The QUIPPED Project: Students’ Attitudes Toward Integrating Interprofessional Education into the Curriculum

Authors

  • Jennifer Medves Queen's University
  • Margo Paterson School of Rehabilitation Therapy Faculty of Health Sciences Queen's University
  • Teresa Broers Hotel Dieu Hospital, Kingston
  • Wilma Hopman Kingston General Hospital Kingston

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22230/jripe.2013v3n1a34

Keywords:

Interprofessional Education, Attitudes, Curriculum Reform, health care learners

Abstract

Background: Healthcare learners are the future healthcare providers. The preparation
they receive in their pre-registration programs will be vital to ensuring that they practice patient-centred care. One approach to this learning model is interprofessional education (IPE).

Methods and Findings: Learner attitudes towards interprofessional education and practice were obtained over a thirty-three month period from the Queen’s University Inter-Professional Patient-centred Education Direction (QUIPPED) project. Attitudes were measured by questionnaires based on a 6-point Likert scale. The learners received a number of opportunities to engage in IPE and demonstrated positive attitudes. The degree to which one or more educational initiatives can make a difference in attitude is limited. However, over the course of the project both statistically significant and clinically meaningful differences were found. Different health professional student groups, including medical, medical radiation technology, nursing, occupational therapy, and physical therapy learners varied in their attitudinal responses, demonstrating they have already acquired professional identity.

Conclusions: Recommendations include offering varied opportunities to learners, and providing them with the tools to communicate and collaborate together. Limitations include a lack of empirical evidence as to whether IPE translates into interprofessional practice and better patient-centred care.

Author Biographies

Jennifer Medves, Queen's University

Jennifer Medves is the Director of the School of Nursing at Queen's University and has research interests in collaborative practice for patient centred care particularly in rural and small town communities

Margo Paterson, School of Rehabilitation Therapy Faculty of Health Sciences Queen's University

Dr Margo Paterson is an Occupational Therapist and the Director of the Office of Interprofessional Education and Practice

Teresa Broers, Hotel Dieu Hospital, Kingston

Teresa Broers is an occupational therapist and was the manager of the QUIPPED Project from 2005-2007

Wilma Hopman, Kingston General Hospital Kingston

Wilma Hopman is an epidemiologist based at Kingston General Hospital

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Published

2013-03-26

Issue

Section

Articles: Empirical Research