Interprofessional Education (IPE)

Background and Overview

Collaborative practice".... occurs when healthcare providers work with people from within their own profession, with people outside of their profession, and with patients/clients and their families." (The Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative  CIHC, February 2009). An important note is that trust and value is required so that healthcare providers can consult with each other without worrying about seeming unknowledgeable.

Way, Jones and Baskerville (2001) identify 7 essential elements for collaboration: mutual trust and respect, autonomy, responsibility, communication, coordination, assertiveness and cooperation. Interprofessional education (IPE) can enable students and practitioners to learn these elements, knowledge and skills to practice interprofessional collaborative practice.

IPE Definition

The most appropriate way for students to learn to practice in a collaborative and interprofessional manner is through IPE. The definition of IPE commonly used is from the Centre on Advancement of Interprofessional Education (CAIPE, 2002) which states that “IPE occurs when two or more professions learn with, from and about each other in order to improve collaboration and the quality of care.”

IPE for health professions is becoming a major movement in our changing health and education environments and through which there are many benefits for patients, health care providers, students, and quality and rewarding work environments.

A helpful resource is “Frequently asked questions about interprofessional education” by CIHC which can be accessed at http://www.cihc.ca/resources/faqs.

IPE and the Faculty of Dentistry - School of Dental Hygiene

The Faculty of Dentistry is committed to the integration of interprofessional education opportunities for undergraduate students. In addition to the recognition that collaborative practice contributes to positive outcomes such as patient safety, quality care and improved working environments the IPE standard requires the inclusion of interprofessional leaning opportunities for students. Another driver is Health Canada which has funded the Accreditation of Interprofessional Health Education (AIPHE) initiative currently underway to accredit pre-licensure interprofessonal education programming for six Canadian health professions: nursing, medicine, occupational therapy, pharmacy, physical therapy, and social work. 

An Example of How an IPE Outcome Evolves:

Mr. M.Olar has type 2 diabetes. He sees his physician, Dr. James, regularly and lately Dr. James has been asking him about his oral health: do his gums bleed when he brushes?  Mr. Olar’s dental hygienist, Ms. Freisen, has been asking him what his A1C levels have been and encouraging him to see his nutritionist, Mr.  Squair, to discuss his dislike of ‘all those vegetables he suggests he eats’. Dentist, Dr. Meister asks Mr. Olar for his permission to share his oral findings with his health care team. 

What is going on? Interprofessional collaboration promotes quality care and better health outcomes. Around the world a shift in health care is occurring, not only towards interprofessional education and collaborative practice, but in how health care professionals see oral health as part of overall health. There is a call to action for both dentistry and dental hygiene to prepare practice-ready clinicians who only know to collaborate with other health professionals as the way of being in their practice.

Integration and Commitment within the Faculty of Dentistry - School of Dental Hygiene

The Faculty of Dentistry and the School of Dental Hygiene are integrally involved in the interprofessional education curriculum movement at the University of Manitoba. Dean, Dr. Tony Iacopino and Director, Prof. Joanna Asadoorian are on the University of Manitoba, Interprofessional  Education  Initiative (UM IPEI) Steering Committee, a committee with representation from 13 academic units.  Each of these units has an additional representative on the UM IPE Liaison Committee. Associate Dean, Dr. Doug Brothwell and Prof Laura MacDonald are members of the Liaison committee. Six working groups report to the Liaison Committee:  Quality Assurance, Health Promotion, Faculty Development, Communications, Oral Systemic Health, and Clinical Placements.  Dr. Brothwell and Prof Laura MacDonald are co-chairs of the Oral Systemic Health Working Group of the UM IPEI.  Both Dr Brothwell and Prof MacDonald are members of the UM IPEI Health Promotion Working Group. This working group will be launching an IPE event in 2012 that will involve over 700 students from the participating academic units. 

Prof. MacDonald co-chairs along with Dr. Christine Ateah from the Faculty of Nursing the UM IPEI Faculty Development Working Group which has been actively preparing faculty facilitators in IPE. The School of Dental Hygiene and the Faculty of Dentistry are well represented in  the working groups with many faculty members volunteering to serve on behalf of the oral health professions at the UM.  The call to be interprofessional collaborative practitioners has been heard by Dentistry and Dental Hygiene - The Faculty of Dentistry/School of Dental Hygiene are infusing their respective curricula with IPE rich learning experiences for both students and faculty.