Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative Research Articles

Utilization of the Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative as an Evaluation Framework for Student Participation in a Community-Engaged Project

Utilization of the Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative as an Evaluation Framework for Student Participation in a Community-Engaged Project

Scoping Review: Interprofessional Simulation as an Effective Modality to Teaching Interprofessional Collaborative Competencies in the Emergency Department

Background: A scoping review was conducted to map the current body of research pertaining to simulation-enhanced interprofessional education (Sim-IPE) as a modality for teaching interprofessional collaboration (IPC) in the emergencydepartment (ED). Methods and Findings: The research team followed the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews framework. Studies were included if they involved two or more healthcare professions, utilized simulation as the learning method for interprofessional education (IPE), involved simulation pertaining to the ED, and identified at least one Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative or Interprofessional Education Collaborative IPC competency as a learning outcome. In total, 896 studies were included for title and abstract screening and 806 were deemed irrelevant. Ninety full-text studies were assessed for eligibility and 34 were included in the review. Conclusions: Eighteen studies found Sim-IPE to be an effective method for teaching interprofessional competencies in the ED. Simulation-enhanced interprofessional education appears to be a promising methodology for teaching IPC competencies to ED healthcare professionals. Interprofessional collaboration competency frameworks should be utilized to guide Sim-IPE, and assessment tools specific to interprofessional competencies should be used in the assessment phase of Sim-IPE. Faculty development is a crucial component of Sim-IPE. Further longitudinal and outcome-based research is required.

Changing the channel: a qualitative analysis of an innovative video intervention to explore resident attitudes towards interprofessional collaboration on a Geriatric Medicine Unit.

Medical learners develop a more positive attitude toward Interprofessional Collaboration (IPC) following Interprofessional Education (IPE) programs. However, IPE is not standardized, and the most effective teaching tool is unclear. The purpose of our study was to develop an IPE teaching tool for medical residents during an inpatient geriatric medicine rotation at an academic hospital, evaluate and explore the impact of the program on resident attitudes towards teamwork, and identify barriers and facilitators to interprofessional collaboration. An innovative video was developed which simulated a common IPC scenario. Near the start of the rotation, learners watched the video then participated in a facilitated discussion around principles of IPE, using the Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative (CIHC) framework, which highlights interprofessional communication, patient-centered care, role clarification, team functioning, collaborative leadership, and interprofessional conflict resolution. At the end of their four-week rotation, focus groups were conducted to explore resident attitudes towards IPE. The Theoretical Domain Framework (TDF) was used for qualitative analysis. Data from 23 participants in five focus groups were analyzed using the TDF framework. Residents were able to identify barriers and facilitators to IPC in five TDF domains: environmental context and resources, social/professional role and identity, knowledge, social influences, and skills. Their observations correlated with the CIHC framework. The use of a scripted video and facilitated group discussion gave insights into residents' attitudes, perceived barriers, and facilitators towards IPC on a geriatric medicine unit. Future research could explore the use of this video intervention in other hospital services where team-based care is important.

Building a theoretical model for virtual interprofessional education.

Virtual interprofessional education (IPE) has emerged as a promising alternative to traditional in-person IPE. However, theoretical frameworks to support virtual interprofessional learning are not well established. Two theoretical frameworks emerged as relevant to virtual IPE: (1) the Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative (CIHC) interprofessional learning framework and (2) Dornan's Experience-Based Learning Model (ExBL) of workplace learning. In this study, we sought to explore virtual IPE using both frameworks to develop new theoretical understandings and identify assumptions, gaps and barriers. This was a qualitative study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with medical and nursing student participants (n= 14) and facilitators (n= 3) from virtual IPE workshops. Transcripts were analysed using directed content analysis methodology, informed by the CIHC and ExBL frameworks. Themes were explored using mind-mapping transitional coding. Data collection and analysis were continued iteratively until themes with adequate conceptual depth, relevance and plausibility were identified. Three themes were identified: (1) a shift in the balance of personal and professional, (2) blunted sociologic fidelity and (3) uncertainty and threats to interpersonal connections. Professional distinctions and hierarchies are blurred virtually. This contributed to an increased sense of psychological safety among most learners and lowered the threshold for participation. Separation from workplace sociologic complexity facilitated communication and role clarification objectives. However, loss of immersion may limit deeper engagement. Interprofessional objectives that rely on deeper sociological fidelity, such as conflict resolution, may be threatened. Informal interactions between learners are hindered, which may threaten organic development of interprofessional relationships. Role clarification and communication objectives are preserved in virtual IPE. Educators should pay close attention to psychological safety and sociologic fidelity-both to leverage advantages and guard against threats to connection and transferability. Virtual IPE may be well suited as a primer to in-person activities or as scaffolding towards interprofessional workplace practice.

