Pre-registration interprofessional education: an evaluative study using podiatry as an exemplar

Abstract

The ability to learn and work in a multidisciplinary team is crucial to the delivery of healthcare that is ‘fit for purpose’ in the twenty-first century. Consequently, interprofessional education (IPE) is a mandatory requirement for pre-registration training in health and social care. However, the evidence base for the effectiveness of such programmes remains limited. This evaluative study aims to explore the potential influence of IPE at pre-registration level, using podiatry as an exemplar.
In Phase One, key informant interviews were held with IPE curriculum developers from higher education institutions (HEIs) (n=8) in the United Kingdom. Verbatim transcripts of these interviews were analysed using elements of grounded theory. In Phase Two, using the qualitative results as the anchor, a survey was constructed and administered to pre-registration health and social work students in a number of parallel IPE initiatives (Sample 1: n=1151; Sample 2: n=1060), involving 6 and 5 HEIs respectively. The findings of the key informant interviews and SPSS survey analysis were subsequently combined to inform the results of the research.
The findings revealed an absence of educational theory underpinning the IPE curriculum development process. In addition there were issues concerning institutional commitment to IPE, attitudes towards IPE, and inconsistencies in the approach to curriculum delivery, all of which militated against successful implementation. The results illuminated that students learn about other health and social care professions that are represented in their IPE group. An appropriate time to introduce IPE into pre-registration programmes was found to be the latter part of the academic year for students studying first year modules. Students’ readiness for interprofessional learning was found to be enhanced if they were inducted to a coherent IPE initiative with consistent approaches to learning, teaching, assessment and evaluation across programmes. However, attitude differences between professional groups emerged where students with a strong sense of professional identity and roles were less ready to engage in interprofessional learning.
This study indicates that the current method of implementing IPE in pre-registration health and social care programmes is less than ideal. The development and delivery of the IPE curriculum appears to be flawed. Explanations for the findings are explored and the implications for practice and future research are considered.

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