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The Effects of Interprofessional Education

Interprofessional education (IPE) is a prerequisite for interprofessional collaboration (IPC). IPE teaches students and healthcare professionals (HCPs) the knowledge, values, and attitudes required for effective IPC.

Factsheet

Situation

Successful interprofessional education (IPE) is training, continuing education, or professional development that enables both students and practicing HCPs to collaborate efficiently and effectively with professionals from other fields. In the context of IPE, values and attitudes constitute potential behaviors that an HCP should internalize as "good practice behaviors." An example of this might be the "respectful and tolerant handling of one's own and others' opinions, role expectations, and assignments." The development of the appropriate values and attitudes is important because they influence professional actions. Values are often understood as having a broader scope and applicable in many situations, while attitudes relate to evaluations of specific objects or situations. Effective interprofessional collaboration (IPC) requires professionals who have a positive attitude towards it, as this is linked to positive behavior in professional practice. This dissertation project comprises three sub-studies. The first sub-study is a systematic literature review that develops a theory on the mechanisms by which IPE influences learners' attitudes. The second study examines the impact of organizational factors (e.g., workload) and individual factors (e.g., education) on the perceived quality of IPC. The third study investigates how students' attitude towards IPC develops over the course of their undergraduate studies.

Course of action

The three sub-studies each apply a different method as required by the research question. Sub-study 1 is a Realist Synthesis, a form of systematic literature review, which uses qualitative analysis of texts, such as published studies, to identify the mechanisms by which IPE influences attitudes towards IPC. Context factors are also identified in the process. The objective is to develop a theory of how IPE influences attitudes towards IPC. This is achieved by developing theoretical explanations of how specific contexts combine with certain mechanisms to produce positive attitude outcomes. Sub-study 2 is a quantitative secondary analysis of data from the "Swiss Cohort of Healthcare Professionals and Informal Caregivers" (SCOHPICA) project. Using structural equation models, it investigates how work conditions in an organization (e.g., staffing, workload) interact with individual factors (e.g., education) (moderated mediation model) to influence the perceived quality of IPC. Sub-study 3 develops a cross-lagged panel data model using structural equation modeling with data from bachelor students in health professions. The reciprocal influence of two dimensions of attitude towards IPC (attitude towards teamwork and attitude towards healthcare) is modeled over time.

Result

IPE supports the development of positive attitudes through three mechanisms in particular: 1) getting to know other participants on a professional and personal level, 2) experiencing positive emotions during IPE, and 3) realizing that the different professions depend on each other to solve complex problems in patient care. A conducive IPE context provides ample opportunity for formal and informal exchanges, is accompanied by competent instructors, and should be perceived by students as relevant to their careers. In professional practice, working conditions (e.g., staffing, workload, job appreciation) have a significant impact on the perceived quality of IPC. This impact can partly be statistically explained by the perceived behavioral control of HCPs. When statistically controlling for HCPs’ assessment of their ability to apply what they learned in their training to practice, the latter becomes the only remaining significant factor influencing the perceived quality of IPC. Initial results from Sub-Study 3 show that the two measured aspects of attitudes towards IPC improve during the course of undergraduate studies. The attitude towards teamwork is more stable than the attitude towards the healthcare system. The attitude towards teamwork at the beginning of the study has a slightly negative impact on the attitude towards the healthcare system at the end of undergraduate studies.

Looking ahead

The project results show how different social processes are embedded in IPE, which can be specifically targeted through further curriculum development and changes in the teaching and learning contexts. Our research showed that it is important to build trust, respect, and mutual liking among students/HCPs to develop a positive attitude towards IPC. Developing trust, respect, and mutual liking can be promoted by ensuring that IPE provides ample opportunities for formal and informal interactions, such as group work, joint clinical placements, and social events. By presenting realistic practice examples in IPE, participants will more likely perceive the course content as relevant for their practice and career, which is conducive to fostering a positive attitude towards IPC. This project builds on theoretical approaches from educational research, developmental psychology, social psychology, and sociology, as well as findings from empirical research on IPE, to promote the continued development of the IPE curriculum and interprofessional teaching in Switzerland. In collaboration with the Swiss Learning Health Systems, an exchange with interested stakeholders will take place to incorporate the research findings into future IPE.

Contact

Jean Anthony Grand-Guillaume-Perrenoud

  • Doktorand
  • +41 31 848 37 67
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This project contributes to the following SDGs

  • 3: Good health and well-being