Introducing a post-registration interprofessional learning programme for healthcare teams

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Education
• Teamwork and Collaboration
• Clinical Practice Improvement

Background:

• Limited research exists on interprofessional learning (IPL) within active clinical teams.
• Evaluating team climate in established clinical teams is crucial for improving healthcare delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of an IPL program on team climate in existing clinical teams.
• To measure changes in team climate before, during, and after the IPL intervention.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a validated questionnaire to gauge team members' perceptions of team climate.
• Administered the questionnaire at baseline, 4 months, and 8 months post-intervention.
• Employed one-sample and independent samples t-tests for statistical analysis.

Main Results:

• Nine teams (79 individuals) participated in the IPL program.
• Overall team climate scores increased by 8.0% (p <0.001) after four months of facilitated support.
• Sustained improvements in team climate were observed at eight months, even without facilitator support.

Conclusions:

• IPL programs can effectively improve team climate in established clinical teams.
• Enhanced team climate contributes to increased awareness of professional roles.
• The findings support the integration of IPL into clinical practice for better team functioning.