The Role of Interprofessional Education in the Development of Healthcare Professionals’ Team Skills

Abstract

Purpose: Interprofessional education (IPE) across the health professions learning continuum is suggested to prepare health professionals for interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP) through development of necessary attitudes, knowledge, behaviors, and skills. The purpose of this study was to investigate the flow-on effects of previous IPE experiences across the learning continuum on existing IPCP skills and behaviors in healthcare professionals. Methods: A retrospective observational study design was used to survey a convenience sample of healthcare professionals working in IPCP clinics about their self-reported team and collaboration skills via the pre-existing Team Skills Scale (TSS) and Self-Assessed Collaborative Skills (SACS) tools. Additional survey items were created by the research team based on self-reported prior IPE exposure, timing of initial IPE exposure, and number of IPE exposures. Sixty-three participants completed the survey (28% response rate). Results: No statistically significant differences were found between groups across all categories of IPE exposure. Non-significant trends suggest higher team and collaboration skills are related to earlier and cumulative IPE exposures throughout learning and professional development. Conclusion: IPE as a broad definition is not sufficient to detect significant relationships with healthcare professionals’ IPCP skills. Future studies should investigate the longitudinal effectiveness of specific IPE interventions on distal IPCP skills and account for other contributing factors.