Interprofessional Versus Monoprofessional Case-based Learning in Childhood Cancer

Interprofessional Versus Monoprofessional Case-based Learning in Childhood Cancer and the Effect on Healthcare Professionals' Interprofessional Attitudes: a Randomized Trial

Interprofessional education in childhood cancer is a multifaceted field. It involves multiple healthcare professionals with general and specialised knowledge and skills. Complex treatment, care and rehabilitation require continuous professional development and maintenance of healthcare professionals' competencies in their own professional field. Limited knowledge exists on comparing interprofessional and monoprofessional education and only few randomised studies have evaluated the effectiveness and efficiency of interprofessional education. One clinical area among others where healthcare professionals collaborate is in gastrointestinal toxicities and side effects. These are frequent and potentially severe clinical problems in childhood cancer that involve multiple healthcare professionals.

Objectives: To study the effect of interprofessional versus monoprofessional case-based learning on healthcare professionals' attitudes on interprofessional learning and collaboration.

Trial design: single centre investigator-initiated cluster randomized trial

Methods:

Participants: Employees with patient-related work at the childhood cancer departments and affiliated with childhood cancer at Rigshospitalet are eligible for inclusion. The setting is the childhood cancer department.

Outcome: The primary outcome is to improve healthcare professionals' interprofessional attitude.

Measurements:

The primary outcome is attitudes measured by the Assessment of Interprofessional Team Collaboration Scale (AITCS). Secondary outcome is Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) Questionnaire, and Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ). Knowledge will be measured by written test as multiple choice questionnaire (MCQ).

Timepoints: The self-reported questionnaires will be distributed to the participants approximately one month before and one month after the educational intervention. On the day of the educational intervention, participants will answer the multiple choice questionnaire.

Analysis: Linear mixed regression will be used to compare differences in mean scores postintervention, adjusted for differences between the two groups.

Results: We hypothesise that interprofessional case-based learning positively affects the healthcare professionals' interprofessional attitudes.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthcare professionals at the in-patient department for children and adolescents with cancer
• Healthcare professionals at the in-patient department for transplantation of children and adolescents with cancer
• Healthcare professionals at the out-patient departments for children and adolescents with cancer department
• Healthcare professionals affiliated with Juliane Marie Centre at Rigshospitalet
• Employees in a supportive function to the department for children and adolescents with cancer, such as psychologists, priests, pedagogues, social workers, experts in pain relief in children, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and dieticians.
• Teachers employed at a local public school but have their main working hours at the department.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Staff taking part in the intervention or in the planning of the intervention
• Management with staff responsibilities
• Lack of informed consent