IPEC Competencies Research Articles

Translating Interprofessional Education to Social Work & Other Behavioral Health Disciplines: Curricular Evaluation Using an Implementation Science Approach

ABSTRACT Evidence-informed, interprofessional education (IPE) programs in behavioral health are an important part of reform efforts to reduce fragmentation and increase quality of mental health and substance use disorder treatment. The aim of this study is to document an implementation science approach to translation of IPE, grounded in Interprofessional Education Collaborative competencies, to social work and other behavioral health graduate students and to evaluate selected implementation outcomes. Select implementation strategies from the “Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change” were used to guide implementation of our behavioral health IPE training. A mixed-methods design, including survey, observational, and focus group data, was used to evaluate select implementation outcomes of the IPE training program. Data indicate positive perceptions of feasibility, acceptability, adoption, appropriateness, and fidelity of the IPE training program, with mean scores ranging from 4.25 to 4.45 (5-point likert scale) on items related to acceptability, appropriateness and adoption. Themes that emerged from qualitative data included recommendations of relational and experiential strategies to improve fidelity. Evaluation of implementation outcomes identifies additional strategies to enhance learning and fidelity to IPEC competencies. Implementation science offers a helpful framework for carrying-out trainings in higher education and beyond.

New IPEC Competencies, the State of the Science, and a Focus on Equity.

From the value of team-based patient care to the focus on the learner, the 2023 Interprofessional Education Collaborative Core Competencies include a more succinct approach to collaborative care. We review the changes and note their potential impacts on collaborative practice.

Developing IPEC Competencies for an Evolving Professional Landscape: Q&A with Jeffery Stewart, DDS.

Jeffery Stewart, DDS, MS, a consultant to the American Dental Education Association, met with Meg Zomorodi, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN, of UNC-Chapel Hill, to discuss the latest revisions to the IPEC Core Competencies for Interprofessional Collaborative Practice. Released in November 2023, these updated competencies build on previous versions from 2011 and 2016 to incorporate the perspectives of seven new IPEC member organizations and reflect the continuously evolving research, policy, education, and practice landscape.

Remote collaboration for interprofessional dysphagia care plan establishment with allied health students

The current educational resource was developed to provide an interprofessional education (IPE) experience consisting of undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in nursing, nutrition, and communication sciences and disorders coursework. As a part of each course, students were required to participate in a remote, synchronous IPE experience to collaborate regarding a case-based patient scenario. As a part of this scenario, students were required to establish a treatment plan and problem-solve collaboratively with regard to each discipline's specific knowledge and role. Objectives of the curricular resource included increasing student self-efficacy ratings in each of the IPEC competencies (values/ethics, roles/responsibilities, interprofessional communication, and teams/teamwork). Instructors assessed the effectiveness of the resource by administering a pre-post survey to students as well as through voluntary interviews to obtain student perspectives of the IPE experience. Student self-efficacy ratings increased significantly for all four IPEC core competencies following the IPE experience. Qualitative data indicate participants perceived an improvement in all four IPEC competencies and reported benefits aligned to the core competencies. Authors present an IPE curricular resource to guide other educators in the development of similar IPE experiences.

Exploring the Development of an Interprofessional Situational Judgment Test

INTRODUCTION Although the prevalence of interprofessional education (IPE) is increasing, research measuring competency in IPE is underdeveloped (MacDonald et al., 2010; Shrader et al., 2017). Interprofessional assessment tools are plentiful, but most rely on self-report rather than performance data. Thus, the purpose of this study was to develop a computer-based situational judgment test to evaluate health professional student preparedness for interprofessional practice. METHODS The investigators developed the Creighton Interprofessional Situational Judgment Test (C-IPSJT) which includes nine interprofessional clinical case scenarios, each with multiple questions reflecting IPEC competencies. Subsequently, focus groups representing both IPE and health education experts were convened to assess the C-IPSJT. RESULTS Qualitative analysis revealed several themes. Participants found that the C-IPSJT was a novel assessment of interprofessional skills and case scenarios presented were reflective of current clinical practice. Challenges were found in understanding the role of the test taker, discerning correct responses, and the need for further validity testing. Additional themes included the impact team dynamics have on learner responses and how student responses could be affected by their place on the learning continuum. DISCUSSION Findings from the initial testing of the C-IPSJT demonstrate positive content validity through two independent content expert reviews. Content experts identified that the C-IPSJT could be a viable mechanism to differentiate between novice and competent health professional students. Future research includes item revision, testing over a larger sample in which psychometric properties and item analysis can be studied, and establishing content validity.

