Interprofessional team training via telemedicine in medical and nursing education

Abstract

Background: The use of information communication technologies such as telemedicine has increased over the years, offering access to specialized healthcare even in remote locations. However, telemedicine in interprofessional team training is seldom included in medical or nursing programs, and little is known about how to practise these scenarios. This study aimed to explore how medical and nursing students experience teamwork when one team member is participating remotely and digitally.

Methods: Following interprofessional team training in which one team member participated remotely, focus group interviews were conducted with three teams, each comprising one medical student and two nursing students (n = 9 students in total). The focus group interviews were analysed with thematic content analysis. The Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety model was applied as a theoretical framework and served as a lens in the analysis.

Results: Three themes were identified in the analysis: challenging the dynamic of leadership, becoming familiar with a new setting, and finding new strategies to communicate.

Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that future physicians and nurses need to enhance their knowledge of practicing teamwork through telemedicine during their education, as the use of telemedicine continues to grow.

Keywords: Focus groups; Information communication technology; Interprofessional team training; Medical students; Nursing students; Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety; Telemedicine.