# “Understanding dementia together”: The design, delivery and evaluation of a collaborative, inter-professional dementia workshop for healthcare students

## TL;DR

This study shows that a collaborative workshop for healthcare students improves their knowledge and communication skills when dealing with dementia patients.

## Contribution

The study introduces a multi-disciplinary dementia workshop that leads to measurable improvements in student knowledge and perceived behavioral changes in clinical settings.

## Key findings

- Students showed a statistically significant increase in dementia knowledge and communication confidence after the workshop.
- Students positively evaluated the collaborative workshop format and the role of the patient advocate.
- Follow-up showed perceived behavioral changes in communication during clinical placements.

## Abstract

A collaborative, multi-disciplinary team input is crucial for the optimal management of the older adult with complex care needs such as dementia. Interprofessional learning (IPL) at undergraduate level can lead to improved collaborative knowledge and skills. The aim of this study was to develop, deliver and evaluate an IPL dementia workshop for healthcare students across 11 disciplines. A secondary aim was to determine whether there is a clinical application of learned knowledge in students who completed the workshop and subsequently underwent clinical placement.

The design of the IPL workshop aligned with Kern’s map for the development of a curriculum in medical education. The Alzheimer’s Disease Knowledge Scale (ADKS) was used to assess students’ knowledge of dementia pre-and-post workshop, as well as opened-ended questions on role recognition and communication.

A total of 102 students completed the workshop questionnaire, with a follow up of 47 students on clinical placement. There was a statistically significant increase in students’ knowledge and confidence levels in communication with a person with dementia. Students reported positively on the workshop format, the collaborative nature of the workshop, as well as the role of the patient advocate. The follow up of students on clinical placement showed a perceived behavioural change in communication modification.

Our study demonstrates the benefits of an IPL initiative across multiple disciplines, with perceived behavioural change on clinical placement.