Utilizing video simulation in interprofessional education to teach IPEC competencies and social determinants of health: A universal IPE teaching tool

Interactive interprofessional education curricula were developed and implemented at two universities. “Meeting the Sodos” is a series of simulated patient encounter videos with corresponding student team activities that include patient diagnosis and care from a Social Determinants of Health focus in a classroom setting. The research conducted in this paper included 754 students in 11 health professional programs that encompassed Physical Therapy, Medicine, Psychology, Podiatry, Pathologist Assistant, Physician Assistant, Nurse Anesthesia, Pharmacy, Occupational Therapy, Social Work and Nursing.Using different tools for measuring IPEC outcomes, in pre-post comparisons, students from each university indicated an increase in understanding the interprofessional competencies of teamwork, communication, roles and responsibilities, and values and ethics of other health professions. This suggests that the use of simulated patient encounter videos and interprofessional student team collaboration increases awareness of IPE competencies across healthcare programs and university communities.The activity was presented as three 50-min classroom periods. IPE student groups watched the video of the first encounter and worked to complete a Mr. Sodo Family Map, using the information from the video. In the second session, students individually completed a second learning assessment prior to class. IPE student groups watched the video of the second encounter, added information to the Family Map and then watched the third healthcare encounter with Mr. Sodo. The students individually completed a third learning assessment after the second classroom session. The learning assessments required students to self-assess on a measurement tool that encompassed items compiled from the IPEC Competencies that was scaffolded in degrees of complexity. IPE groups were instructed to work together outside of class to complete the Care Plan and presented their plan to trained facilitators in the third classroom session. Students showed improvements across all IPEC Competencies.

128 Efficacy of a Virtual Mock Trial for Inter-Professional Learning

A medical negligence trial can be stressful for all involved and may be the first time in a courtroom for many health professionals. To provide students with the opportunity to learn from, with and about each other, the Mock Trial was established as an annual collaborative learning event between a local law school and our university-affiliated Office for IPE (Inter-professional Education). In 2021, Mock Trial was conducted virtually to continue high-quality IPE throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.The aims of the study were to establish the efficacy of translation of a large-scale inter-professional malpractice Mock Trial simulation to the virtual platform and to determine whether this will be a useful modality once social distancing restrictions ease.The virtual simulation was structured using the brief-simulation-debrief model. Students participated as jury members via Zoom. A simulated courtroom held 11 participants of the trial (one judge, four law students [two defence, two prosecutions], five witnesses and one administrator) and was broadcast in real time to students. The learners first heard the case (opening statements, Plaintiff’s case, Defendant’s case, closing statements and jury instructions) before moving to IP jury break-out rooms with facilitator supervision to deliberate a verdict. Verdicts were delivered in the main room, followed by a debriefing. All students completed a pre-/post-questionnaire, including the Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Survey (ICCAS) and evaluation of simulation methodology, Mock Trial structure/content and overall impression. To assess efficacy, we compared student evaluations from 2018 and 2019 (in-person events) to those from 2021 (virtual).A total of 179 learners participated in three in-person Mock Trials; 143 attended the virtual offering. The virtual event included learners from 19 professions from 4 institutions and 12 facilitators. Evaluations assessed IPEC competencies. For the virtual Mock Trial, learners (96%) strongly agreed/agreed that ‘this activity demonstrated the value of IP collaborative practice to prevent malpractice lawsuits’ and 97% felt that this was a valuable educational activity. Representative qualitative data include: ‘as a law student it was interesting to see what laypeople take away from evidence…’, ‘watching the process provided insight into the litigation process’, ‘the most valuable experience is hearing other people’s perspective’.Large-scale virtual simulation events such as a Mock Trial are feasible and provide a valuable inter-professional learning experience. Student feedback demonstrates that gaining insight from different perspectives is a meaningful part of the experience. Incorporation of large-scale simulation events post-pandemic can increase accessibility to foster IP learning on a wider scale.

