Abstract
Introduction: Quality health care relies on effective, patient-centered teamwork. Interprofessional education and learning is one of the foundations of health education. These principles were challenged during the COVID-19 pandemic. We sought to determine whether a collaborative, online learning activity would be experienced as interprofessional by learners from eight health professions.
Methods: A mixed-methods, cross-sectional cohort study with retrospective analysis of survey data was utilized. Two custom-designed exit surveys to assess team behaviors: one from the learners’, the second from the faculty observers’ perspective. A thematic analysis of two open-ended questions was completed.
Results: Nursing was the largest discipline (45 %) participating. Most participants (79 %) reported previous face-to-face interprofessional learning experiences. Correlational analysis showed no association between prior participation in face-to-face IPE and perception that the remote activity was interprofessional. Qualitative analysis revealed recurrent themes of “teamwork and professional collaboration”. A positive correlation between student engagement and learning on an electronic platform was detected.
Discussion: Remote learning activities are experienced as “interprofessional” by learners even if those learners have previously experienced in-person collaborative activities. The results align with existing knowledge that student engagement is an important factor in the success of online learning.
Recommended Citation
Kupershmidt S, Cleveland T, Williams MJ, Lucas Molitor W. Interprofessional Teamwork Through Remote Collaboration: A Mixed-Methods Approach. Aesculapius. 2023 Mar 31; 4(1):Article 2. Available from: https://red.library.usd.edu/aesculapius/vol4/iss1/2. Free full text article.