rss_2.0Sciendo RSS Feed for International Journal of Health Professionshttps://sciendo.com/journal/IJHPhttps://www.sciendo.comhttps://sciendo-parsed.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/6471f738215d2f6c89db6f93/cover-image.jpghttps://sciendo.com/journal/IJHP140216https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2023-0007<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <sec><title style='display:none'>Background</title> <p>As in other health professions, there is a shortage of skilled labour in the field of occupational therapy in Switzerland. To plan and implement effective measures to counter this shortage, empirical data on the size and structure of the Swiss occupational therapy workforce are needed.</p> </sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Method</title> <p>We conducted an online survey aimed at employers of occupational therapists, team leaders and self-employed occupational therapists in Switzerland. We collected data on the size and structure of the workforce in terms of sociodemographic characteristics, regional distribution, areas of work, and related topics. To analyse quantitative data, we used descriptive statistics and regression analysis. Qualitative data were narratively described.</p> </sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Results</title> <p>We collected data from 968 respondents pertaining to 3,022 Swiss occupational therapists, with a response rate of 73.6% for medical institutions and 58.2% for occupational therapists in private practice. Women make up 90.1% of the Swiss occupational therapy workforce. Swiss occupational therapists most often work with clients who have difficulties in connection with injuries or illnesses of the upper limbs, neurological illnesses or injuries, or challenges with mental health. The ratio of occupational therapists per 10,000 inhabitants in Switzerland is at least 3.2. Swiss occupational therapy provision is least dense in Central Switzerland. The average reported turnover rate among occupational therapy teams was calculated to be 20% (SD=27.9).</p> </sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Conclusion</title> <p>The results illustrate the persistent lack of gender diversity in the profession. They also show some disparities in geographical distribution and area of practice, which will be analysed in more detail in subsequent publications.</p> </sec> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2023-00072023-11-20T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2023-0006<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <sec><title style='display:none'>Introduction</title> <p>Interprofessional collaboration is a strategy to meet the challenges of increasing complexity in the health system. The basis for cooperation in professional life must already be established in the context of interprofessional education (IPE). Students’ attitude towards IPE is a crucial factor in the development of interprofessional competences.</p> <p>The aim of this study is to investigate the attitude towards interprofessional education among students of health science bachelor's degree programmes at selected universities of applied sciences in Austria.</p> </sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Method</title> <p>An empirical, quantitative, non-experimental approach in the form of a cross-sectional study was chosen, with the survey being carried out online using the questionnaire <italic>University of the West of England Interprofessional Questionnaire</italic> © (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="j_ijhp-2023-0006_ref_017">Pollard et al., 2004</xref>) in its German translation von <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="j_ijhp-2023-0006_ref_011">Mahler et al. (2017)</xref>, as a self-assessment measuring instrument to investigate the students’ attitude towards communication and teamwork, interprofessional learning and interprofessional interaction. The data evaluation was both descriptive and analytical.</p> </sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Results</title> <p>505 students from nine different health science degree programmes participated in the survey. 79 % (<italic>n</italic> = 504) rate their communication and teamwork skills positively and 76.6 % (<italic>n</italic> = 505) have a positive attitude towards interprofessional learning. However, only 8 % (<italic>n</italic> = 396) have a positive opinion on interprofessional interaction. In the group comparisons, significant differences are observed between the various study programmes, semesters of study and previous professional experience.</p> </sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Conclusion</title> <p>The knowledge of the attitude towards IPE should be considered when designing interprofessional activities during the course of studies in order to influence the students’ attitude positively.</p> </sec> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2023-00062023-09-13T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2023-0005<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <sec><title style='display:none'>Introduction</title> <p>Interprofessional education (IPE) at universities, universities of applied sciences and technical colleges has been offered increasingly for some time. The focus often lies on the students. However, it is rarely questioned whether the teachers have interprofessional skills. Yet they are the ones who (should) impart these skills to the students. This requires certain framework conditions that must be met in order to be able to offer good interprofessional teaching.</p> </sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Research question</title> <p>The study focuses on the question of what is important to teachers in IPE teaching, what competences are associated with it and whether they see themselves as a role model for cooperation between different professions.</p> </sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Methodology</title> <p>Interprofessional courses in Germany were identified with regard to the three professions: physicians, nursing and physiotherapy. By means of 76 completely filled out quantitative surveys, the respondents’ views on interprofessional teaching, competences as well as qualification courses were determined.</p> </sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Results</title> <p>IPE is currently seen as important and necessary, whereas the structured acquisition of competences in this regard is not.