Preparing Allied Health Students for the Nuances of Collaborative Practice

Abstract

The importance of preparing allied health students for collaboration is widely acknowledged. As a social phenomenon, the practice of healthcare collaboration is inherently situated, including in relation to particular subjective understandings, locations and circumstances. To focus on collaboration as a situated allied health practice this research used the term collaborative practice. The aim of this research was to develop a rich understanding of the nature of allied health collaborative practice, to inform preparation of pre-registration allied health students. Allied health professions have their own philosophies, values and contributions and are part of non-hierarchical networks, that contrast the intra-professional hierarchical complexities often found in medicine and nursing. Thus, there is significant value in explicitly exploring this unique grouping of health professionals. Informed by philosophical hermeneutics, this research involved two interpretive studies. One study was drawn from literature and the other was based on 24 participants’ experiences from five allied health professions, accessed through semi-structured interviews and focus groups. This research revealed key shapers of allied health collaborative practice. These shapers act in dynamic and unequal ways within and across contextual, social and individual domains: in-situ standards and physical environments (contextual); interpersonal transactions and reciprocal exchanges (social); individual contributions and engagement activities (individual). When underpinned with practice theory these shapers provide a rich source of reflection for educators preparing allied health students for the nuances of collaborative practice. Educators are invited to reflect on how to: enable visibility of shapers; engage with their dynamic interplay and navigate tensions arising from such interplays.