96 A Virtual Mock Trial for Inter-Professional Learning

As a healthcare professional, participating in a medical negligence trial is an intimidating and stressful prospect, exacerbated by the fact that many have never been in a courtroom. To meet this learning need, our institution runs a Mock Trial inter-professional learning event (IPE) designed to give law students and medical, nursing, pharmacy, public health and other healthcare professions students exposure to a medical negligence trial and the opportunity to learn about, from and with each other as they collaborate as a jury to reach a verdict. To continue to deliver high-quality inter-professional education during the COVID-19 pandemic, transition to the virtual platform was required. Important lessons learnt from this process can be applied to the effective planning of similar virtual events.The aim of the study was to effectively transition a large-scale in-person inter-professional Mock Trial simulation to the virtual platform to increase the accessibility of simulation education during social distancing and beyond.Subject matter experts from the local law school and a university-affiliated Office of Inter-Professional education (IPE) jointly developed content for the Mock Trial. Students enrolled in the virtual Mock Trial were given pre-course jury instructions, IPE objectives and technical connection information 2 weeks before the trial. Law students, the judge and simulated witnesses received script materials 1 month prior to preparing. Facilitators participated in a virtual ‘crash course’ training 1 week before and a 15-minute pre-huddle just prior. Jurors (the students) watched the trial via Zoom and then were put into inter-professional breakouts with a facilitator to deliberate. All returned to the main room and verdicts were delivered followed by a debriefing session. Facilitators also debriefed after the event conclusion. Pre- and post-assessments were completed by students.The in-person Mock Trial event was conducted in 2018 and 2019, but was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic. In the 2021 learning event, 11 individuals were in person in the courtroom with the remaining students (143) participating via zoom. These 11 individuals comprised: one judge, four law students (two defense, two prosecution), five witnesses and one administrator. Social distancing/masking rules were obeyed. One witness participated via Zoom. Student and facilitator evaluation data, including assessment of IPEC competencies, were comparable to previous in-person events. This effective translation of a large-scale simulation event to the virtual platform demonstrates the utility and increased access to learners of this modality and will form a useful part of our simulation education toolkit post-pandemic.

Leveraging the Interprofessional Education Collaborative Competency Framework to Transform Health Professions Education

Interprofessional learning experiences prepare future health care professionals for enhanced team-based care of patients and improved population health outcomes. The Interprofessional Education Collaborative's (IPEC) core competencies have become the gold standard for planning, implementation, and assessment of IPE activities. However, the IPEC framework is inconsistently applied across institutions. The IPEC Board of Directors decided to formally address this issue through the development of an institutional assessment instrument. This instrument would leverage IPEC competencies to identify institutional characteristics tied to the successful implementation of programmatic IPE. IPEC partnered with the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio in this effort. A panel of nationally recognized experts in IPE was formed to contribute to the instrument development process. While demonstrating a need for such an instrument, this commentary also encourages institutional IPE leaders across the United States to volunteer as item pilot testers, a critical step in the instrument development process.