</p> </sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Discussion</title> <p>In order to offer good teaching, several factors are necessary: interest in the subject and being a role model. In order to promote exchange between students, learning tasks should be formulated precisely. IPE teachers should be motivated to undergo regular and targeted further training in order to be and remain open to good cooperation with other professions.</p> </sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Conclusion &amp; Outlook</title> <p>IPE teachers should make use of opportunities for further training in pedagogy and didactics as long as no comprehensive interprofessional qualification concepts are available.</p> </sec> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2023-00052023-07-23T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2023-0004<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <sec><title style='display:none'>Background</title> <p>Palliative care has always been a field of healthcare in which interprofessional and interdisciplinary cooperation of various healthcare professions is of enormous importance. Home-based palliative care services aim to support family caregivers caring for terminally ill patients at home. Previous studies showed that the quality of collaborative work with palliative services strongly influences the caregivers’ perception of provided services.</p> </sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Purpose</title> <p>This study aimed to investigate how family caregivers experienced the home-based palliative care services “Integrated Palliative Care” (IPB) model in Tyrol.</p> </sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Methods</title> <p>Using a problem-centred interview, 14 former family caregivers were interviewed about their experiences in caring for terminally ill patients supported by IPB services. Interviewees were adult (21+) partners (spouse), daughters/sons, daughters-in-law/sons-in-law or parents of the adult cared-for person living in Tyrol. The transcribed material was subjected to qualitative content analysis.</p> </sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Results</title> <p>The identified overlapping categories were “organization of care”, the “function of professional support as experienced by family caregivers”, “family caregivers’ perception of the quantity and quality of professional help”, and “around death and dying”.</p> </sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Conclusion</title> <p>Our study highlights the importance of efficient collaborative work to enable high standards of palliative care and to decrease caregivers’ burden. Interviewees emphasised the importance of flexible models of palliative care that can address patients’ as well as family caregivers’ needs. Using the avoidance of hospitalization at the end of life and dying in the desired place as criteria to assess the success of home-based care, one can say that the IPB model was successful in the present sample.</p> </sec> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2023-00042023-07-23T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2022-0004<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <sec><title style='display:none'>Introduction</title> <p>With a shift in healthcare from diagnosis-centered to human- and interprofessional-centered work, allied health professionals (AHPs) may encounter dilemmas in daily work because of discrepancies between values of learned professional protocols and their personal values, the latter being a component of the personal dimension. The personal dimension can be defined as a set of personal components that have a substantial impact on professional identity. In this study, we aim to improve the understanding of the role played by the personal dimension, by answering the following research question: <italic>What is known about the personal dimension of the professional identity of AHPs in (allied) health literature?</italic></p> </sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Methods</title> <p>In the scoping review, databases, CINAHL, ERIC, Medline, PubMed, and PsychINFO were searched for studies focusing on what is regarded as ‘the personal dimension of professional identity’ of AHPs in the health literature; 81 out of 815 articles were included and analyzed in this scoping review. A varying degree of attention for the personal dimension within the various allied health professions was observed.</p> </sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Result</title> <p>After analysis, we introduce the concept of four aspects in the personal dimension of AHPs. We explain how these aspects overlap to some degree and feed into each other. The first aspect encompasses characteristics like gender, age, nationality, and ethnicity. The second aspect consists of the life experiences of the professional. The third involves character traits related to resilience and virtues. The fourth aspect, worldview, is formed by the first three aspects and consists of the core beliefs and values of AHPs, paired with personal norms.</p> </sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Discussion</title> <p>These four aspects are visualized in a conceptual model that aims to make AHPs more aware of their own personal dimension, as well as the personal dimension of their colleagues intra- and interprofessionally. It is recommended that more research be carried out to examine how the personal dimension affects allied health practice.</p> </sec> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2022-00042022-07-04T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2022-0001<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <sec><title style='display:none'>Background</title> <p>Caring for patients with a malignant brain tumor is complex and requires a high degree of coordination. The disease reduces life expectancy and affects quality of life. Therefore, patients often depend on the support of their relatives. To achieve better care for such patients and their relatives, a Department of Neurosurgery at a Swiss university hospital introduced a Nurse Practitioner (NP) and their service in 2017. 18 months after implementation, an evaluation of this NP role was conducted. It was aimed for to explore the experience of the interprofessional health care team.</p> </sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Method</title> <p>A qualitative research design was used. Eight individual interviews and one focus group interview were conducted with representatives of the interprofessional health care team. Using a literature-based structured interview guide, the experience of participants was explored. Interviews were analyzed thematically.