To Örebro University

Background: Lack of physician-nurse collaboration in wound management may result in prolonged healing process for the patients (Apelqvist, 2012). In order to facilitate future professional collaboration interprofessional undergraduate learning activities has been proposed (Barr et al., 2005). The aim of this study is to investigate changes and characteristics of nursing and medical students’ attitudes towards each other’s future professions in relation to a joint learning activity.

Summary of Work: Medical (n=38) and nursing (n=30) students were jointly trained in compression therapy, Doppler assessment and wound case studies. Students were measured by the Jefferson scale on attitudes toward Physician-Nurse Collaboration (Hojat, et al., 1999) and compared to previously gathered baseline scores. Focus group interviews were held to deepen the knowledge about characteristics of attitudes towards both the others’ profession and towards collaboration.

Summary of Results: Attitudes towards the other profession increased after interprofessional learning activity. This kind of learning activities may increase future professional collaboration and thus improve wound management.

Discussion and Conclusions: Attitudes towards the other profession increased after interprofessional learning activity. This kind of learning activities may increase future professional collaboration and thus improve wound management.

Take-home messages: Efforts should be made to find strategies for structures facilitating collaboration in clinical practice. Joint learning activities are appreciated by the students. These may result in better collaboration in students future professionals and may ultimately benefit patient care with better wound healing.