Developing and implementing a co‐curricular IPE program: AHEC Scholars Program

As part of a new directive, the Human Resources Services Administration (HRSA) mandated Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Programs across the nation to implement an interprofessional education (IPE) program for health professional students, with the goal of fostering collaborative practice among health profession students and motivating students to work in medically underserved areas post-graduation.The South Texas AHEC Program collaboratively developed and implemented a co-curricular IPE initiative, the AHEC Scholars Program, including didactic and practicum components, focused on the needs of communities in our area. A pre-post quasi-experimental design was used to evaluate the student outcomes related to IPEC Competencies and knowledge and preparation for the practice of core topic areas mandated by HRSA. Student outcomes showed statistically significant improvement in all measures.In order to obtain more detailed accounts of students' practicum experiences, students were asked to complete reflective journals after each practicum.The AHECScholarsProgram provides students with opportunities to work with underserved populations and enables students to explore the benefits of team-based care. This article summarizes the collaborative process of the development and implementation of the AHECScholarsProgram; secondly, it details student outcomes from a 3-month pilot study.

Teaching empathy in an interprofessional setting with a focus on decategorization: Introducing I-Team

The Interprofessional Training in Empathy, Affect, & Mindfulness (I-TEAM) was designed to promote and cultivate collectivity and a sense of shared identity and values among health profession students. This study showcases the theoretical foundation, evaluation-based protocol, and findings of the pilot I-TEAM program. To evaluate the impact of the pilot offering of I-TEAM, we employed a rigorous multimethod protocol consisting of surveys (pre and post), observations, and interviews. Students significantly improved in empathy, and positively shifted their perceptions of other health professions. Moreover, student-oriented goals for the program and fundamental aspects of the IPEC competencies were shown to be addressed through the I-TEAM program. Centralizing an interprofessional program on the principles of decategorization and shared experiences, may have a positive impact on students’ perceptions of other health professions as well as ability and willingness to connect with others on an emotional and cognitive level (i.e. empathy).

Interprofessional Education: Hybrid Modalities for Health Professionals Training

Several barriers contribute to the failure in achieving competency in Interprofessional Education (IPE). The hybrid IPE modality was designed to enhance student mastery of interprofessional communication and teamwork competencies. A hybrid model of instruction implemented to enhance interprofessional education for students in social work, nursing, and physician assistant programs. There were significant improvements in mastery of competencies as demonstrated through the ICCAS survey, demonstrating the use of hybrid IPE can improve collaboration among interprofessional teams. Hybrid IPE experiences can facilitate student engagement and mastery of IPEC competencies.

Synchronous virtual interprofessional education focused on discharge planning.

COVID-19 required innovative approaches to educating health professions students who could no longer attend in-person classes or clinical rotations. Interprofessional education (IPE) activities were similarly impacted. To replace an in-person IPE activity slated for this spring, nursing and medical students with similar levels of clinical experience came together to attend a synchronous virtual session focused on discharge planning. The class objectives focused on the IPEC competencies of Role/Responsibility and Interprofessional Communication. Discussion revolved around the discharge planning process for an elderly patient with multiple medical problems, as this is a time when interprofessional collaboration has a clear benefit to patients.Twenty-eight nursing students and eleven medical students attended a 90 min session via Zoom. Students received pre-readings, the day's agenda, learning objectives, and discussion questions in advance. The session had three sections: introduction/welcome, breakout sessions, and debrief and evaluation. Four faculty leaders and four students who participated in a similar in-person session in the past served as facilitators. They received a supplemental facilitator guide for use if students were not able to sustain their discussions for the allotted time. Materials can be accessed by contacting the corresponding author (BR).Students completed a post-session survey, and qualitative analysis demonstrated that they had addressed the two relevant IPEC competencies in their groups and showed evidence of touching on the additional two IPEC competencies as well. Overall, they enjoyed the experience. This virtual experience made scheduling simpler than planning an in-person session and allowed this activity to occur despite restrictions secondary to the pandemic. This might remain a useful format for similar sessions in the future.