</p> </sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Results</title> <p>The NP and their service was appreciated. Collaboration with the medical profession and the coordination of profession-specific demands also improved. The NP as a constant person of contact had a positive effect on the continuity of care e.g., with regard to discharge management. Medical doctors and registered nurses experienced an improved patient satisfaction. Further need for improvement was identified regarding the clarification of the NP role and the interprofessional collaboration.</p> </sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Conclusion</title> <p>The study reports on the successful introduction of an NP and their service in oncological care; it demonstrates that the implementation of this role can also be beneficial in acute inpatient care.</p> </sec> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2022-00012022-04-29T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2022-0010<trans-abstract xml:lang="en"> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>The digital transformation is taking hold of the healthcare sector and is leading to changes in the professional requirements of the healthcare professions. In this paper, we present a teaching concept for promoting the profession-specific digital competencies of the healthcare professions. Based on systematic literature research, analyses of existing curricula and expert interviews, we identify requirements for the teaching concept as well as relevant topics. From this, we derive learning objectives and design a coherent module that can be implemented within one university semester. The module is divided into four consecutive learning units, which are based on the four-component instructional design model and the approach of problem-based learning and are characterized by a successive increase in the complexity of the learning tasks. Since the teaching concept takes into account the individual priorities of both teachers and students, it can be easily adapted to the various health care professions. With our teaching concept, we want to provide teachers with a guideline for systematically integrating the topics of digitization in healthcare into teaching and, with this article, create a basis for discussion on the interprofessional further development of the teaching concept.</p> </trans-abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2022-00102022-10-13T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2022-0006<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <sec><title style='display:none'>Objectives</title> <p>Information on nurse educator education is scarce. The present study thus aims to provide an overview of the requirements for and standards of nurse educator education in six European countries in order to enable further reflection and promote discourse on the topic. Methods: A descriptive international cross-sectional comparative study was conducted across six European countries. Data were collected via an online questionnaire completed by experts in nurse educator education or in organisations with specialist knowledge about nurse educator preparation (<italic>n</italic> = 11). The data were analysed, compared, and condensed.</p> </sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Results</title> <p>The participating countries differ in terms of their educational requirements and the working environments they provide for nurse educators. Formal nurse educator education is available in three of the six countries. Furthermore, in the countries with formal education for nurse educators, differences exist in terms of the regulation and implementation of the education. The educational requirements of nurse educators in higher education are mostly not specific to nursing and are instead general requirements for professional (tertiary) or higher education.</p> </sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Conclusions</title> <p>The analysis reveals heterogeneous regulations, standards, and pathways in the education of nurse educators in the six different counties included in the study. Despite some formal and content-related similarities, no uniform picture of the educational requirements, programmes, or standards was identified. The results of this international comparative research confirm the need for further research that examines whether the education of nurse educators meets the global need both for skilled nurses and for more Europe-wide collaboration in nurse educator education.</p> </sec> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2022-00062022-08-31T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2022-0009<trans-abstract xml:lang="en"> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>Many hopes are pinned on the topic of „interprofessional collaboration”. However, a precise definition of the term is lacking, as has already been noted in some publications in the field of health sciences. Linguistic analyses dedicated to the concept of interprofessional collaboration are not yet available. The present analysis aims at narrowing this gap. Specifically, the terms „interprofessionality”, „interprofessional” and „interprofessional collaboration” were quantitatively recorded in texts from two linguistic corpora based on texts in German. In a second step, a qualitative analysis of the use of the terms was conducted. The linguistic analysis showed a considerable increase in the use of all three terms, a restriction to specialist medical publications, and a focus on interprofessional collaboration between physicians and nurses. The patient perspective was widely absent. Furthermore, the term exhibited a typical relation with development-focused keywords, indicating that the sharpening of the conceptual field of interprofessional collaboration is not yet complete.</p> </trans-abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2022-00092022-11-09T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2022-0011<trans-abstract xml:lang="en"> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <sec><title style='display:none'>Background</title><p>The strong growth in services combined with the shortage of skilled workers in home care calls for change. The Dutch Buurtzorg model promises a reorganization of home care, which has a positive effect on employee satisfaction and person-centeredness.