Difficult to Doable: Interprofessional Collaborative Practice in Distance Education

Background: This study investigated the effect of inter-professional educational (IPE) in a distance education setting on students' self-efficacy around the Interprofessional Collaborative Practice (IPEC) constructs. Method: Senior RN-to-Bachelor of Science nursing students, students from health sciences, and dietetic intern students participated in the IPE learning experience. A pre-postsurvey design measured the change in student self-efficacy in relation to the IPEC constructs of values and ethics, roles and responsibilities, interprofessional communication, and teams and teamwork. Results: In total, 92 students participated and 46 completed the pre-postsurvey. There were statistically significant changes in student self-efficacy across all constructs. Qualitative comments revealed themes of collaboration strengthening care, the value of exposure to different perspectives, and desire for commonly shared goals among the team. Conclusion: Research on IPE in distance education lags behind IPE in traditional settings. This study revealed that IPE is attainable in distance education, with significant changes in student's self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is a key indicator of future behavior.