Allied Health Collaborative Practice Capability: A Coalescence of Capabilities

Allied health professionals are key in collaborative practice in healthcare settings. To better inform allied health student preparation for collaborative practice, this research illuminated the nature of allied health collaborative practice capability. Literature and perceptions of allied health students and academics were examined using a philosophical hermeneutic approach. A literature text set was constructed from a range of health and health education related fields. An experiential text was constructed from two sources; focus groups with students and semi-structured interviews with academics. Through this research we identified a plurality of capabilities that coalesce to become allied health collaborative practice capability. These dimensions and capabilities are: contextual (adaptability, responsiveness and persistence), social (friendliness, openness and reciprocity), and individual (professional expertise, willingness and flexibility). Capabilities illuminated in this research included skills and qualities. The plurality and coalescence of capabilities identified in this research highlight the complex nature of collaborative practice capability. A challenge remains to bring the more tacit qualities and how they interact into focus so that they receive meaningful attention to inform practice development and education.