</p></sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Aim</title><p>To gain information on how the different groups of employees deal with the changes triggered by the restructuring towards the Buurtzorg model.</p></sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Method</title><p>The reorganization process in three home care services in German-speaking Switzerland was investigated using a multimethod approach (expert interviews with managers and coaches, focus group discussions, problem-centered interviews with employees, participating observations at team meetings). Data collection was carried out at two time points, nine months apart. Data was analyzed using structural content analysis.</p></sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Results</title><p>It was necessary to adapt roles and tasks at the individual, team and organizational levels. This was accompanied by a division of labor that was as far as possible detached from professional qualifications. Consequently, new forms of cooperation evolved and opened up opportunities, but also areas of tension. These processes were supported by the new role of the coaches.</p></sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Conclusions</title><p>Achieving this change in a short period of time is a major effort that needs sufficient and suitable opportunities for reflection and exchange to explore and absorb the areas of conflict. In addition, a broadly anchored corporate learning culture needs to be established so that all employees can grow into the new way of agile working.</p></sec> </trans-abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2022-00112022-10-13T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2022-0002<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <sec><title style='display:none'>Introduction</title> <p>Stress and poor working conditions can affect the health and satisfaction of health professionals. Until now, the perspective of the staff has not been sufficiently considered in the development of solutions. The aim was to capture the wishes and recommendations of health professionals that could contribute to an improvement of the work situation from their perspective.</p> </sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Method</title> <p>Semistructured focus group interviews with health professionals (nurses, midwifes, medical-technical-therapeutic professions and physicians) were conducted and analyzed using knowledge mapping and a deductive approach.</p> </sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Results</title> <p>Between June and November 2018, 128 health professionals from Swiss acute hospitals, psychiatric hospitals, nursing homes, and outpatient services participated in a total of 24 focus group interviews. They expressed the need to incorporate wishes into staff scheduling and to address vacation planning at an early stage. Other suggestions were to be able to take advantage of further training opportunities and to live a positive feedback and error culture, as well as to establish a clear division of roles and tasks.</p> </sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Conclusions</title> <p>The healthcare staff interviewed showed clear ideas about what should be improved to reduce workload. There is a great need for action in the general conditions as well as in leadership and management.</p> </sec> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2022-00022022-04-29T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2022-0014<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <sec><title style='display:none'>Introduction</title><p>Early health profession learners hold stereotypes about their own and other professions. Socialising students through interprofessional education (IPE) early in their training facilitates the development of their beliefs and values surrounding their professional and interprofessional identities. This study evaluates the effect of a 3-week, virtual IPE intervention in early health professional learners.</p></sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Methods</title><p>Students reflected on their functioning as an interprofessional team through discussion and written prompts which were coded by two faculty members for themes and trends. Exposure to developing an interprofessional identity and socialisation within an IPE team were measured through pre- and post-intervention surveys containing the Interprofessional Socialisation and Valuing Scale (ISVS).</p></sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Results</title><p>Students increased their positive attitudes towards IPE from pre- to post-intervention module as well as socialisation and readiness across all ISVS subscales: self-perception of working together, value, and comfort (all <italic>p</italic> &lt; .001). Students reflected that ‘taking time to get to know each other’ (<italic>n</italic> = 23 teams; 42%) and ‘allowing everyone to contribute’ (= 17; 31%) were key factors for team development. Individual reflections on what students would work on the next time they worked in an interprofessional team revealed ‘communication’ as important (<italic>n</italic> = 87; 45%).</p></sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Discussion</title><p>Health profession students who engaged in the module reflected on how their interprofessional team functioned and identified what helped or hindered them to work as a team. The opportunities to reflect on how their own professional identity within the context of an interprofessional team led to evidence of socialising into an interprofessional team. Students who are challenged to socialise into a team early in their education will better understand their beliefs and values surrounding interprofessional collaboration.</p></sec> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2022-00142022-11-09T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2022-0005<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>A systematic screening of patients with a need for post-acute care is a helpful support for interprofessional discharge planning teams. We aimed to test self-care abilities, measured by the self-care index (SPI) as predictors of post-acute care transfer and to update the existing SPI prediction model.</p> <p>We analysed data from a prospective, observational cohort study conducted at the Kantonsspital Aarau between February and October 2013. We updated the SPI model, adding age and gender using a training and validation data set. Logistic regression models were run on the outcome “transfer to a post-acute care facility” and judged based on their AUC (area under curve), AIC (Akaike information criterion), and BIC (Bayesian information criteria) values. ROC curves (receiver operating characteristic) were derived from the models; and cut-points for the linear predictors of the models were defined (thus defining the new scores). Sensitivities and specificities were calculated.