Policy and theoretical foundations for interprofessional education

Policy support for IPE

The 2003 First Ministers Accord on Health Care Renewal identified the importance of changing the way health care professionals are educated. Interprofessional Education for Collaborative Patient-Centred Care (IECPCP) was identified both in the Accord and in the 2003 Federal Budget as a means to address current and emerging health and human resource issues. It is also seen as a mechanism to ensure that health care providers have the knowledge, skills and attitudes to practice together in an effective collaborative manner (Oandasan and Reeves, 2005).

Three foci of interprofessional education

Effective Interprofessional Education - Argument, Assumption and Evidence (2005) By Hugh Barr, Ivan Koppel, Scott Reeves, Marilyn Hammick and Della Freeth, p.34.

Barr et al explain: "The first of these focuses on establishing knowledge bases, acquisition of skills and the modification of attitudes and perceptions by individuals to pave the way for collaborative practice between professions, within and between organizations and with clients, their caregivers and communities. The second focuses on learning how to collaborate as a group or team-based activity, either directly between the parties (practitioners in the workplace) or by proxy (students during courses). The third focuses on purposeful collective action to effect change and improve the quality of services and care for clients, which becomes interprofessional education if and when learning is built in between the participant professions." (p. 34)

Theoretical Foundations for interprofessional education

1. Preparing individuals for collaborative practice
   • Adult learning
   • Contact
   • Social identity
   • Self-categorization
   • Realistic conflict
   • self-presentation
   • Loss and change
   • Social defence
   • Relational awareness
   • Social exchange
   • Negotiation
   • Cooperation
2. Cultivating collaboration in groups and teams
   • Work-group mentality
   • Group development
   • Team learning
3. Improving services and the quality of care
   • Systems
   • Organizational learning
   • Activity

For more information about these theories, please refer to the publication by Barr et al referenced below, or some of the articles and books mentioned in the research section of this website.