Louise Beckingsale

What makes an interprofessional education programme meaningful to students? Findings from focus group interviews with students based in New Zealand

ABSTRACT It is important to understand what an interprofessional education (IPE) experience means to students and what makes it meaningful so that optimal use can be made of IPE opportunities and resources. This article reports qualitative data from a larger study evaluating an 11-hour IPE programme which focused on long-term condition management. Qualitative analysis aimed to explore students’ perspectives of the programme. Forty-one students from dietetics, medicine, physiotherapy, and radiation therapy were invited to participate in interprofessional focus groups. Data gathered from 34 students who participated in two focus groups were analysed inductively using thematic analysis. Three key themes emerged related to (i) learning, (ii) perceived long-term professional benefits, and (iii) the structure and content of the programme. Participants considered the programme to be a valuable learning opportunity with direct relevance to their future clinical careers. Findings indicated that providing students with an opportunity to learn about each other should be prioritised within IPE programmes and that this process should be student-led. This may help students to effectively learn with and from each other. Students perceived active learning activities, including interviewing a patient in their home and presenting findings to their peers, to be particularly valuable.

‘Two working together is so much better than just one’: Professional support needs of primary healthcare dietitians

Aim This qualitative study explored the experiences of professional support received, and the perceptions of professional support required by New Zealand (NZ) registered dietitians working in primary health care (PHC). Methods Twelve PHC dietitians across a range of ages, ethnic and professional backgrounds participated in individual, semistructured, face-to-face interviews. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Results All participants identified that professional support impacted their ability to develop the competency and confidence required to deliver effective services in the PHC setting. Four sources of intraprofessional support were described: being in a team with another dietitian, being involved in dietetic networks or peer support groups, undertaking professional supervision and having access to relevant professional development opportunities. Additionally, participants identified two sources of interprofessional support: being part of a multidisciplinary, culturally diverse team and collaborating with other PHC professionals. Conclusions It is evident that dietitians working in the NZ PHC sector value good professional support. This enables them to develop greater competence and confidence to work more effectively. While an essential source of professional support comes from within the dietetic profession, another important source is other PHC colleagues. Feeling part of a multidisciplinary culturally diverse PHC team and/or working in collaboration with other PHC health workers resulted in the dietitian feeling a stronger sense of interprofessional support. This aligns with NZs current PHC strategy, supporting the development of multidisciplinary PHC teams and collaborative care to improve patient outcomes.