How to think about interprofessional competence: a metacognitive model.

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Interprofessional Collaboration
• Social Care Practice

Background:

• Healthcare teams require both professional and interprofessional competence for optimal patient care.
• Existing educational approaches may not adequately prepare individuals for effective interprofessional teamwork.
• A need exists for frameworks to guide the development of interprofessional skills and curricula.

Purpose of the Study:

• To discuss the necessity of shared metacognitive structures for interprofessional learning.
• To present a metacognitive model for analyzing professional competence.
• To enhance personal, professional, and interprofessional competence for improved healthcare quality.

Main Methods:

• A literature review and conceptual analysis to identify needs in interprofessional education.
• Development of a novel metacognitive model for interprofessional education and practice.
• Analysis of professional competence at individual, team, and organizational levels.

Main Results:

• A metacognitive model comprising seven core components of professional competence is presented.
• The model facilitates the analysis of competence interactions across different levels.
• Examples illustrate the model's application in various stages of interprofessional education.

Conclusions:

• Shared metacognitive models are crucial for effective interprofessional learning.
• The presented model provides a structured approach to developing competence in healthcare teams.
• Implementing this model can lead to improved quality of care through enhanced teamwork.