The Role of Interprofessional Education in the Development of Healthcare Professionals’ Team Skills

Authors

Katie Sniffen, Saint Louis UniversityFollow
Noor Al-Hammadi, Saint Louis UniversityFollow
Leslie Hinyard, Saint Louis UniversityFollow

Abstract

Purpose: Interprofessional education (IPE) across the health professions learning continuum is suggested to prepare health professionals for interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP) through development of necessary attitudes, knowledge, behaviors, and skills. The purpose of this study was to investigate the flow-on effects of previous IPE experiences across the learning continuum on existing IPCP skills and behaviors in healthcare professionals. Methods: A retrospective observational study design was used to survey a convenience sample of healthcare professionals working in IPCP clinics about their self-reported team and collaboration skills via the pre-existing Team Skills Scale (TSS) and Self-Assessed Collaborative Skills (SACS) tools. Additional survey items were created by the research team based on self-reported prior IPE exposure, timing of initial IPE exposure, and number of IPE exposures. Sixty-three participants completed the survey (28% response rate). Results: No statistically significant differences were found between groups across all categories of IPE exposure. Non-significant trends suggest higher team and collaboration skills are related to earlier and cumulative IPE exposures throughout learning and professional development. Conclusion: IPE as a broad definition is not sufficient to detect significant relationships with healthcare professionals’ IPCP skills. Future studies should investigate the longitudinal effectiveness of specific IPE interventions on distal IPCP skills and account for other contributing factors.

Author Bio(s)

Katie Sniffen, MS, ATC, is the Program Coordinator for Saint Louis University’s AHEAD Institute and an Instructor in SLU’s Athletic Training Program with additional teaching experience in Interprofessional Education, Katie is also pursuing a PhD in Health Outcomes Research.

Noor Al-Hammadi, MPH, is a senior biostatistician at Saint Louis University’s AHEAD Institute. She received her MPH in Epidemiology and Biostatistics and is currently in training for a PhD in Health Outcomes Research. Noor has over 10 years of experience working as a biostatistician on several NIH-funded grants.

Leslie Hinyard, PhD, MSW is Chair and Associate Professor in the Department of Health and Clinical Outcomes Research and the founding Director of the AHEAD Institute at Saint Louis University.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Center for Interprofessional Education and Research (CIER) for their support in this study and the Site Coordinators of the clinics in partnership with the CIER for their help distributing the e-survey. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

DOI

10.46743/1540-580X/2021.2017

Recommended Citation

Sniffen K, Al-Hammadi N, Hinyard L. The Role of Interprofessional Education in the Development of Healthcare Professionals’ Team Skills. The Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice. 2021 Jan 01;19(3), Article 10.