Physiotherapy new graduate self-efficacy and readiness for interprofessional collaboration: a mixed methods study

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Physiotherapy Practice
• Interprofessional Healthcare

Background:

• Interprofessional collaboration is a core competency for health professionals.
• Understanding new graduate physiotherapists' readiness for this collaboration is limited.
• This study addresses the gap in knowledge regarding self-efficacy and preparedness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine new graduate physiotherapists' self-efficacy in interprofessional collaboration.
• To explore their perceptions of curricular influences on collaboration readiness.
• To identify specific areas of strength and weakness in new graduates' collaborative skills.

Main Methods:

• A sequential mixed-methods design was employed.
• 150 new graduate physiotherapists completed a self-efficacy survey.
• Semi-structured interviews were conducted and analyzed using framework analysis.

Main Results:

• Less than 25% of participants felt confident in all interprofessional competencies.
• High self-efficacy was reported in communication and role understanding.
• Lower self-efficacy was observed in conflict resolution and feedback provision.
• Clinical placement experience was a key factor in developing self-efficacy.

Conclusions:

• New graduate physiotherapists possess variable self-efficacy for interprofessional collaboration.
• Targeted support is needed for areas like conflict resolution and feedback.
• Curricular and clinical experiences should be optimized to enhance readiness for collaborative practice.