Ann M. Mitchell
University of Pittsburgh ,USA
Title: Inter-professional groups of anesthesia students: Educating inter-professional teams on utilizing screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment (SBIRT) for alcohol and other drug use
Biography
Biography: Ann M. Mitchell
Abstract
While health care providers will be required to work interprofessionally upon graduating and entering their field, there is little education or training on this matter. In order to provide patient-centered care with optimum outcomes, health care providers must be provided with the education to work together. This lack of education may contribute to the fact that there are 23 million Americans with substance use problems, yet 83% remain untreated. The focus of this project is on the interprofessional training of anesthesia students. The University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing and Dentistry partnered with the Institute for Research, Education, and Training in Addictions (IRETA) and provided training, including: 1.5 hours of didactic instruction, online booster sessions, simulation at WISER and the Dental Hygiene Clinic, and lastly, interprofessional case conferences. Before and after the training sessions, students completed the Alcohol and Alcohol Problems Perception Questionnaire (AAPPQ), the Drug and Drug Problems Questionnaire (DDPPQ), and a measure of SBIRT and interprofessional knowledge. Several of the AAPPQ and DDPPQ subscales increased significantly from pre- to post-training. Scores on the interprofessional knowledge scale also showed an increase from pre- to post-training. Simulation exercises seemed to make a positive impact on change in scores. The students were exposed to collaborating as a team using SBIRT and was associated with positive changes in knowledge of interprofessional practice as well as the student’s perceptions of alcohol and drug misuse in patients. Interprofessional education and practice should improve patient outcomes by providing more congruent, patient-centered care.
