Caring for attitudes as a means of caring for patients--improving medical, pharmacy and nursing students' attitudes to each other's professions by engaging them in interprofessional learning.

INTRODUCTION Negative attitudes between pharmacists, doctors and nurses can impact adversely on patients' medicines management. A seven-week interprofessional learning (IPL) intervention was delivered to foster positive attitudes. METHODS First-year pharmacy, nursing and medical students' attitudes were assessed using the Attitudes to Health Professionals Questionnaire before and after IPL intervention. RESULTS Students viewed pharmacists, doctors and nurses as more 'caring' after IPL. Nurses were viewed as most 'caring'. Nursing and pharmacy students perceived doctors as least 'caring' before and after IPL whereas medical students viewed pharmacists as least 'caring'. Students perceived their own profession as more 'caring' than others did. The three-way analysis of variance showed a significant difference between student groups (p<0.0001), professions (p<0.0001) and before-and-after IPL (p<0.005). CONCLUSION Findings suggest that students' attitudes are more positive after they have worked together during seven weeks of IPL. Each student group view their own profession more positively than others. Views become more aligned after this IPL intervention. Time may be an important factor in allowing for attitudes to change. IPL can help foster positive attitudes between doctors, pharmacists and nurses, which may facilitate effective collaboration and thus enhance patients' medicines management.