Advances in Social Work (Sep 2020)
Transformative Teams in Health Care
Abstract
This paper describes social work pedagogy and outcomes in a multi-year longitudinal interprofessional education (IPE) course incorporating B.S.W, and M.S.S.W. students. Social work students participated in an IRB-approved mixed-method study designed to evaluate individual growth and identity transformation throughout the two-semester course. Students’ semi-structured reflection papers (n=113) were analyzed qualitatively to identify core themes. Students voluntarily completed Interprofessional Assessment Scale (IPAS) surveys, a measure of core competencies in interprofessional care, before and after the class (n=48). Social work students reported that they developed increased personal and interprofessional confidence, awareness of social work role in health care, increased social work skills and leadership to use their voice in interprofessional health care teams. All levels of social work students can and should be incorporated into IPE education. Social work educators and practitioners should continue to take leadership in IPE education at all levels of curriculum design and implementation.
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