The aim of this study was to examine practice tutors’ and clinical educators’ attitudes towards and experiences of practice-based interprofessional education.
An interpretative phenomenological approach was taken in this qualitative study. Focus group studies with an interpretative phenomenological approach can achieve a rich understanding of the phenomenon under study as a result of participants reflecting on and sharing their experiences. Three focus groups were conducted in teaching hospitals in Dublin. There were 22 participants in total from a range of professions including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, podiatry, nursing, social work and speech and language therapy. The focus group discussions were semi-structured. The discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and the data was analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis.
Three themes were developed. The first theme, Workplace culture and context impacts interprofessional collaboration and delivery of IPE, encompasses factors which influence workplace culture, such as interprofessional communication and relationships, the value placed on interprofessional collaboration, and ways of being. The second theme, Staffing matters, concerns the critical importance of clinical educators and tutors and the challenges that make it difficult to fulfil their roles. The third theme, Clinical placement provides an opportunity for enhanced learning in interprofessional education, conveyed how practice-based IPE enables learning in an authentic and meaningful way.
Practice tutors and clinical educators face many challenges when trying to deliver and facilitate practice-based IPE. Developing interprofessional education networks within teaching hospitals and providing resources that can be used in interprofessional tutorials may be helpful in setting up IPE programmes within the clinical education setting. Further research is needed to investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of practice-based IPE interventions for physiotherapy students.
Practice-based IPE offers physiotherapy students a valuable, authentic learning opportunity and the chance to develop important collaborative working skills.
The culture and ethos of healthcare organisations and teams impacts the collaboration of health professionals and thus the delivery of IPE for students.
Physiotherapy practice tutors and clinical educators should be supported to implement planned IPE opportunities for students through training opportunities, education networks and IPE resources.
Interprofessional Collaboration
Clinical Educators
