Nursing and medical students’ perceptions of interprofessional education and social interactions: A qualitative study

Abstract

Objective: Interprofessional education (IPE) is becoming increasingly popular and highly recommended for inclusion in curricula for healthcare professionals. Implementing IPE may improve students’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes toward collaborative teamwork, thereby improving health services and health outcomes for patients. This work aimed to explore nursing and medical students’ perceptions of IPE and social interactions.Methods: A qualitative study was conducted using a purposive sample of eight nursing and medical students. Data were collected via two semi-structured focus-group sessions and were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis.Results: Five main themes and seven subthemes emerged. The main themes were (1) IPE meaning, (2) IPE barriers, (3) IPE facilitators, (4) social interactions, and (5) bridging gaps in students’ perspectives. We found that students from both schools had a clear understanding of the definition and importance of IPE. Students reported that lack of interaction is an issue that they have never attempted to address. Students highlighted that IPE enhances IP collaboration and teamwork.Conclusions: Teaching students about IP communication and professional roles and involving students in joint sessions prepare them for a promising future of high-quality patient care.