Meeting the Grand Challenges in a Rural Community

Three of the Grand Challenges identified by the social work profession are specifically related to health care: healthy youth development, closing the health care gap, and advancing long and productive lives. Idaho State University (ISU) initiated a collaborative interprofessional health education project (IET) over 30 years ago. This collaborative includes ten health care disciplines across five colleges and provides in-depth assessment and referral to three families annually. This study describes the development of a collaborative, high impact, teaching exemplar, and examines the knowledge, perceptions, and competency of participating students using the framework of the IPEC competencies and the CSWE practice competencies for social work education. Results are derived from a pre-post survey administered during the previous two years. The project includes two groups of students: those that engaged in a hands-on experience with a client and those that only observed clients. The Observation-Only group completed the SPICE-R2 and the IEPS. Students that had direct interaction with clients completed the IEPS (pre-post engagement with clients) as well as the ICCAS. Attitudes, perceptions, and perceived competency improved amongst students participating in the IET course from pre-assessment to post-assessment with moderate to large effects being observed.

Managing ocular allergy with topical pharmaceuticals – Outcomes from an interprofessional optometry and pharmacy first year student workshop

Abstract This paper describes a joint optometry and pharmacy student workshop which aims to meet IPEC competencies while teaching students the roles of optometrists and pharmacists, common signs and symptoms of ocular allergy, and the mechanism, use, and appropriate recommendations for common over-the-counter ocular allergy medications. Details are provided on the methods and materials used in the case-based ocular-allergy activity such that it can be used as a model for other health professional workshops.

Interprofessional collaboration practice: Are you doing it well? Individual perceptions within Sexual Assault Response Team (SART)

Abstract Purpose The purposes of this study were 1) to describe the individual member, group and organizational perception of collaboration of the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) and 2) to focus on the individual levels of Interprofessional Collaboration (motivation, role expectations, personality style, professional power). Methods A cross sectional exploratory descriptive design. Data was collected from an online Qualtric© survey that incorporated the Perception of INterprofessional Collaboration Model Questionnaire (PINCOM) with some open ended questions. A convenience sample of SART members (n = 159) from the United States. Results The constructs for the individual level on interprofessional collaboration and the themes were categorized for the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, Advocate, Law Enforcement and Attorney. Three of four disciplines had a strong connection with individual motivation. Two disciplines had scores that reflected an unfavorable perception of collaboration. Scores on personality styles hindered interprofessional collaboration in all four disciplines. Conclusion Curriculum development based on the IPEC competencies may be a viable to unique groups such as the SART.

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This paper describes a joint optometry and pharmacy student workshop which aims to meet IPEC competencies while teaching students the roles of optometrists and pharmacists, common signs and symptoms of ocular allergy, and the mechanism, use, and appropriate recommendations for common over-the-counter ocular allergy medications. Details are provided on the methods and materials used in the case-based ocular-allergy activity such that it can be used as a model for other health professional workshops.

Interprofessional communication: How do we do it?

Interprofessional education in preparation for the skills to execute teams and teamwork through interprofessional collaboration has been publicized and mandated by several professional associations through accreditation standards. The prerequisite is emphasized by the National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine) as a mantra for successful healthcare outcomes. In response, the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (known as IPEC) published core competencies in 2011 with an update in 2016. While these statements are not each independently expressed in measurable terms, they stand as a compendium to guide interprofessional collaboration. To date, the literature does not reflect a comprehensive approach to explicating or interpreting these to be embraced more readily. Further, the literature to enlighten student education outstrips the literature to illuminate faculty education, though we acknowledge the work of the National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education to inspire faculty education through a variety of platforms. Though the IPEC publications represent seminal work in the US, built on earlier work from the UK and others, its translation for faculty education applying a straight-forward, orderly, and methodical approach has not been done. Our attempt was to take one of the four (“4”) IPEC core competencies, Core Competency 3: Interprofessional Communication, and describe its underpinnings in a systematic way as another tool for faculty education. It may open the door to further expound on each competency statement to employ IPEC competencies within a healthcare community that includes students, faculty and post graduate professionals.

