Becoming Interprofessional: A Longitudinal Narrative Study of Professional and Interprofessional Identity Development...

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Interprofessional Collaboration
• Professional Identity Development

Background:

• Interprofessional collaborative practice (IPC) is vital for improving patient care and outcomes.
• Challenges exist in implementing IPC, with a gap in understanding new practitioners' readiness and identity formation.
• Interprofessional education for collaborative practice (IPECP) is foundational but requires further investigation into its impact on dual identity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore new practitioners' perceptions and experiences of IPC upon entering practice.
• To identify factors that facilitate or hinder the development of a dual professional and interprofessional identity.
• To understand the role of early socialization in shaping interprofessional identity.

Main Methods:

• An interpretive, narrative methodology was employed.
• Data were collected from 24 individuals across five health professions in a longitudinal study.
• Experiences of interprofessional collaborative practice and early professional practice were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Facilitators of interprofessional identity included exposure to interprofessional teams, role models, and observed benefits of collaboration.
• Impediments involved professional stereotyping and hierarchies within uni-professional work cultures.
• Dual identity development begins in pre-licensure IPECP but is significantly shaped by practice socialization.

Conclusions:

• Interprofessional socialization and identity are contingent on exposure to role models and collaborative settings.
• Healthcare institutions must create supportive environments that foster IPC and dual identity formation.
• Post-licensure IPECP is essential for continued learning and the development of effective interprofessional teams.