An interactive faculty development workshop designed to improve knowledge, skills (competence), attitudes, and practice in interprofessional continuing education

Abstract

Purpose: Interprofessional continuing education (IPCE) health care educators must plan activities as members of interprofessional teams and deliver activities to an interprofessional audience. Evidence in the literature suggests they are not well prepared to meet this challenge. This paper reviews one strategy to improve the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and practices of IPCE educators.

Methods: Seven faculty development workshops were conducted within the USA, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Approximately 250 learners participated in the workshops in total, with 107 in an IRB-approved research study.

Results: From the research cohorts demonstrated improved knowledge and skills over a 12-month period. Knowledge and skills scores increased most significantly from baseline to 3 months and remained above baseline at 6–12 months. The workshop was not an effective strategy to improve attitudes towards IPCE, though attitude scores were already high prior to participating.

Conclusions: All participants actively engaged in the workshops. There were no observed differences in engagement by geographic region, gender, age, or profession. Participants stated they were better able to understand the roles of other team members; perspectives of patients, families, and caregivers; and their own roles on clinical teams. Participants described gaining a new appreciation for the complexity of designing IPCE.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Kathy B. Chappell

Kathy B. Chappell, PhD, RN, FNAP, FAAN, is Senior Vice President at the American Nurses Credentialing Center. She is responsible for accreditation of continuing nursing education, interprofessional education, and nurse residency and fellowship programs. She is also responsible for the certification, measurement services, research, and quality departments.

Lawrence Sherman

Lawrence Sherman, FACEHP, CHCP, is Senior Vice President, Strategic Education at AGILE (Academy for Global Interprofessional Learning and Education), a Swiss-based global provider of interprofessional continuing education (IPCE). AGILE is responsible for designing, developing, implementing, and evaluating IPCE worldwide.

Scott D. Barnett

Scott D. Barnett, PhD, MSPH, is Manager of Epidemiology and Biostatistics for the Department of Cardiac Research at the Inova Heart and Vascular Institute. Dr Barnett received the 2013 Elizabeth and Sidney Licht Award for Excellence in Scientific Writing by the ACRM, and the 2014 Association of American Physiatrists Excellence in Research Writing Award.