An exploratory analysis of an interprofessional learning environment in two hospital clinical teaching units

An analysis of a teaching environment with regard to interprofessional practice was done using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Medical, nursing and other health professional staff and students from two hospital units (medical and surgical) completed two surveys. The students were also interviewed. Staff differed in survey results among disciplines, with nurses and other health professionals having a more positive view of interprofessional collaboration than physicians. Student interviews supported our hypothesis that little formal or informal interprofessional education occurred during clinical rotations. Students had little understanding of the nature of collaborative behavior, and appeared to learn their discipline's attitudes and practices through tacit observation of staff behaviors. This appears to reinforce disciplinary stereotypes, and may be a significant barrier to the development of collaborative practice. These results have implications for the design of interprofessional curriculum in clinical practicums.