How Ineffective Interprofessional Collaboration Affects Delivery of Breast Reconstruction to Breast Cancer Patients: A Qualitative Study

Despite the benefits of breast reconstruction (BR), health care professionals do not consistently integrate it as an option in the treatment of breast cancer patients. Interprofessional collaboration (IPC) amongst professionals may facilitate the elaboration of comprehensive oncological treatment plans. As the application of IPC in the delivery of BR has not yet been studied, we undertook a qualitative study to explore the perceptions of physicians and administrators on IPC in breast cancer care and how these impact BR delivery. Interviews were conducted with 30 participants (22 physicians and 8 administrators). Physician interviews focused on their personal beliefs and values regarding BR, while administrator interviews explored their institutional treatment regimens as well as the availability of a BR program. Our thematic analysis was informed by the Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative (CIHC) competency framework. IPC challenges were thought by participants to affect the delivery of BR. At the physician level, a lack of role clarity as well as the absence of an explicitly established leader negatively influence collaboration in BR delivery. In addition, varying views on the usefulness of BR and on the role of plastic surgeons in breast oncological teams discourage positive collaboration, rendering the delivery of BR more difficult. The delivery of BR is overall impaired due to a lack of effective IPC. IPC could be improved through clarifying physician roles, establishing clear leadership, and aligning viewpoints on quality oncological care in collaborative teams; ultimately, this may promote equitable BR delivery for breast cancer patients.

Could interprofessional education assessment in workplace learning be streamlined?

Abstract Introduction Very few instruments exist to assess interprofessional education competencies demonstrated by students in workplace-based training settings. Clinical teachers may be able to form judgements and rate student performance using constructs or tools from their own discipline. If the discipline-specific competencies are sufficiently similar, this may make the administration of separate IPE instruments unnecessary. Methods We conducted a document content analysis of the competency frameworks for seven Canadian health professional training programs. The educational outcomes for dietetics, medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, pharmacy, physiotherapy, and respiratory therapy were then systematically mapped to the six domains of the Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative National Interprofessional Competency Framework. Results A total of 47 core competencies and 851 elaborated subcategories were reviewed. Educational outcomes could be organized into the national interprofessional competencies, especially for patient/client/family/community-centred care and communication. Elements of team functioning and collaborative leadership were identified across the disciplines, but were often indistinguishable from one another. Very few educational outcomes could be cross-mapped for role clarification and interprofessional conflict. Conclusion These findings do not support reliance on any individual discipline's educational outcome description to serve as a surrogate for nationally-outlined IPE competencies. Further means are necessary to support student assessment and feedback of IPE competencies in the practice environment.

Health care providers' roles and responsibilities in management of polypharmacy: Results of a modified Delphi.

