Earticle

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the healthcare sector represents a major transformation that raises complex issues concerning the technical, organizational, and relational dimensions of the profession. This contribution analyzes the key success factors and obstacles to the implementation of AI in healthcare facilities, adopting a holistic perspective that emphasizes communicational and interprofessional dynamics. Through an analysis of recent literature, we identify promising approaches and necessary conditions for successful AI integration, while preserving the quality of caregiver-patient relationships and interactions among professionals. Our analysis reveals that successful implementation relies on a balanced combination of leadership, end-user training, support for teams in modifying their daily work, and ethical governance. The central role of communication in this transformation process is emphasized, both in change management and in the adaptation of professional practices. We propose recommendations that integrate these different dimensions to guide the development and implementation of AI projects in healthcare, focusing on preserving and enriching human relationships within healthcare organizations.

Purpose: Over 10% of intensive care unit (ICU) patients die; however, research aimed at assessing and improving the quality of their deaths remains scarce. This study investigated the impact of communication among healthcare professionals and person-centered care provided by ICU nurses on the quality of dying and death (QODD) experienced by ICU patients. Methods: We measured general characteristics of ICU nurses, interprofessional communication, and person-centered care, and identified their impact on the quality of death for patients who died in the ICU. Participants consisted of 103 ICU nurses employed at two tertiary hospitals in South Korea. Data were collected between January and May 2023. Descriptive statistics, the t-test, analysis of variance, the Mann-Whitney U test, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted using SPSS version 23.0. Results: The mean QODD score was 44.73±21.26. QODD was positively correlated with openness (nurse-physician), understanding (nurse-physician), satisfaction (nurse-physician), and person-centered care. Factors significantly influencing QODD included nurse-physician communication, specifically understanding (β=.35, p=.010), and person-centered care (β=.19, p=.033), explaining 20.2% of the total variance (F=7.44, p<.001). Conclusion: Improved communication among healthcare professionals and enhanced person-centered care are essential for improving the QODD for ICU patients. To achieve this, educational initiatives focusing on end-of-life care and communication training programs for healthcare professionals should be implemented.

Purpose: Interprofessional communication skills are an essential competency for medical students training to be physicians. Nevertheless, interprofessional education (IPE) is relatively rare in Korean medical schools compared with those overseas. We attempted to evaluate the effectiveness of the first IPE program in our school. Methods: In the first semester of the school year 2018, third-grade medical students (N=149) at the Seoul National University College of Medicine participated in ‘communication between healthcare professionals in the clinical field’ training, which consisted of small group discussions and role-play. To evaluate the effectiveness of this training, we conducted pre- and post-training questionnaire surveys. Comparing paired t-tests, we evaluated the students’ competency in interpersonal communication and their attitude towards the importance of IPE before and after the training. The Global Interpersonal Communication Competence Scale (GICC-15) was used to evaluate competency in interpersonal communication. Results: Out of 149 students, 144 completed the pre- and post-training questionnaires. The total GICC-15 scores before and after training were 55.60±6.94 (mean±standard deviation) and 58.89±7.34, respectively (p=0.000). All subcategory scores of GICC-15 after training were higher after training and were statistically significant (p<0.05), except for two subcategories. The importance of IPE score also improved after training but was not significant (p=0.159). The appropriateness of content and training method scores were 3.99±0.92 and 3.94±1.00, respectively. Conclusion: From the results, our school’s IPE program demonstrated a positive overall educational effect. Deployment of systematic and varied IPE courses is expected in the future, with more longitudinal evaluation of educational effect.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore nurses’ experiences of interprofessional communication with physicians during a medical strike in a tertiary hospital. Methods: Focus group interviews were conducted to collect data. A total of five focus groups (a total of 22 nurses) were interviewed between December 10, 2024 and January 5, 2025. Thematic analysis was employed to identify recurring themes. Results: The following six themes were derived from the focus group interview: “Increased burden in reporting to physicians”, “Increase use of safe communication strategies by nurses in uncertain situations”, “Enhanced rapport and satisfaction through improved communication quality”, “Growing emphasis on nurses’ clinical judgment”, “The expansion of nurses’ initiative in clinical decision making process”, and “Embracing responsibility as a nursing professional”. Conclusion: This study explored changes in nurse-physician communication during a medical strike, leading to expanded nurses’ roles and a strengthened sense of professional identity. To ensure that these changes could lead to lasting improvements rather than temporary adaptations, institutional support, such as structured training programs and policy revisions, is needed to enhance nurses’ clinical decision-making authority. A more structured and collaborative communication system also needs to be established.

