Outcomes of an Interprofessional Education Faculty Facilitator Development Program
Purpose/Hypothesis:
Effective interprofessional education (IPE) programs are critical to graduating health care professionals who can work together collaboratively. Faculty development has been identified as a key factor in the success of IPE. Faculty need the skills to facilitate effective student interactions including group discussions, student debriefings, and collaborative work. IPE developers suggest that well-designed programs to train faculty facilitators are necessary to provide an understanding of the core concepts of IPE, to avoid missing teachable moments and to provide faculty the ability to manage conflict and student disengagement. The purpose of the research study was to describe the content, methods, and outcomes of an IPE faculty facilitator development program.
Number of Subjects:
19
Materials and Methods:
Five objectives were identified for the IPE facultyfacilitator development program. Participants would be able to 1) describe the 4 core competencies for interprofessional (IP) collaborative practice, 2) identify teachable moments, 3) effectively and confidently facilitate IPE activities, 4) effectively identify and manage challenging students, and 5) identify IPE mentors. A 7-question written survey using a Likert scale was developed to measure participants’ perceptions of their ability to meet the course objectives. A pre-program survey included demographic questions, the 7-question written survey, and qualitative questions regarding participants’ experience and challenges with facilitating IPE activities. The program content and methods were designed to address the 5 objectives using a format that consisted of a learning management system, 4 on-line modules, a 3-hour face-to-face training workshop and a post-program focus group. The 7-question survey, along with questions regarding IPE activities and program completion, was administered twice (after the training workshop and at the post-program focus group). Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the results of the survey. Focus group interviews were transcribed and responses to questions were discussed by the investigators and summarized.
Results:
Participants: 19 faculty (4 males/15 females) with representation by school (8 - health science, 5 – nursing, 6 - medicine). The pre-program survey revealed that most participants could not describe the 4 core competencies for IP collaborative practice; were unable to confidently or effectively facilitate IPE activities; and while most participants could identify challenging student interactions during IPE, they were unsure of how to effectively manage those interactions. Participation in the components of the program varied depending on each participant's availability and schedule. At the completion of the program the majority of participants agreed/strongly agreed that all program objectives had been achieved. Focus group participants reported that the faculty development program was helpful in identifying resources for IPE; learning with, about and from each other; networking with other faculty; and reinforcing the core competencies. Participants reported challenges that included understanding the language of IPE; committing to the time for training; scheduling of the face-to-face workshop; and managing competing responsibilities. Focus group participants identified the value of IPE as: 1) building relationships through effective communication, 2) reinforcing the importance of teams and getting disciplines out of their silos, and 3) translating what they learn through IPE to clinical practice.
Conclusions:
This IPE workshop was effective and could be replicated at other institutions to help faculty develop knowledge of the IP collaborative core competencies and their skills to recognize teachable moments, manage challenging students and identify mentors for IPE development. Program developers need to be aware of and manage the challenges that may impact the ability of faculty to fully participate.
Clinical Relevance:
Health care is increasingly complex and is rapidly developing into interprofessional teams focused on patient centered care. IPE is important in preparing students for IP collaborative practice that leads to improved health outcomes for patients and clients. The development of faculty who are knowledgeable about IPE and who have the skills to effectively facilitate quality IPE is fundamental for success.