Pain is complex and best managed using an interprofessional approach. A complicating factor is the high prevalence of co-existing opioid use disorder (OUD). Interprofessional education (IPE) may be an important strategy for transforming pain and OUD care. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of an interactive, case-based IPE session related to acute pain management in persons with OUD on pre-licensure health science students' perceived achievement of core competencies for interprofessional collaborative practice. Students completed a self-assessment of competency before and after the IPE session, using the Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Scale. Paired samples t-tests determined differences between pre- and post-session assessments and Cohen's d effect sizes evaluated the magnitude of change. Learners (n = 160) included students from pharmacy (30.9%), social work (21.9%), dentistry (16.3%), nursing (14.4%), medicine (9.4%), and other professional schools (7.4%). Learners showed significant improvement in perceived competency for all items (all p ≤ 0.002). Using a Collaborative Patient-Centered Approach and Team Functioning demonstrated the greatest overall improvement (Cohen's d > 0. 80). Findings suggest that an interactive IPE session is associated with perceived achievement of core interprofessional competencies for acute pain management in persons with OUD.
Keywords: Acute pain; core competencies; interprofessional education; opioid use disorder.