Early stages of learning in interprofessional education: stepping towards collective competence for healthcare teams

Abstract Background Interprofessional education (IPE) is a core element of many health professional education curricula. To date the focus of much research has been on student perceptions of, and attitudes towards, the learning experience. Little is known about the impact of early IPE experience on...

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Main Authors: Sandra Kemp, Margo Brewer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2023-09-01
Series:BMC Medical Education
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-023-04665-8
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author Sandra Kemp
Margo Brewer
author_facet Sandra Kemp
Margo Brewer
author_sort Sandra Kemp
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Interprofessional education (IPE) is a core element of many health professional education curricula. To date the focus of much research has been on student perceptions of, and attitudes towards, the learning experience. Little is known about the impact of early IPE experience on how students understand and learn about effective interprofessional teamwork. Methods This qualitative study involved first year university students enrolled in health professions degrees and investigated their descriptions of interprofessional teamwork through graphic elicitation and interviews. Participants were enrolled in a large-scale interprofessional unit (subject) in the university. Results The data were analysed through the lens of a tool that classifies dimensions of interprofessional activity. The findings indicated the majority of students had what was classified as a Stage 1 (or ‘nascent’) understanding of integration between work practices and a Stage 2 (or ‘emerging’) understanding of the dimensions of interprofessional teamwork which were commitment, identity, goals, roles and responsibilities, and interdependence. Conclusions Based on the findings, the stages for a learning trajectory for interprofessional education are proposed and each stage is mapped to dimensions of interprofessional activity. A number of pedagogical strategies are suggested in order to move students through this two-stage model of learning and ensure their readiness for interprofessional teamwork as health professionals.
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spelling doaj.art-2a4d911db4ea4115bd244d35ce5f9de72023-11-20T09:47:15ZengBMCBMC Medical Education1472-69202023-09-0123111010.1186/s12909-023-04665-8Early stages of learning in interprofessional education: stepping towards collective competence for healthcare teamsSandra Kemp0Margo Brewer1Graduate School of Medicine, University of WollongongCurtin School of Allied Health, Curtin UniversityAbstract Background Interprofessional education (IPE) is a core element of many health professional education curricula. To date the focus of much research has been on student perceptions of, and attitudes towards, the learning experience. Little is known about the impact of early IPE experience on how students understand and learn about effective interprofessional teamwork. Methods This qualitative study involved first year university students enrolled in health professions degrees and investigated their descriptions of interprofessional teamwork through graphic elicitation and interviews. Participants were enrolled in a large-scale interprofessional unit (subject) in the university. Results The data were analysed through the lens of a tool that classifies dimensions of interprofessional activity. The findings indicated the majority of students had what was classified as a Stage 1 (or ‘nascent’) understanding of integration between work practices and a Stage 2 (or ‘emerging’) understanding of the dimensions of interprofessional teamwork which were commitment, identity, goals, roles and responsibilities, and interdependence. Conclusions Based on the findings, the stages for a learning trajectory for interprofessional education are proposed and each stage is mapped to dimensions of interprofessional activity. A number of pedagogical strategies are suggested in order to move students through this two-stage model of learning and ensure their readiness for interprofessional teamwork as health professionals.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-023-04665-8Interprofessional educationInterprofessional teamsCurriculum designGraphic elicitationInterprofessional collaboration
spellingShingle Sandra Kemp
Margo Brewer
Early stages of learning in interprofessional education: stepping towards collective competence for healthcare teams
BMC Medical Education
Interprofessional education
Interprofessional teams
Curriculum design
Graphic elicitation
Interprofessional collaboration
title Early stages of learning in interprofessional education: stepping towards collective competence for healthcare teams
title_full Early stages of learning in interprofessional education: stepping towards collective competence for healthcare teams
title_fullStr Early stages of learning in interprofessional education: stepping towards collective competence for healthcare teams
title_full_unstemmed Early stages of learning in interprofessional education: stepping towards collective competence for healthcare teams
title_short Early stages of learning in interprofessional education: stepping towards collective competence for healthcare teams
title_sort early stages of learning in interprofessional education stepping towards collective competence for healthcare teams
topic Interprofessional education
Interprofessional teams
Curriculum design
Graphic elicitation
Interprofessional collaboration
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-023-04665-8
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