Tools to investigate how interprofessional education activities link to competencies

Abstract

Integrating interprofessional education (IPE) activities and curricular components in health professions education has been emphasized recently by the inclusion of accreditation standards across disciplines. The Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) established IPE competencies in 2009, but evaluating how activities link to competencies has not been investigated in depth. The purpose of this project is to investigate how well two IPE activities align with IPEC competencies. To evaluate how our IPE activities met IPEC competencies, we developed a checklist and an observation instrument. A brief description of each is included as well as the outcomes. We analyzed Disaster Day, a simulation exercise that includes participants from Nursing, Medicine, and Pharmacy, and Interprofessional Healthcare Ethics (IPHCE), a course that introduced medical, nursing, and pharmacy students to ethical issues using didactic sessions and case discussions. While both activities appeared to facilitate the development of IPE competencies, Disaster Day aligned more with IPEC competencies than the IPHCE course and appears to be a more comprehensive way of addressing IPEC competencies. However, offering one IPE activity or curricular element is not sufficient. Having several IPE options available, utilizing the tools we developed to map the IPE curriculum and evaluating competency coverage is recommended.

The Process and Implication of Inter-Professional Education: A Systematic Review

“…As suggested by West, et al (2015) that the IPE activities should be varied from learning in a variety of IP settings is optimal. Most of the studies applied practiced based learning in the hospital, clinic, and community, or some mentioned it as initial clinical experiences.…”

“…Despite a number of weaknesses, there was fairly common use of quasi-experimental research designs (pre-posttest) and mix-method design, which provided some indication of change associated with the delivery of IPE; where the study gathered two forms of data (survey and interviews), and there was a growing use of longitudinal studies to begin to establish the longer-term impact of IPE on education process, patients care and organizations change (Mast et al, 2015;West et al, 2015). Most reviews found that the outcome of their studies reported positive learner reactions, where most of the learners stated that the IPE brings value and new experience.…”

“…Thus, it will require a unique type of curriculum and team of instructors. For example, the curriculum might teach students about group dynamics and communication skills using role plays (Greidanus et al, 2013;Thuente, 2014;West, 2015). Clinical placements could provide experiences in joint decision-making and negotiation skills by having a group of students work together to handle particular patients (Burford et al, 2013;Joseph et al, 2012).…”

“…As a result, there was only a limited idea of the longer term impact of IPE, particularly on patient care, educational process or organizational change occurred during the delivery of a program (Mast et al, 2015;West et al, 2015).…”

IPEC’s core competency 2 roles and responsibilities: What more do we need to implement these?

“…However, much of the literature focuses on curricula delivery, content modalities, and measurement for pre/post course performance based on attitude changes and or readiness, and does not specifically direct content to attach meaning to the words or to explicate why competencies might need to exist. [21][22][23][24][25][26][27] By contrast, the literature was reviewed to discover what may be the underpinnings, constructs or definable mechanisms that support content development for the sub-competencies of IPEC's roles and responsibilities. Further, the literature from disciplines outside of the traditional health professions' cadre, were explored, with an emphasis on those factors that focus on what affects and drives human behavior and interaction within a professional context.…”