A national survey to map IPE in Ireland

Interprofessional education (IPE) in Ireland is at an early stage. Currently, there is no data to reflect the amount and type of IPE occurring across the Island of Ireland. To support IPE implementation, data is needed on existing IPE which will identify gaps and foundations on which to build. We designed a cross-sectional, online, anonymous survey to map geographical IPE locations, IPE setting, and type of IPE offered. Results were analyzed by exporting raw data to Microsoft Excel. The survey was completed by 21 participants. Over half of participants (n = 12) came from two professions: physiotherapy and speech and language therapy. Participants were from 4 counties (from a potential 32): Cork, Dublin, Galway, and Limerick. There were twice as many university educator participants (n = 14) as compared to clinical educators (n = 7). Shared modules and guest lectures from other professions were frequent methods of shared learning. At university level the most frequent IPE activity was interprofessional problem-based learning/case study. At clinical sites students interact with a range of qualified professionals and have limited opportunities to work with students from other professions. This may impact the range of collaborative work skills developed and thus readiness for workforce entry.