</p> <p>This study included 1372 adult internal medicine in-patients admitted from home, who either returned home or were transferred to a post-acute care institution. The total SPI score was a significant predictor for post-acute care referral (p &lt; 0.001). Including age and gender in the SPI model increased the AUC to 0.85 (training) and 0.84 (validation). An improvement in the AUC by 3% (0.81 [95% CI: 0.77–0.85] to 0.84 [95% CI: 0.80–0.87]), compared to the original SPI was achieved (p = 0.004). The new score reached a sensitivity of 81% and specificity of 74% compared to a sensitivity of 64% and specificity of 84% for the original score.</p> <p>The extended SPI can be used as a tool for individualised discharge organisation of internal medicine patients with higher accuracy.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2022-00052022-07-13T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2022-0012<trans-abstract xml:lang="en"> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <sec><title style='display:none'>Objective</title><p>Physiotherapy based on guidelines is associated with advantages for patients and health-care systems. However, only approximately 10 % of physiotherapists in Austria have used this approach in the past. Guidelines recommend task-oriented training and the use of standardised assessments to improve stroke-related mobility deficits. The aim of this study was to describe physiotherapeutic practice patterns in relation to guideline recommendations in outpatient stroke rehabilitation in Austria.</p></sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Methods</title><p>A survey previously developed and used in Germany was adapted to the Austrian context. Participants were asked to list their preferred examination and treatment methods for a case vignette and to provide a rationale for their choice. Physiotherapists treating at least three persons after stroke per year were included. Data was analysed using qualitative content-analysis and descriptive statistics.</p></sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Results</title><p>Thirty physiotherapists completed the survey. Of 88 examination methods, 34,1 % were assigned to the category “standardised assessments” and 65,9 % to the category “basic physiotherapy evaluation (non-standardised)”. Of 88 treatment methods, 30 % were assigned to “traditional treatment approaches” such as the Bobath concept and Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation. The second most frequent treatment approach was strength- and endurance training (22,7 %). The examination and treatment methods were chosen because of positive experience, knowledge from continuing education courses, feasibility and compatibility with individual patient aims.</p></sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Discussion</title><p>Outpatient physiotherapy is primarily based on methods not recommended by guidelines. Continuing education courses may be used to foster guideline-based physiotherapy in Austria. A major limitation of this study is the low number of participants.</p></sec> </trans-abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2022-00122022-11-09T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2022-0003<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <sec><title style='display:none'>Background</title> <p>Complex interprofessional programs in health care are dependent on the valid measurement of outcomes. The iMTA Productivity Costs Questionnaire (iPCQ) is one of the few instruments measuring productivity in a comprehensive way which is available in German language. This study explores the validity of the German-language iPCQ with a focus on test content and response processes. The aim of this study is to validate the German version of the iPCQ for the use with people with chronic conditions in Switzerland and to make suggestions for adaptation to the developers.</p> </sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Method</title> <p>This study is a qualitative validation study. We conducted cognitive interviews with people with chronic illnesses and with other experts and analysed them based on the framework method.</p> </sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Results</title> <p>Participants had problems understanding many items and explanations and remembering correct answers. Furthermore, the study revealed construct-related problems in measuring the productivity of people with partial incapacity for work.</p> </sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Conclusions</title> <p>The results show that German version of the questionnaire needs improvement in order to guarantee validity and reliability.</p> </sec> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2022-00032022-06-22T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2022-0013<trans-abstract xml:lang="en"> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>Interprofessional education (IPE) means that students from different professions learn with, from and about each other. In 2019, an interprofessional education day (IPE day) was held in the canton of Zurich with 68 students and eight lecturers over eight lessons with the aim of improving interprofessional competencies. Students from six health care disciplines and PhD students with different professional backgrounds had to work together in groups on two cases with standardised patients. A pre-post online survey was conducted to evaluate the IPE day. It included self-assessment using items from the Zürcher InterProfessionelle AusbildungsStation (ZIPAS ^®) competency framework and the Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Survey (ICCAS) as well as open-ended questions about the IPE day. ZIPAS ^® competency framework and ICCAS were evaluated quantitatively, while the open-ended questions were evaluated qualitatively. There were statistically significant improvements in most of the subscales of the ZIPAS ^® competency framework but only in one third of the ICCAS subscales. In addition, the qualitative analysis of the statements showed improvements in collaboration in particular, as well as positive statements on the exchange with students from other professions, whereby many students attributed great importance to the topic of interprofessionality and have already focused their attention on the future and their everyday lives. The IPE day could be a good method to improve the collaboration and communication with students from other professions in the health sector.