연구목적 본 연구의 목적은 전문직 간 교육(Interprofessional Education, IPE)에 참여한 보건계열 대학생의 전문직 간 태도와 의사소통능력 수준을 파악하고, 두 변수 간의 관계를 분석하는 데 있다. 연구방법: 본 연구는 전문직 간 교육에 참여한 대상자들의 전문직 간 태도와 의사소통능력 간의 관련성을 확인하는 소규모 표본 기반 탐색적 비모수 상관연구이다. 연구대상자는 경상권과 전라권에 소재한 7개 대학 8개 보건계열 학과에서 IPE 프로그램에 참여한 대학생 29명이다. 전문직 간 태도는 한국어판 전문직 간 태도 평가도구(Interprofessional Attitudes Scale, IPASK) 27문항, 의사소통능력 15문항 도구로 측정하였다. 수집된 자료는 기술통계, 상관분석을 이용하여 분석하였다. 연구결과: 본 연구결과는 연구대상자의 전문직 간 태도는 124.21±9.32점이었고, 의사소통능력은 63.79±7.11점이었다. 연구대상자의 전문직 간 태도와 의사소통능력 간에는 유의한 정적 상관관계를 나타내었다(r=.37, p=.048). 전문직 간 도구의 하위영역에서는 팀워크⋅역할 및 책임감(r=.45, p=.015)과 지역사회 중심성(r=.50, p=.006)이 의사소통능력과 유의한 정적 상관관계를 나타냈다. 결론: 전문직 간 교육에 참여한 보건계열 대학생의 전문직 간 태도는 의사소통능력과 유의한 관련성을 보였다. 특히 팀워크⋅역할 및 책임감, 지역사회 중심성과 같은 협력 실천 지향적 태도가 의사소통능력과 밀접하게 관련되는 것으로 나타났다. 따라서 보건계열 대학의 IPE 프로그램은 전문직 간 태도와 의사소통능력을 통합적으로 강화할 수 있도록 팀 기반 협력과 지역사회 연계 관점을 포함하는 방향으로 설계 시 고려할 필요가 있다.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the levels of interprofessional attitudes and communication competence among healthcare college students who participated in interprofessional education (IPE), and to investigate the relationship between these variables. Methods: This study employed a descriptive correlational design. Participants were 29 healthcare college students from eight health-related departments at seven universities located in the Gyeongsang and Jeolla regions of South Korea. Interprofessional attitudes were measured using the 27-item Korean version of the Interprofessional Attitudes Scale (IPASK), and communication competence was assessed using a 15-item communication competence scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Cronbach’s α, and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients. Results: The mean total score for interprofessional attitudes was 124.21±9.32, and the mean total score for communication competence was 63.79±7.11. Cronbach’s α was .862 for the interprofessional attitudes scale and .904 for the communication competence scale. Spearman correlation analysis showed that total interprofessional attitudes were significantly positively correlated with total communication competence (rho=.371, p=.048). Among the subdomains, teamwork, roles, and responsibilities (rho=.445, p=.015) and community-centeredness (rho=.495, p=.006) showed significant positive correlations with communication competence. Conclusion: Interprofessional attitudes were significantly associated with communication competence among healthcare college students participating in IPE. In particular, practice-oriented attitudes related to teamwork, roles, responsibilities, and community-centeredness were more closely associated with communication competence. These findings suggest that IPE programs for healthcare students should be designed to strengthen both interprofessional attitudes and communication competence by incorporating team-based collaboration and community-oriented perspectives.