Background: Interprofessional education (IPE) research has primarily concentrated on classroom, service-learning, and simulated student learning outcomes. Less is known about how IPE impacts future practice and whether and how knowledge gained in controlled academic environments is positively and enduringly transferred to the workforce. Presentation: This lightning talk offers findings from a mixed-methods study aimed at understanding the transfer of IPE knowledge, attitudes, and skills from campus to collaborative workforce practice. Participants included university alumni who had participated in IPE activities and a comparable control group who had not. Researchers and student research assistants from OT, public health, osteopathic medicine, and social work were also interested in what knowledge and skills alumni wished they had learned while enrolled at university. Findings indicate that those who took part in intensive, IPE case-based educational offerings had significantly higher use of interprofessional competency skills in their settings and engaged in more interprofessional workplace leadership activities as compared to the control group. Most participants reported that their jobs immediately required teamwork skills and having been exposed to and practiced IPE while in school eased their transition to the workforce. Participants commented that involvement in IPE activities positively impacted their career trajectory; established them as knowledgeable team players in their settings; and reduced the tendency to stereotype other professions enhancing willingness to reach out and work with other disciplines. Barriers to actualizing collaborative practice were also noted.Implications and Next Steps: Alumni in this study reported benefits from participation in scaffolded, intentional, and experiential IPE throughout their health professions education which included feeling prepared and confident when entering the contemporary workforce practice. The research team intends to conduct further data analysis between intervention and control groups and a second study to replicate and expand knowledge of activities that promote preparedness and advance collaborative knowledge is anticipated.
In support of improving patient care, this activity is planned and implemented by The National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education Office of Interprofessional Continuing Professional Development (OICPD). The OICPD is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
As a Jointly Accredited Provider, the OICPD is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. The OICPD maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive continuing education credits.
This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credit for learning and change.
Physicians: The National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education designates this live activity for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.
Physician Assistants: The American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) accepts credit from organizations accredited by the ACCME.
Nurses: Participants will be awarded contact hours of credit for attendance at this workshop.
Nurse Practitioners: The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program (AANPCP) accepts credit from organizations accredited by the ACCME and ANCC.
Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians: This activity is approved for contact hours.
Social Workers: As a Jointly Accredited Organization, the National Center is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. The National Center maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive continuing education credits.
IPCE: This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credits for learning and change
