Interprofessional education : aspects on learning together on an interprofessional training ward

Abstract

In this thesis, students from four different educational programmes, i.e. medicine, nursing, occupational therapy and physiotherapy, participated in the studies. The students had two-week placements on an interprofessional training ward (IPTW), where they worked together in teams. The goals were in short to learn about and understand the other professions, to develop one s own professional role and to provide the patients with good care.

This thesis is based on four studies. Study I is a descriptive study in which students from the four professions were asked for their opinions about the course in relation to the goals of the course, e.g. how they perceived their professional role and what knowledge they had about the other professions. Study II is a follow-up study in which the students who had completed their course at the IPTW two years earlier were asked for their impressions of the course in relation to their experience of working as professionals, e.g. if they encouraged collaboration in their present occupation. In Study III the students approaches to learning were explored and related to their opinions about the course. Study IV is a prospective controlled intervention study investigating the impact on teamwork and learning of a one-day team building training preceding the course at the IPTW. Data was collected by questionnaires and observations.

The results from Study I showed that most students perceived their professional roles more clearly, that their knowledge about other professions had increased, and that they rated the educational concept at the IPTW high. In Study II the students described independence and responsibility as concepts unique to the IPTW. The collaborative learning methods made their self-confidence grow, but the supervision could be improved. Study III showed that the students in general preferred a collaborative-constructivist approach to learning, but one cluster called Low collaborative could be identified, and the students in this cluster were less positive towards the IPTW concept than the other students. In Study IV the students in the intervention group had a more positive approach to teamwork and communicated better during the course. It was easier for the facilitators to work with the intervention teams.

Clinical practice on an IPTW provides students with a good opportunity to develop their own professional roles and learn about the other professions. Students value the interprofessional training in clinical practice high. Former students use the experience they have acquired from the course in their present work. Students with a lowcollaborative profile in their approach to learning may find interprofessional training less important than other students. Team-building training improves teamwork and collaboration. Students prefer clinical training on an IPTW compared to traditional clinical practice.