Little is known about the roles that allow interprofessional teams to effectively manage older patients experiencing polypharmacy. To identify and examine the consensus on salient interprofessional roles, responsibilities and competencies required in managing polypharmacy. Four focus groups with 35 team members practising in geriatrics were generated to inform survey development. The sessions generated 63 competencies, roles or responsibilities, which were categorized into 4 domains defined by the Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative. The resulting survey was administered nationally to geriatric health care professionals who were asked to rate the importance of each item in managing polypharmacy; we sought agreement within and across professions using a confirmatory 2-round Delphi method. Round 1 was completed by 98 survey respondents and round 2 by 72. There was high intra-professional and interprofessional consensus regarding the importance of competencies among physicians, nurses and pharmacists; though pharmacists rated fewer competencies as important. Less consensus was observed among other health care professionals or they indicated the nonimportance of competencies despite focus group discussion to the contrary. Although there is a strong consensus of polypharmacy management competencies across team members who have been more traditionally involved in medication management, there continue to be health care providers with differing understandings of competencies that may contribute to reduced reliance on medication. Lower importance ratings suggest pharmacists may not acknowledge or recognize their own potential roles in interprofessional polypharmacy management. Further exploration to understand the underutilization of professional expertise in managing polypharmacy will contribute to refining role clarity and translating competencies in practical settings, as well as guiding educators regarding curricular content.

Caring moments within an interprofessional healthcare team: Children and adolescent perspectives

Patients are now recognized as key partners to improve healthcare outcomes. Some organisations such as the WHO or the Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative (CIHC) encourage considering patients as partners in the interprofessional healthcare team. However, limited knowledge exists on patients’ perspective of interprofessional collaboration (IPC) and of their role in the collaborative process, particularly in pediatric settings. The experiences and perspectives of patients regarding IPC have to be considered in order to fully understand the concept of IPC and integrate it into practice. This qualitative study aimed at gaining a better understanding of the perspective of children of IPC, how it affects their experiences of care and how they perceive their own role within the interprofessional team. Semi-structured interviews were used in the pediatric service of a Swiss university hospital, with ten children and adolescents aged between 11-17 years. The participants described the interactions they observed between nurses and physicians and provided insights into how they perceived the quality of that relationship. A respectful relationship between nurses and physicians may have improved the experience of a caring environment. The participants did not perceive their role to be pivotal into the interprofessional relationship. The findings of this study indicate that the interactions between healthcare professionals have an influence on the perspectives and experiences of the participants of their hospitalisation and of IPC. However, integrating children and adolescents into collaborative process will need a change of paradigm and beliefs regarding IPC.

A School‐Based Case Study: Developing Interprofessional Competencies to Support Students With Dual Diagnosis

AbstractThis case study provides insight into the ways an interprofessional team developed collaborative competencies to enhance school‐based mental health support for students with a dual diagnosis of intellectual disabilities and mental health illness. The team was anchored by the school division coordinator, two resource teachers, a social worker, and a psychologist. It is also a site for preservice nursing, social work, recreational therapy, and psychology students who were completing their senior practicum in their respective programs. The purpose of this study is to develop a deeper understanding of how preservice and in‐service professionals experience interprofessional collaboration and competency development as a means to support students with dual diagnosis. Interviews were conducted with 21, preservice practicum students and in‐service professionals who participated on the team. Data were recorded, transcribed verbatim and manually aggregated, coded, and themed using two complementary strategies, constant comparison method and initial and focused coding. The Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative (CIHC) (Gilbert, ) framework helped illuminate the fundamental components, that is, the competencies, needed to be an effective collaborator. The findings suggest that four of the six CIHC competencies, role clarification, student centeredness, communication and team functioning emerged as core competencies. The practicum students described their experience on the team as an enriching way to develop specialized knowledge, skills, and attitudes with students with dual diagnosis and they continue to serve as advocates in their current positions. Reciprocally, the permanent structure of the interprofessional practicum offered a unique professional development strategy for in‐service professionals. This study queries the need to refine the CIHC model for school‐based mental health settings. It is suggested that the model would be enhanced by a greater emphasis on culturally responsible practice and a greater integration of inclusive education competencies for professionals who work with students who have dual diagnosis in schools.

Interprofessional Competency Toolkit for Internationally Educated Health Professionals: Evaluation and Pilot Testing.

