High and low functioning team-based pre-licensure interprofessional learning: an observational evaluation

ABSTRACT

Interprofessional education (IPE) is embedded in many health professional training programs, often with a focus on collaborative teamwork. Most studies into whether IPE delivers the desired collaborative teamwork capabilities has tended to rely on short term, self-assessed changes in learners’ attitudes, knowledge and skills. This study adopted overt ethnographic observation to understand how a convenience sample of students behave in groups during interprofessional team-based clinical placements. Interprofessional student teams were observed by two independent observers on eight occasions (a total of 720 hours) across three sites. Thematic analysis of the observational data indicates that student teams fell into two categories: higher and lower functioning. Higher functioning teams were observed using humor to build rapport, reduce tension and express humility, and evidenced a greater emphasis on shared client goals. In contrast, lower functioning teams were more formal, with no evidence of humor and less interaction. The higher functioning teams, therefore, not only demonstrated greater interprofessional collaboration they also appeared to have higher levels of psychological safety. Participants in the higher functioning teams also demonstrated mutual trust and confidence and took more risks, often speaking up to provide suggestions, share knowledge and skills, and seek or offer feedback. The results suggest that further explicit training in, and assessment of, psychological safety in IPE needs to be undertaken.

KEYWORDS:

• Interprofessional education
• pre-qualifying/pre-licensure
• ethnography
• practice-based learning
• psychological safety

Acknowledgments

Financial support for the interprofessional clinical placements described in this study was received from both Curtin University and the Australian government. The authors wish to extend their appreciation to the students who took part in the study and the staff who support the placement program.

Declaration of interest

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

Margo L. Brewer

Margo L. Brewer is the Director, Practice and Interprofessional Education in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Curtin University in Perth, Western Australia. She oversees clinical education and interprofessional education for all courses across the health faculty.

Helen Flavell

Helen Flavell is the Coordinator, Scholarship of Learning and Teaching in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Curtin University. Her disciplinary training is in literature and cultural studies but she has worked within health education for many years.