This pilot further supports the literature findings:

1. Advancing Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Medical Students Partnering with Nurses Megan LeClair, BSN, RN & Élise Arsenault Knudsen, MS, RN, ACNS-BC University of Wisconsin Hospital and ClinicsMadison, Wisconsin Background • 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. Increased score (p = 0.04) indicates an improved attitude toward nurse-physician collaboration. Clinical Question Implications for Practice Among medical students, how does partnering with a nurse, compared with no partnering, influence attitude towards nursing practice and the profession of nursing? • 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. Qualitative Results “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…” Literature Findings • Three themes emerged from a comprehensive literature review. 14 articles were used in the final synthesis. • Medical students have a predetermined view that nurses are inferior to physicians. • Poor communication leads to negative patient outcomes. • 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. • “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!” References 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. 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. Acknowledgments 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. Note: This item is inversely scored.