Internationally Educated Health Professionals (IEHPs) constitute a major health care workforce in Canada. Interprofessional education is particularly important for IEHPs to integrate into the Canadian health care system. We designed an online interprofessional education curriculum for IEHPs. The curriculum is designed to cover the six interprofessional competency domains defined in the Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative National Interprofessional Competency Framework. In this article, we are presenting findings from the pilot testing of the curriculum with a cohort of IEHPs and educators. We conducted surveys and interviews with IEHPs and educators from four provinces (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba). We aimed to include seven healthcare professionals: licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, registered psychiatric nurses, pharmacists, physicians, occupational therapists, and physical therapists. We also used a pre- post- self-assessment tool and a set of reflective questions to measure the effectiveness of the curriculum. Thirty IEHPs and five educators reviewed the online curriculum and participated in this evaluation. Postintervention confidence scores for all items under the role clarification and patient-centered care domains increased significantly (P = <0.01) after module completion. The scores also increased for most questions in team functioning, collaborative leadership, and communication domains. The postassessment scores increased for only half of the questions in conflict management domains. Participants agreed with the appropriateness of the content in terms of language, scenarios, and cultural aspects covered in the online curriculum on interprofessional education. The content of the curriculum improved IEHPs' understanding of interprofessional collaboration in Canada. The interprofessional curriculum is a creative and useful resource to improve collaborative practice among internationally educated health professionals in Canada.

Interprofessional education for internationally educated health professionals: an environmental scan.

ObjectiveThe objective of this environmental scan was to identify Western Canadian interprofessional education (IPE) resources that currently exist for internationally educated health professionals (IEHPs).MethodologyA web-based search was conducted to identify learning resources meeting defined inclusion criteria with a particular focus on the resources available in the Western Canadian provinces. Information was extracted using a standardized template, and we contacted IEHP programs for additional information if necessary. Members of the research team reviewed preliminary findings, identified missing information from their respective provinces, and contacted organizations to fill in any gaps.ResultsThe scan identified 26 learning resources for IEHPs in Western Canadian provinces and 15 in other provinces focused on support for IEHPs to meet their profession-specific licensing requirements and to acquire knowledge and competencies relevant to working in the Canadian health care system. Most learning resources, such as those found in bridging programs for IEHPs, included an orientation to the Canadian health care system, components of cultural competence, and at least one aspect of interprofessional competence (eg, communication skills). None of the 41 learning resources provided comprehensive training for IEHPs to cover the six interprofessional competency domains defined in the Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative (CIHC) National Interprofessional Competency Framework.ConclusionThe IEHPs learning resources in Western Canada do not cover all of the interprofessional competencies. This review points to the value of developing a comprehensive IPE curriculum, based on the six domains identified in the CIHC National Interprofessional Competency Framework.

Measuring interprofessional competencies and attitudes among health professional students creating family planning virtual patient cases.

BackgroundThe Virtual Interprofessional Patients-Computer-Assisted Reproductive Health Education for Students (VIP-CARES) Project took place during the summers of 2010–2012 for eight weeks each year at the University of British Columbia (UBC). Undergraduate health care students worked collaboratively to develop virtual patient case-based learning modules on the topic of family planning. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the changes in perception towards interprofessional collaboration (IPC) among the participants, before and after the project.MethodsThis study utilized a mixed methods evaluation using self-assessment survey instruments, semi-structured interviews, and reflective essays. Pre- and post- project surveys were adapted from the Canadian Medical Education Determinants (CanMEDS) and Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative (CIHC) frameworks, as well as the Memorial University Interprofessional Attitudes (IPA) questionnaire. The survey results were analyzed as mean (M) and standard deviation (SD) on Likert scales. The non-parametric Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to determine if any significant changes were measured between each participant’s differences in score (p ≤ 0.05). Post-project interview transcripts and essays were analyzed using recursive abstraction to elicit any themes.ResultsAltogether, 26 students in medicine, pharmacy, nursing, midwifery, dentistry, counselling psychology, and computer science participated in VIP-CARES, during the three years. Student attitudes toward IPC were positive before and after the project. At the project’s conclusion, there was a statistically significant increase in the participants’ self-assessment competency scores in the CanMEDS roles of health advocate (p = 0.05), manager (p = 0.02), and medical expert (p = 0.03), as well as the CIHC domains of interprofessional communication (p = 0.04), role clarification (p = 0.01), team functioning (p = 0.05), and collaborative leadership (p = 0.01). Qualitative evaluations yielded three major themes: communication and respect as key to team functioning, importance of role clarification within the team, and existence of inherent challenges to IPC. From the reflections, students generally felt more comfortable with their improvements in the CIHC domains of interprofessional communication, team functioning, and role clarification.ConclusionAfter working within an interdisciplinary team developing virtual patient learning modules on family planning, the student participants of the VIP-CARES Project indicated general improvement in the skills necessary for effective interprofessional collaboration. Triangulation of the overall data suggests this was especially observed within the areas of interprofessional communication, team functioning, and role clarification.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12909-016-0797-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Call to action: Interprofessional mental health collaborative practice in rural and northern Canada.

