1. Planning the Pilot Experts with pre-existing, unpublished programs at Dartmouth Medical and University of Vermont were contacted and consulted. O btained permission to use externally validated survey. 2 Medical students recruited from affiliated school. RNs recruited from ICU to be shadowed. Pilot the Intervention Eleven (n = 11) 1 st or 2 nd year medical students shadowed a RN in an ICU for 4-hours. Externally validated survey 2 completed pre- and post - shadowing experience. Four open-ended questions were completed post- experience. Twelve (n = 12) additional students completed survey 2 without a shadowing experience for comparison. Evaluate the Results T he pre- and no-experience groups were comparable; no significant difference found in survey results (p = 0.11). Statistically significant change (p<0.01) in attitude between the no- and post- experience groups. Statistically significant change (p = 0.04) in attitude toward positive nurse – physician collaboration pre- and post- experience. There are many inaccurate stereotypes of nurses perpetuated by the media. Unfortunately, this negative portrayal of the profession of nursing influences nurses’ future colleagues’ perceptions, including medical students. Medical students consider nurses to be “inferior with respect to status, competence, and academic ability.” 1 This pre-conceived notion and subsequent collegial relationships are not likely to change without an opportunity for interdisciplinary learning. Among medical students, how does partnering with a nurse, compared with no partnering, influence attitude towards nursing practice and the profession of nursing? Three themes emerged from a comprehensive literature review. 14 articles were used in the final synthesis. 1.Medical students have a predetermined view that nurses are inferior to physicians. 2.Poor communication leads to negative patient outcomes. 3.Providing medical students with an opportunity to partner with nurses reconstructs their image of nursing and elevates the potential for improved collaboration and patient outcomes. This pilot further supports the literature findings: a shadowing experience positively influences medical students’ attitudes of nurse -physician collaboration. Highlights the need for increased inter- professional educational opportunities within academic curricula. This intervention may help to improve patient outcomes and health care team communication. Advancing Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Medical Students Partnering with Nurses Megan LeClair, BSN, RN & Élise Arsenault Knudsen, MS, RN, ACNS-BC University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics Madison, Wisconsin Megan LeClair, BSN, RN & Élise Arsenault Knudsen, MS, RN, ACNS-BC University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics Madison, Wisconsin “I felt I caught a glimpse of the continuity of the nurse’s experience in contrast to the seemingly random and sporadic visits from all the doctor teams…” Background Clinical Question Literature Findings Increased score (p = 0.04) indicates an improved attitude toward nurse-physician collaboration. Qualitative Results Implications for Practice Acknowledgments “I certainly am more aware of the times in between when I see a patient. I think before this experience I would be open to input and advice from those that are caring for the patients the majority of the time. Now, I think I will actively seek it out!” Special thanks to Rosa Mak, the medical students and the nurses who volunteered their time, as well as Dean Patrick McBride and Dean Katharyn May. 1.Rudland, J. R., & Mires, G. J. (2005). Characteristics of doctors and nurses as perceived by students entering medical school: implications for shared teaching. Medical Education, 39, 448-455. 1.Hojat, M., Fields, S. K., Veloski, J. J., Griffiths, M., Cohen, M. J., & Plumb, J. D. (1999). Psychometric properties of an attitude scale measuring physician-nurse collaboration. Evaluation and the Health Professions, 22(2), 208-219. Note: This item is inversely scored. References