</p> </trans-abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2022-00132022-10-13T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2022-0015<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>The health professions in the German-speaking region of Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the so-called D-A-CH area, are in dynamic phases of their professionalization due to their shift towards education at universities. In addition, the needs of current and future health care require all health professionals (HPs) to have collaborative competencies and a willingness to work together. This willingness and the challenge of co-creation of health systems by all health professionals is a good starting point for the evolution of the professions. So what must professional profiles, role beliefs - in short, modern professionalization strategies - be like so that, at the beginning of the 21st century, education and professional practice do not remain stuck in old thought structures and templates and in monodisciplinary „silo thinking.” What does it mean in concrete terms for the professionalization of professions that health care professions must (be able to) increasingly work together? Doesn’t professionalization so far tend to mean exclusivity and isn’t a stronger demarcation between the professions then the consequence? Against the background of professionalization through academization, do university studies not tend to aim at a stronger demarcation from other disciplines and professions? Professionalization includes exclusive competencies and specialized methods against the background of one's own profession-related action sciences. At the three-country meeting of the VFWG in Bern on 5–6 May 2022, this area of tension was put up for discussion in a World Café based on four theses. The following article documents the results of the individual discussion rounds and aims to stimulate a critical discourse</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2022-00152022-12-31T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2022-0007<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <sec><title style='display:none'>Background</title><p>New technologies, for example, telerehabilitation (TR) tools, can support physiotherapists’ work. Even though studies have demonstrated their potential, TR is not yet fully implemented in Austrian outpatient physiotherapy. As a result of the Coronavirus pandemic and the associated lockdowns, physiotherapists in Austria were confronted with the challenge of offering therapies without physical contact. This study aims to investigate opinions and experiences of physiotherapists in Austria regarding TR and its implementation in different clinical fields.</p></sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Methods</title><p>A qualitative research design with expert interviews and a focus group discussion were conducted. Data were analysed using content analysis. The categories were formed following a deductive-inductive approach.</p></sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Results</title><p>The interview partners considered opportunities for using synchronous TR in internal medicine as well as orthopaedics and traumatology, especially in later, exercise-dominated stages. In addition, using TR can be supportive for patient education. In the field of neurology, synchronous TR is viewed with some criticism, especially when used for people with severe neuropsychological disorders. Asynchronous TR is considered useful across all disciplines and could support physical therapy from the first therapy session and throughout the treatment. Important questions regarding liability, billing, or data protection still need to be clarified. Interdisciplinary approaches in TR should also be pursued to improve care.</p></sec> <sec><title style='display:none'>Conclusion</title><p>The use of asynchronous TR in addition to regular physiotherapy is seen as promising in all clinical fields. In general, when implementing TR, the needs and requirements of different fields should be considered. Moreover, various framework conditions still need to be clarified for further implementation of TR.</p></sec> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2022-00072022-10-13T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2022-0008<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>This study examines the impact of an online spiritual care course on perceived spiritual care competency of students in social and health care professions. A quasi-experimental, pre-post-test study using questionnaires was conducted in Bavaria, Southern Germany, with a sample of 78 participants and 67 respondents in a comparison group. A repeated measures ANOVA was performed, with time and group as factors. Statistically significant increases were found in participants' perceived knowledge, skills, and attitudes concerning spiritual care, in different facets of spiritual care competency, in spiritual awareness, and in general self-efficacy (<italic>p</italic> &lt; .05). Results suggest the effectiveness of online spiritual care training, which can help prepare future caregivers in providing holistic care.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2022-00082022-10-14T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2021-0021<trans-abstract xml:lang="en"><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>This article presents the academization of the health professions in Switzerland in a historical and political context. Pro- and con-arguments for academization at that time and still cited are listed. A one-to-one comparison with Germany is not possible, but some points of reflection can be used to formulate strategies: Distribution of tasks between physicians and the therapeutic and nursing professions; political will with visions for linking education and health policy; financial incentives with targets. But also universities of applied sciences and professional associations have to make their contribution. This article is based on the presentation with the same title given at the VFWG symposium «Bachelor's degree programs in Austria and Switzerland: models for the therapy and nursing professions in Germany?» on September 8, 2021.</p> </trans-abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ijhp-2021-00212021-12-03T00:00:00.000+00:00en-us-1