Shared within health care is needed in rural and northern Canada where residents are challenged with greater social and health disparities. Compared to their urban counterparts, Canadians in these areas experience lower socioeconomic status; higher rates of disability; higher rates of unemployment; higher mortality rates; difficulty with transportation, thereby limiting access to essential health services; and higher rates of chronic illness (Barbopoulos & Clark, 2003; Canadian Institute for Health Informatics, 2006). Downsizing of hospitals in rural and northern areas is causing outmigration of health care services to centralized urban areas, forcing rural Canadians to travel greater distances to access health care services (Canadian Collaborative Mental Health Initiative [CCMHI], 2006). A lack of access to health care is frequently noted as a key issue facing rural and northern residents (Donato, 2015; Haggarty, Ryan-Nicholls, & Jarva, 2010; McIlwraith & Dyck, 2002; Ryan-Nicholls, 2004). Shortages of mental health professionals in rural, northern, and Aboriginal communities in Canada are well documented (Kulig & Williams, 2012; McIllwariath & Dyck, 2002; Pawlenko, 2005).Interprofessional mental health collaborative practice (IMHCP) is an emerging and vital response to meet the mental health-related demands in rural and northern Canada and is an enhancement of the current Canadian health practice of Interprofessional Practice (IPP; (CCMHI, 2006; Coffey & Anyinam, 2015; Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada [CFHC], 2002; Haggarty et al., 2010; Heath et al., 2015). IPMHC involves developing and maintaining effective interprofessional working relationships with professionals, paraprofessionals, students, mental health consumShelley ers, families, and communities to ensure optimal health outcomes (Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative [CIHC], 2010). Effective collaboration requires individual professionals to reframe their views from the traditional 'we know best' mind-set to a holistic approach (CCMHI, 2006; Coffey & Anyinam, 2015; Petrie, 1976). Pearce and Sims (2001) define shared as leadership that emanates from members of teams, and not simply from the appointed leaders (p. 115). It is the authors' contention that psychology must fully embrace a shared role in IMHCP in rural and northern communities, not only within clinical practice but also within professional psychology associations and regulatory bodies. We discuss the opportunities and challenges this may create and how the scholarly literature can guide our next steps.BackgroundThe Romanow Report (CFHC, 2002) continues to be one of the most influential documents in modern health care delivery in Canada. Over the past decade, recommendations from this document have led to systemwide advances in IPP and interprofessional education (IPE). In response, provincial and territorial directives have been targeting collaborative practice as one of their priorities in streamlining quality health care (Canadian Health Services Research Foundation, 2011; Coffey & Anyinam, 2015; Health Professions Regulated Advisory Council [HPRAC], 2006; Province of Nova Scotia, 2014). IPP is now an explicit expectation within most standards of practice for self-regulated health care professions in Canada and is mandated by their respective regulatory bodies (Human Resources Professionals Association, 2015). National organisations specifically designed to promote awareness and education in this field, such as the CIHC (2010), are also emerging. As well, IPE is expanding within universities across Canada, supporting multimodal opportunities for clinical simulations in IPP (Church et al., 2010; Cornish et al., 2003; Curran et al., 2012; Dalhousie University, 2015a; Donato, 2015).Yet within rural and northern communities, there remain challenges with efficiently implementing IMHCP because these large, isolated geographic areas are being serviced by low numbers of health professionals representing a small number of disciplines. …

