Interprofessional education in undergraduate health courses: systematic review

Abstract:

Introduction:

Interprofessional Education (IPE) seeks to develop collaborative practice among health professionals to improve patient care.

Objective:

This systematic review exploits the non-punctual IPE strategies in undergraduate health courses, identifying their potential and weaknesses.

Method:

The search included articles published in the LILACS, COCHRANE, CINAHL, EMBASE and MEDLINE. The research question was defined by the PICO anagram: studies were selected that included at least two undergraduate health courses, one of them in Medicine, and that reported a minimum educational strategy of 15 hours and its review. Abstracts published in congresses, opinions, editorials, and systematic reviews were excluded.

Results:

There have been 28 reviewed studies published between 2005-2019, 31% of which have been in the last two years. The dominant themes were simulation (36%) or the use of combined methods (29%) in the assessment of student attitudes, understanding of health professionals’ roles, teamwork, communication, and knowledge in response to IPE interventions. Studies in the Domains - Roles and responsibilities (75%) and teamwork (64%) predominated. The approach to values and ethics (32%); communication (28%) was less frequent. 18 articles (64%) had two or more objectives and six articles (18%) sought to study the four domains of IPE together. Among the interventions used as teaching strategies, 36% (10 studies) were simulation, 29% (8 studies) combined methods, 18% (5 studies) clinical practice (collaborative work in outpatient units or wards), 14% (4 studies) direct observation (shadowing), 11% problem-based learning, and 2 online learning studies (e-learning) and workshops. The overall quality of the included studies was low, meeting two to five of the six quality criteria. Blind peer reviewing was not cited in 25 publications. Collaborative work in real settings is described as the most efficient.

Conclusion:

IPE has been incorporated in the process of healthcare training and multiple results-based competence optimizes effective relationship development and the abilities needed in the collaborative practice. The fragility of the articles indicates that the interprofessional education of students is still a great challenge for educational institutions.

Key Words:
Health education; Curriculum; Interprofessional education; Interprofessional relationship