Inside-out: normalising practice-based IPE

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Education
• Allied Health Professions
• Interprofessional Collaboration

Background:

• Practice-based interprofessional education (IPE) is vital for workforce readiness but poorly integrated into healthcare curricula.
• Educator perspectives on implementing IPE in practice settings are not well understood.
• Sustainable models for practice-based IPE are needed to enhance healthcare delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize educator perspectives on implementing practice-based IPE.
• To develop recommendations for sustainable practice-based IPE.
• To identify strategies for normalizing IPE within healthcare education.

Main Methods:

• An ethnographic case study design was employed at an allied health school.
• Data collection included observations, interviews, and document analysis.
• Reflexive thematic analysis, guided by Normalisation Process Theory, was used.

Main Results:

• Strategic planning with a clear implementation agenda and reflection is necessary.
• Building robust partnerships with placement sites is essential for IPE success.
• Collaborative efforts between university and clinical educators are key to sustainability.

Conclusions:

• Favorable conditions for normalizing practice-based IPE can be created through strategic planning and partnerships.
• Sustainable practice-based IPE benefits students, patients, and the healthcare system.
• Recommendations focus on supporting practice-led IPE initiatives and fostering collaboration.