Using interprofessional simulation to improve collaborative competences for nursing, physiotherapy, and respiratory therapy students

ABSTRACTWithin the care of people living with respiratory conditions, nursing, physiotherapy, and respiratory therapy healthcare professionals routinely work in interprofessional teams. To help students prepare for their future professional roles, there is a need for them to be involved in interprofessional education. The purpose of this project was to compare two different methods of patient simulation in improving interprofessional competencies for students in nursing, physiotherapy, and respiratory therapy programmes. The Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative competencies of communication, collaboration, conflict resolution patient/family-centred care, roles and responsibilities, and team functioning were measured. Using a quasi-experimental pre-post intervention approach two different interprofessional workshops were compared: the combination of standardised and simulated patients, and exclusively standardised patients. Students from nursing, physiotherapy, and respiratory therapy programmes worked together in these simulation-based activities to plan and implement care for a patient with a respiratory condition. Key results were that participants in both years improved in their self-reported interprofessional competencies as measured by the Interprofessional Collaborative Competencies Attainment Survey (ICCAS). Participants indicated that they found their interprofessional teams did well with communication and collaboration. But the participants felt they could have better involved the patients and their family members in the patient’s care. Regardless of method of patient simulation used, mannequin or standardised patients, students found the experience beneficial and appreciated the opportunity to better understand the roles of other healthcare professionals in working together to help patients living with respiratory conditions.

Collaborative Groups: Application of a Framework for Interprofessional Collaboration in a High School Setting

Interprofessional collaboration (IPC), also referred to as interdisciplinary collaboration, is defined in the social work literature as “an effective interpersonal process that facilitates the achievement of goals that cannot be reached when individual professionals act on their own” (Bronstein, 2003, p. 299). IPC is well documented in health care literature and is largely considered best practice in both clinical &amp; educational settings. So much so that the World Health Organization (WHO) developed a Framework for Action on Interprofessional Education (WHO, 2010) and the Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative (CIHC) developed a National Interprofessional Competency Framework (CIHC, 2010). According to a systematic review of collaborative models for health and education professionals working in the school settings, models of IPC are described in research but not explicitly evaluated, and there remains a need for robust research in this area (Hillier, Civetta, &amp; Pridham, 2010). This article describes the implementation of an IPC with high school aged students in a special education classroom. The following interconnecting domains from the Canadian National Interprofessional Competency Framework (CIHC, 2010) will be discussed and described:Role ClarificationPatient/Client/Family/Community-CenteredTeam FunctioningCollaborative LeadershipInterprofessional CommunicationInterprofessional Conflict ResolutionBackground considerations, benefits, and barriers will be reviewed also.

The pharmacist-physician collaboration for IPW: from physician's perspective

Interprofessional work (IPW) is increasingly important in various settings including primary care, in which the role of pharmacists is particularly important. Many studies have shown that in cases of hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and metabolic syndrome, physician-pharmacist collaboration can improve medication adherence and help to identify drug-related problems. Some surveys and qualitative studies revealed barriers and key factors for effective physician-pharmacist collaboration, including trustworthiness and role clarification. In Japan, some cases of good collaborative work between pharmacists and physicians in hospitals and primary care settings have been reported. Still, community pharmacists in particular have difficulties collaborating with primary care doctors because they have insufficient medical information about patients, they feel hesitant about contacting physicians, and they usually communicate by phone or fax rather than face to face. Essential competencies for good interprofessional collaboration have been proposed by the Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative (CIHC): interprofessional communication; patient/client/family/community-centered care; role clarification; team functioning; collaborative leadership; and interprofessional conflict resolution. Our interprofessional education (IPE) team regularly offers educational programs to help health professionals learn interprofessional collaboration skills. We expect many pharmacists to learn those skills and actively to facilitate interprofessional collaboration.

Mapping Collective Sensemaking in Communication: The Interprofessional Patient Case Review in Acute Care Rounds

Mapping Collective Sensemaking in Communication: The Interprofessional Patient Case Review in Acute Care Rounds

Measuring Behaviour as Outcome of Interprofessional Interventions: A Review of a Recent Tool Inventory.

