Abstract
With the COVID-19 crisis and rapid increase in cases, the need for interprofessional education (IPE) and collaborative practice is more important than ever. Instructors and health professionals are exploring innovative methods to deliver IPE programs in online education This paper presents a mixed methods study where an interprofessional education program was delivered/taught using online instruction. Using a survey/questionnaire adapted from the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) and qualitative discussions, students’ readiness towards online IPE program and the importance of such preparation was examined. Out of two hundred fifteen students who completed the IPE program, one hundred eighty five students from clinical and non-clinical health disciplines responded to the questionnaire (86.04% response rate). Additional qualitative content analysis was conducted on a total of seven hundred and thirty six online discussions. Data analysis across all the four subscales of RIPLS suggests that students felt positively about teamwork and collaboration, and valued opportunities for shared learning with other healthcare students. Qualitative data analysis demonstrated that IPE increases awareness of team members’ roles, enhances communication and collaboration and can lead to better care for COVID-19 patients.
Highlights
Interprofessional Education (IPE) is defined as “occasions when two or more professions learn with, from and about each other to improve collaboration and the quality of care” [1]
Interprofessional education and the ability to work in collaboration with other health professionals can lead to reductions in difficulties faced by health organizations in different countries [4]
As problems posed by the COVID-19 pandemic continue to grow, it is imperative that clinical providers work in close coordination with professionals from different disciplines, departments and sectors of healthcare
Summary
Interprofessional Education (IPE) is defined as “occasions when two or more professions learn with, from and about each other to improve collaboration and the quality of care” [1]. Failure to work as part of a team and lack of a coordinated effort result in medical complications or even patient deaths in healthcare settings. These events lead to patient safety issues, and result in increased costs to the healthcare system [2]. Interprofessional education and the ability to work in collaboration with other health professionals can lead to reductions in difficulties faced by health organizations in different countries [4]. Failure to work as part of a team and lack of a coordinated effort may result in medical complications or even patient deaths in healthcare settings [7]. This study reported noteworthy improvements in scores on collaboration and team work [9]
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