“Digital interprofessional learning (IPL) for health and social care students in a rural area. Teachers' and students' experiences with digital IPL”

Abstract

There was a need to implement full-scale interprofessional learning (IPL) across health and social educational programmes in a rural area. We wanted to explore how digital tools could be a means to allow student coalitions to collaborate interprofessionally across campuses. A qualitative method with a phenomenological hermeneutical approach was used. The study shows that thorough planning is important for implementing sustainable IPL in the programmes. The facilitators' role ought to be clear. When IPL can be carried out digitally, opportunities are more accessible, and students' interprofessional collaborative competences can be improved. Digital IPL was successful in rural areas. Digital IPL was less time consuming than physical meetings and provided the opportunity to include students from other campuses. The planning and organization of digital IPL and facilitators' roles influence students' IPL outcomes. A stable facilitator group is preferred.