Background: This article discusses a recently developed inventory of questionnaires by a former working group of the Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative (CIHC) to promote interprofessional (IP) intervention (education and practice) and program evaluation. The classification of questionnaires into six outcome levels revealed an unusually large number focusing on behavioural outcomes. Behavioural outcomes are key measures for evaluating IP interventions, and we decided to further explore the design of questionnaires in this inventory.Methods and Findings: The data presented in this article are based on a systematic search and review of questionnaires published in peer-reviewed journals between 2000 and 2010 that evaluate outcomes related to interprofessional education and collaborative practice. The review was used to construct an inventory that placed questionnaires into six outcome levels: attitudes; knowledge, skills, and abilities; collaborative behaviour of providers at the workplace; collaboration as part of organizational practice; patient satisfaction with collaboration, and provider satisfaction with collaboration. We took a closer look at the subgroup of measures on collaborative behaviour of providers (Level 3 Outcome). We found that the questionnaires included in Level 3 measure a range of competencies. The wording of the subscale items was at times difficult to interpret. While some statements can be clearly attributed to measuring behaviour, others could be seen as measuring some sort of attitudes, beliefs, or knowledge. Since subscale items tended to be a combination of indicators, it was difficult to attribute questionnaires to one particular level.Conclusions: Designing questionnaires for evaluating outcomes from IP interventions is a challenge, especially when behavioural competencies are of interest. We would welcome more attention paid to the input of potential users in questionnaire construction, who are mostly left with little guidance on how to interpret the questions. Triangulation of methods to supplement the current focus on subjective outcome evaluations from IP interventions would also enhance this research.

Using an interprofessional competency framework to examine collaborative practice

Healthcare organisations are starting to implement collaborative practice to increase the quality of patient care. However, operationalising and measuring progress towards collaborative practice has proven to be difficult. Various interprofessional competency frameworks have been developed that outline essential collaborative practice competencies for healthcare providers. If these competencies were enacted to their fullest, collaborative practice would be at its best. This article examines collaborative practice in six acute care units across Alberta using the Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative (CIHC) competency framework (CIHC, 2010). The framework entails the six competencies of patient-centred care, communication, role clarification, conflict resolution, team functioning and collaborative leadership (CIHC, 2010). We conducted a secondary analysis of interviews with 113 healthcare providers from different professions, which were conducted as part of a quality improvement study. We found positive examples of communication and patient-centred care supported by unit structures and processes (e.g. rapid rounds and collaborative plan of care). Some gaps in collaborative practice were found for role clarification and collaborative leadership. Conflict resolution and team functioning were not well operationalised on these units. Strategies are presented to enhance each competency domain in order to fully enact collaborative practice. Using the CIHC competency framework to examine collaborative practice was useful for identifying strength and areas needing improvement.

French translation and validation of the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) in a Canadian undergraduate healthcare student context

The Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative recommends that future professionals be prepared for collaborative practice. To do so, it is necessary for them to learn about the principles of interprofessional collaboration. Therefore, to ascertain if students are predisposed, their attitude toward interprofessional learning must be assessed. In the French Canadian context such a measuring tool has not been published yet. The purpose of this study is to translate in French an adapted version of the RIPLS questionnaire and to validate it for use with undergraduate students from seven various health and social care programmes in a Canadian university. According to Vallerand’s methodology, a method for translating measuring instruments: (i) the forward–backward translation indicated that six items of the experimental French version of the RIPLS needed to be more specific; (ii) the experimental French version of the RIPLS seemed clear according to the pre-test assessing items clarity; (iii) evaluation of the content validity indicated that the experimental French version of the RIPLS presents good content validity and (iv) a very good internal consistency was obtained (α = 0.90; n = 141). Results indicate that the psychometric properties of the RIPLS in French are comparable to the English version, although a different factorial structure was found. The relevance of three of the 19 items on the RIPLS scale is questionable, resulting in a revised 16-item scale. Future research aimed at validating the translated French version of the RIPLS could also be conducted in another francophone cultural context.