Keeping it going: the importance of delivering interprofessional education during the COVID-19 pandemic
Eileen McKinlay 1 12 , Don Banks 2 , Karen Coleman 3 , Ben Darlow 1 , Gay Dungey 4 , Tracy Farr 1 , Rebecca Fyfe 1 , Ben Gray 1 , Liz Kemp 5 , Miriam Mitchell 6 , Caroline Morris 1 , Julia Myers 7 , Hazel Neser 8 , Meredith Perry 5 , Rowena Price 9 , Wendy Thompson 10 , Belinda Westenra 2 , Sue Pullon 11
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
1 Department of Primary Health Care and General Practice, University of Otago Wellington, Box 7343, Wellington, New Zealand.
2 Whitireia New Zealand.
3 Hutt Valley District Health Board, New Zealand.
4 Department of Radiation Therapy, University of Otago Wellington, New Zealand.
5 School of Physiotherapy, University of Otago Wellington, New Zealand.
6 School of Nursing, Massey University, New Zealand.
7 Department of Medicine, University of Otago Wellington, New Zealand.
8 Mary Potter Hospice, New Zealand.
9 Acute Pain Management Service, Capital and Coast District Health Board, New Zealand.
10 Wellington Regional Hospital, Capital and Coast District Health Board, New Zealand.
11 Centre for Interprofessional Education, University of Otago, New Zealand.
12 Corresponding author. Email: eileen.mckinlay@otago.ac.nz
Journal of Primary Health Care 13(4) 359-369 https://doi.org/10.1071/HC21070
Published: 6 December 2021
Journal Compilation © Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners 2021 This is an open access article licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT: Globally, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has highlighted the need for better interprofessional collaboration and teamwork. When disciplines have worked together to undertake testing, deliver care and administer vaccines, progress against COVID-19 has been made. Yet, teamwork has often not happened, wasting precious resources and stretching health-care workforces. Continuing to train health professionals during the pandemic is challenging, particularly delivering interprofessional education that often uses face-to-face delivery methods to optimise interactional learning. Yet, continuing to offer interprofessional education throughout the pandemic is critical to ensure a collaboration-ready health workforce. One example is continuing the established INVOLVE (Interprofessional Visits to Learn Interprofessional Values through Patient Experience) interprofessional education initiative.
ASSESSMENT OF PROBLEM: Educators have not always prioritised interprofessional education during the pandemic, despite its immediate and long-term benefits. The INVOLVE interprofessional education initiative, usually delivered face-to-face, was at risk of cancellation.
RESULTS: A quality improvement analysis of the strategies used to continue INVOLVE demonstrated that it is possible to deliver interprofessional education within the constraints of a pandemic by using innovative online and hybrid educational strategies. Educators and students demonstrated flexibility in responding to the sudden changes in teaching and learning modalities.
STRATEGIES: When pandemic alert levels change, interprofessional educators and administrators can now choose from a repertoire of teaching approaches.
LESSONS: Four key lessons have improved the performance and resilience of INVOLVE: hold the vision to continue interprofessional education; be nimble; use technology appropriately; and there will be silver linings and unexpected benefits to the changes.
Keywords: Educator; interprofessional education; IPE; online teaching; pandemic.
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