Assessing constructs underlying interprofessional competencies through the design of a new measure of interprofessional education

Abstract Purpose Robust valid and reliable measurement tools in Interprofessional Education that are designed from a theoretical base not dependent on attitudinal responses are needed to show effectiveness. Underlying latent constructs of Interprofessional Education were operationally defined in the Core Competencies for Interprofessional Collaborative Practice report (2011). These constructs have not as yet been utilised in the measurement of Interprofessional Education. The purpose of the research was to design and psychometrically validate an new IPE measurement tool. Constructs were measured as follows: Domain One - Values/Ethics, attitudes toward morality, altruism and humanism; Domain Two - Roles and Responsibilities, attitudes to diversity; Domain Four - Teams and Teamwork, through cooperation and citizenship. Domain Three – Interprofessional Communication was not included as it was measured objectively. Method 1st year healthcare students were given a 73 item measure, The Psychological Constructs of IPEC Questionnaire pre- and post in a 16 week Interprofessional Foundations course over two cohort years. The students in the course were derived from 8 programs (Medicine, Psychology, Podiatry, Pharmacy, Physician Assistant, Pathology Assistant, Physical Therapy, Nurse Anesthesia). A Principle Components Analysis was conducted on the data that evidenced 3 factors that reflected the IPEC Competencies being measured. Results Factor 1 (Values & Ethics) accounted for 25.9% of the overall variance. Factor 2 (Roles and Responsibilities), accounted for 7.5% of the Variance and Factor 3 (Teams and Teamwork), accounted for 4.3% of the variance. Cronbacs Alpha reported reliability of over 0.9 for two of the domains (Values and Ethics and Roles and Responsibilities). Discussion The results from the PCA report a three factor solution with item loadings reflecting the underlying latent constructs of the IPEC domain. Furthermore, the PCIECQ pre and post test scores from an Interprofessional Education class reported significant differences in the Roles and Responsibilities domain and the Values and Ethics domain.

Instrument Refinement for Measuring Self-Efficacy for Competence in Interprofessional Collaborative Practice: Development and Psychometric Analysis of IPECC-SET 27 and IPECC-SET 9

ABSTRACTAssessing competence in interprofessional collaborative practice (ICP) among health professions students is a high priority. This cross-sectional study built on the authors’ prior work that led to the development of the 38-item Interprofessional Education Collaborative Competency Self Efficacy Tool (IPECC-SET), an instrument to evaluate health professions students’ self-efficacy in interprofessional collaborative competency, and addressed two primary questions. First, could a unidimensional scale based on the IPEC competencies and assessing perceived self-efficacy for competence in ICP and be constructed? Second, could a shorter version of that instrument still meet criteria for unidimensionality and retain the ability to separate students in distinct levels of perceived self-efficacy for competence in ICP?Study participants were two cohorts of students from 11 health professions programs participating in an institutional interprofessional immersion event in 2015 and 2016. Statistical stepwise analyses were conducted using a Rasch rating scale model. The original 38 IPECC-SET items did not meet the criteria to generate a valid unidimensional measure of self-efficacy for competence in ICP, but could be condensed into a 27-item scale that met all set criteria for unidimensionality, with an explained variance of 61.2% and a separation index of 3.02. A shorter, 9-item scale demonstrated a separation index of 2.21. The nine items included also demonstrated a relatively equivalent range (54.93–45.65) as compared to the 27-item scale (57.26–46.16). Findings confirm empirically the conceptual suggestion from our earlier work that the four dimensions in the original IPEC competencies contribute to a shared underlying construct: perceived competence in interprofessional collaboration. Given the emphasis on ICP, psychometrically sound instruments are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of educational efforts to promote competency for ICP. Based on the findings from this study, both the IPECC-SET 27 and IPECC-SET 9 can be used to measure perceived self-efficacy for competence in ICP.