Is multidisciplinary learning effective among those caring for people with diabetes?

Abstract

The role of multi-professional learning for those providing clinical services to people with diabetes has yet to be defined. Several assumptions are generally made about education in the context of multi-professional settings. It is argued that different professions learning together could potentially improve professional relationships, collaborative working practices and ultimately standards of care. Greater respect and honesty may emerge from a team approach to learning with a commensurate reduction in professional antagonism. Personal and professional confidence is reportedly enhanced through close contact with other professionals during team-based learning exercises. We have examined current evidence to support multidisciplinary learning in the context of medical education generally as well as in diabetes education. Previous investigation of available literature by Cochrane reviewers, aimed at identifying studies of interprofessional education interventions, yielded a total of 1042 articles, none of which met the stated inclusion criteria. Searches involving more recent publications failed to reveal more robust evidence. Despite a large body of literature on the evaluation of interprofessional education, studies generally lacked the methodological rigour needed to understand the impact of interprofessional education on professional practice and/or health care outcomes. Nevertheless, planners continue to advocate, and endorse, joint training between different groups of workers (including nurses, doctors and those in professions allied to medicine) with the objective of producing an integrated workforce of multidisciplinary teams. Whilst the concept of multi-professional learning has strong appeal, it is necessary for those responsible for educating health care professionals to demonstrate its superiority over separate learning experiences.

Interprofessional learning and higher education structural barriers

“…Each of these professions has slightly different views, expectations, and understandings about the way in which health care should be provided. When considered in the larger context, the potential barriers to the emergence and development of a true interprofessional view is apparent (see Munro & Felton, 2002).…”

Measuring the effect of interprofessional problem-based learning on the attitudes of undergraduate health care students

“…Such education necessarily comes at a cost − for instance, it is complex to organise − but this cost may be justified in the health professions if it leads to better health care. One might assume that IPE does improve health care by, for instance, improving collaboration between the health professions, but the evidence that has been gathered to support this position is limited 4–6 . Gathering the necessary evidence may require a substantial, and, at least in the case of undergraduate education, longterm research effort.…”

Pedagogy for interprofessional education – what do we know and how can we evaluate it?

“…A second review was undertaken to be more inclusive of different methods and perspectives, incorporating for example contingency theory and Kirkpatrick's model of evaluation. Munro, Felton & McIntosh (2002), drawing on the Zwarenstein review and reviewing more recent studies in relation to professionals caring for people with diabetes, similarly pointed out that more evidence was needed to demonstrate the superiority of IPE over separate learning experiences (Munro et al . 2002).…”