The Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale: a possible more stable sub-scale model for the original version...

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Educational Measurement
• Interprofessional Healthcare Training

Background:

• The original Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) has demonstrated varying sub-scale structures in previous research.
• Improving the reliability and validity of the RIPLS is crucial for its effective use with undergraduate healthcare students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and enhance the psychometric properties of the RIPLS instrument.
• To develop and validate a revised RIPLS model for undergraduate health and social care students.

Main Methods:

• Content analysis of the original 19 RIPLS items was performed by experienced healthcare staff, leading to a proposed four-sub-scale structure.
• Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to assess the goodness of fit for the new four-factor model using data from first-year undergraduate students (n = 308).
• The new model's fit was compared against two previously suggested sub-scale models from Parsell and Bligh (1999).

Main Results:

• The proposed four-sub-scale RIPLS model exhibited a superior fit compared to the original two-factor models.
• Further validation using data from the same students at the end of their first academic year (n = 247) showed an improved model fit, indicating enhanced reliability over time.

Conclusions:

• The revised four-factor RIPLS model offers a more robust and reliable measurement tool for assessing readiness for interprofessional learning among undergraduate healthcare students.
• The findings support the use of the refined RIPLS structure for evaluating interprofessional education effectiveness.