Inter-professional Education in the Acute-Care Setting: The Clinical Instructor's Point of View

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the opportunities and challenges involved in providing clinical inter-professional education (IPE) to physical therapy (PT) students in the acute-care setting from the perspective of PT clinical instructors (CIs). Methods: Focus groups were conducted in four acute-care hospitals in Toronto. Participants were recruited using a purposive and convenience sampling approach in order to enhance our understanding of the perceptions of acute-care PT CIs. Eighteen full-time PT CIs with an average of 11 years in practice participated. A constant comparative process was employed to identify recurrent issues and themes within and between groups. Results: Three main themes emerged from the focus groups: (1) Clinical IPE happens when inter-professional collaboration (IPC) occurs; however, IPC differs according to setting, access to other professions, time, support, and structure. (2) IPE is a lifelong learning process that applies to both CIs and students. (3) Student preparedness is a prerequisite for clinical IPE. Conclusions: IPC is an integral part of clinical IPE that requires ongoing commitment and reflection by CIs to ensure that they are ready to instruct students who have some preparation in formal IPE. More knowledge about providing clinical IPE in a structured manner, through academic and health institutions, will allow CIs to become role models for future generations of PT students. Mé thodes : Des groupes de discussion ont é té mis sur pied dans quatre hô pitaux de soins de courte duré e de Toronto. Les participants ont é té recruté s selon une approche d'é chantillonnage au jugé et de commodité , afin que les chercheurs puissent mieux comprendre la perception des soins de courte duré e chez les ICP. Au total, 18 ICP comptant en moyenne 11 anné es de pratique ont participé à l'é tude. Un processus comparatif constant a é té utilisé pour identifier les questions et les thè mes qui revenaient parmi les divers groupes. Ré sultats : Trois grands thè mes se sont dé gagé s de ces groupes de discussion : (1) La FCI a lieu lorsqu'il y a collaboration interdisciplinaire. Toutefois, cette collaboration varie selon le cadre de pratique, l'accè s aux autres professions, le temps, le soutien apporté et la structure du cadre de pratique. (2) La FCI est un processus d'apprentissage permanent, qui s'applique aussi bien aux instructeurs qu'aux é tudiants. (3) Pour bé né ficier de la FCI, les é tudiants doivent ê tre pré paré s. Conclusions : La FCI constitue une partie inté grante de l'é ducation clinique interdisciplinaire. Elle exige des instructeurs un engagement continu et un travail de ré flexion afin qu'ils s'assurent d'ê tre bien prê ts à former les é tudiants qui possè dent dé jà une certaine forme de pré paration à la FCI. Une plus grande connaissance de la formation clinique interdisciplinaire, plus structuré e, dans le cadre des université s ou des institutions du secteur de la santé , permettra aux instructeurs de devenir des modè les pour les ...

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Interprofessional Collaboration Experiences of Student Physical Therapists and their Clinical Instructors in Orthopedic versus Neurologic Rehabilitation Settings

“…Healthcare professionals who are successfully practicing IPC are therefore presenting patients with an image of a united group of experts doing all they can to help. Studies have shown that interprofessional education (IPE) regarding IPC is a way to address "health care issues such as efficiency and patient safety", while also improving patient outcomes, communication skills, and job satisfaction of both SPTs and practicing physical therapists [5].…”

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“…Depending on the program, there are IPE courses given in the academic setting, while other programs expect most, if not all, IPE to occur within the clinical setting under the supervision of the CI. When interviewed, many CI's stated that the university's expectations of clinical IPE were unclear, as IPE was not clearly delineated in provided clinical performance tools for student evaluations [5].…”

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