simulation-based IPE session can support students' interprofessional communication and teamwork, though barriers related to hierarchy and workload persisted. Future research with larger, multi-institution samples and richer data sources is needed to understand how these skills are sustained in practice.
Hoang Minh Nguyen, Vu Quoc Huy Nguyen, M. T. Nguyen et al.· Korean Journal of Medical Ed...· 0 citations
Interprofessional education (IPE) plays a key role in preparing healthcare professionals for future collaborative practice. We explored the attitudes of first-year medical and physician associate (PA) students toward the team approach to care. Students participated in three IPE sessions, using cases designed to prompt discussion regarding professional roles, responsibilities, and team dynamics. We explored the impact of the sessions using the Students Perceptions of Interprofessional Clinical Education-Revised (SPICE-R2) instrument and focus groups. Fifty students completed the presurvey, and 48 students completed the postsurvey. There were increases in mean scores related to "teamwork and collaboration," "roles and responsibilities," and "patient outcomes." Focus group data suggested that both medical and PA students agreed that their education benefitted from the IPE sessions and that their ability to practice effectively as part of an interprofessional team would be enhanced as a result. Many students admitted to not having a clear understanding of their respective roles before the sessions and agreed that care delivered as part of an interprofessional team would positively impact patient care and reduce healthcare costs. The sessions helped students to understand their respective roles and responsibilities, and the importance of collaborative practice in improving patient outcomes.
Pauline Joyce, Michelle O’Toole, Elizabeth Dolan et al.· Journal of Interprofessional...· 0 citations
Background Missed nursing care is an important indicator of healthcare quality and patient safety. Junior nurses undergoing the transition from student to professional practitioner are particularly vulnerable to missed nursing care due to limited clinical experience, insufficient professional competence, and challenges in adapting to complex clinical environments. However, the multidimensional factors contributing to missed nursing care among junior nurses remain insufficiently understood. Methods A qualitative descriptive study was conducted involving 12 junior nurses with ≤3 years of clinical experience. Participants were recruited through purposive sampling. Data were collected using semi-structured, in-depth interviews and analyzed using Braun and Clarke's six-phase thematic analysis approach. This study aimed to explore junior nurses’ perceptions and experiences of missed nursing care and to identify the underlying factors contributing to its occurrence in clinical practice. Results Three overarching themes and eight subthemes emerged from the analysis. (1) Individual factors, including insufficient knowledge and clinical skills, psychological stress and challenges in professional role transition, and weakened professional responsibility; (2) Organizational factors, including inadequate staffing and excessive workload, deficiencies in quality management and supervisory support, and limited career development opportunities and incentive mechanisms; and (3) External environmental factors, including challenges associated with healthcare system transformation and increasing expectations from patients and family members. Participants reported that missed nursing care often resulted from the interaction of personal limitations, organizational constraints, and external pressures. Conclusions Junior nurses' experiences of missed nursing care are shaped by multidimensional influences at the individual, organizational, and external levels. Addressing missed nursing care requires comprehensive and multilevel interventions, including competency-based education, strengthened psychological and transition support, optimized nursing management systems, and enhanced institutional and social support. Such efforts may help reduce missed nursing care and improve the quality and safety of nursing services.
Rongrong Zhou, Xiaojuan Liu, Bihua shen et al.· Frontiers in Health Services· 0 citations
Students exhibited a high baseline readiness for interprofessional learning, reflecting positive attitudes toward teamwork and collaboration, and long‐term and integrated IPE initiatives are recommended to strengthen collaborative competencies and measure sustained changes in readiness.
M. Imran Pasha, Rashmi Jain, Umme Amarah· International Journal of Den...· 0 citations
In community health nursing, interdisciplinary collaboration is essential because it improves communication, teamwork, and the provision of comprehensive care. However, issues such as inadequate integration of interprofessional education, institutional limitations, and a lack of formalized platforms for collaboration persist, especially in community-based settings. As a foundation for improving policies and programs, this study sought to assess the extent of multidisciplinary collaboration between nursing students and healthcare professionals and to investigate its association with perceived efficacy in achieving community health goals. A quantitative, descriptive, and correlational research design was used. Purposive sampling was used to gather information from nursing students assigned to a barangay health clinic in Tagum City. Interprofessional collaboration and perceived efficacy were measured using standardized tools, specifically the Community Care Competency Scale (CCCS) and the Assessment of Interprofessional Team Collaboration Scale (AITCS). To examine the data and identify correlations between variables, statistical techniques such as the mean and Pearson correlation were used. The findings showed a very high degree of interdisciplinary interaction, coordination, and partnership. In a similar vein, participants showed a high degree of perceived efficacy in achieving community health objectives. Additionally, the results showed a positive correlation between perceived efficacy and interdisciplinary collaboration, indicating that more effective collaboration is associated with greater perceived efficacy in community health outcomes. To improve healthcare delivery in community settings, our findings highlight the need to strengthen collaborative behaviors through structured programs, policy support, communication training, and curriculum.
Irish Camille Besina, J. J. Dela Merced· International Journal of Nur...· 0 citations