Student learning in interprofessional practice-based environments: what does theory say?

Abstract

Student learning in interprofessional practice-based environments has garnered significant attention in the last decade, and is reflected in a corresponding increase in published literature on the topic. We review the current empirical literature with specific attention to the theoretical frameworks that have been used to illustrate how and why student learning occurs in interprofessional practice-based environments. Our findings show there are relatively few theoretical-based studies available to guide educators and researchers alike. We recommend a more considered and consistent use of theory and suggest that professional identity and socio-cultural frameworks offer promising avenues for advancing understandings of student learning and professional identity development within interprofessional practice-based environments.

Nursing staff’s and physicians’ acquisition of competences and attitudes to interprofessional education and interprofessional collaboration in pediatrics

“…While physicians reported a significant lack of competence acquisition during undergraduate studies, nurses reported to have gained those competences during education. This hints at more pronounced implicit practice-based competence acquisition and a lack of explicit IPE for the acquisition of competences in medical students which is also supported by a review elsewhere [40]. Another explanation for this might be that there still is a lack of structured IPE for medical students and a more practice based education for nurses in Germany: Nurses experience a 3-year nonuniversity training that involves early contact with patients and other healthcare professions.…”

Pre-registration interprofessional clinical education in the workplace: a realist review

“…A realist approach to literature review is a systematic process for proposing theory for why interventions may or may not work. Historically, pragmatic rather than theoretical approaches have informed IPE programmes, although more recently several theoretical frameworks have been proposed . The recurring themes across the proposed theoretical perspectives in IPE are: the social context of collaborative and experiential learning; epistemology and ontology; facts and values; the importance of reflection, and implications for student and faculty roles .…”

“…Historically, pragmatic rather than theoretical approaches have informed IPE programmes, 15 although more recently several theoretical frameworks have been proposed. 16,17 The recurring themes across the proposed theoretical perspectives in IPE are: the social context of collaborative and experiential learning; epistemology and ontology; facts and values; the importance of reflection, and implications for student and faculty roles. 16 These themes formed the starting point for establishing our initial rough programme of theories on factors contributing to the effectiveness of interprofessional initiatives in the workplace.…”

Shifts in nursing and medical students’ attitudes, beliefs and behaviours about interprofessional work: An interprofessional placement in ambulatory care

“…Clinical placements are a core part of training for health professionals usually in hospitals, but to address education of students in care of patients in the community, we must widen settings where training occurs, to optimise learning and to ensure access to a variety of settings (O'Keefe, Burgess, McAllister, & Stupans, ). Many IPE placement settings, however, have not been evaluated in terms of understanding how learning occurs (Roberts & Kumar, ) and in documenting how well they facilitate the development of interprofessional skills (Roberts, Howe, Winterburn, & Fox, ; Thistlethwaite, ).…”