Towards interprofessional family-oriented teamwork in primary services: the evaluation of an education programme

Abstract

A 2-year interprofessional family-oriented training programme for professionals working in the field of primary services (e.g. health care, social welfare, schools, day care) started in Oulu Province, Finland, in 2000. It aimed to provide the trainees with skills to work with families in interprofessional teams, to support them to cope better and to encourage them to develop new models for helping clients. Seventy-six trainees from 13 professions participated. This paper describes the structure, methods and the content of the programme and evaluates its success. Material was content analysed from participants' evaluations at the end of the programme and discussion during a focus group in which three trainees and three trainers participated. During the programme trainees' working methods moved from being detached experts towards client and family-orientation. Job satisfaction also improved. They began to appreciate interprofessional teamwork and found that client and family-oriented working methods supported families in using their own resources in solving problems. The study indicated that the sufficiently long process of education where the interprofessional collaboration has been put in practice already during the education is needed to change the theoretical framework and practical working methods of the trainees.

The effectiveness of interprofessional education in healthcare: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

“…The findings of this systematic review and meta‐analysis have reported significant improvements in pre‐ and post‐status scores after embedding IPE module in various medical fields as determined by enhanced acquisition of knowledge, skills, and attitudes of learners. This effectiveness of IPE pre‐post design has been proposed to carry multi‐dimensional gains; IPE has been shown to increase job satisfaction among emergency department nurses and physicians [32], has helped the primary health care practitioners in their approach to resolve complex issues with clients and their ability to utilize other resources [33], and has been instrumental in dispelling stereotypes [34]. Turner has argued that medical and allied health students may pass their courses and programs and may enter their practical careers with certain perceptions or understandings of other professions that may or may not be accurate [35].…”

Implications for school nursing through interprofessional education and practice

“…The effects on the IPCP were little studied (Cooper et al . , Larivaara & Taanila ). Only few studies related to the effects of IPE and IPCP in hospital or community setting, but not in school setting, were searched (Reeves & Freeth , Reeves et al .…”

“…However, their research canons mainly focused on participants' gained knowledge, changed attitudes and beliefs through IPE and IPCP. The effects on the IPCP were little studied (Cooper et al 2001, Larivaara & Taanila 2004. Only few studies related to the effects of IPE and IPCP in hospital or community setting, but not in school setting, were searched .…”

Family doctors' involvement with families in Estonia

“…Management of such issues requires development of new interviewing strategies and different ways to use the visit time more effectively [24]. Finnish experience shows that after completing an education programme, the family doctors' became more family-oriented and family doctors satisfaction with their work was also increased [25]. …”