In our study a qualitative description design approach was utilized to interpret data gathered via focus groups. Sandelowski describes qualitative descriptive designs as, “typically an eclectic but reasonable and well-considered combination of sampling and data collection, analysis, and re-presentational techniques.”By promoting critical thinking as an adjunct to interprofessional education and behavior we believe we will promote a means for comprehension, application and synthesis of the information provided that can be taken and used in any clinical setting. We also believe that by promoting smaller group interactions and providing guidelines to conduct an inquiry, the success of interprofessionalsim is enhanced by allowing for discussion, questions, and actual interaction between professions in a way that a traditional orientation lecture may not.
Found in the context of our study, these two groups, nurses and physicians, did not know far more than they knew about one another’s profession. Notable, however, was the “wanting to know” element of the discussion. In other words, at the same time the participants were articulating something they did not know about the other profession, they were also keen to point out their interest in learning more about the topic under discussion, and would often expand on what their interests were. The study structure and approach could be considered for use by other Institutions as a template or guide for gaining greater insight into the IPE needs and interests of their respective staff and culture in order to craft curriculum accordingly.
As more postgraduates present to the clinical environment with background in IPE, the clinical setting needs to be prepared to encourage and continue interprofessionalism. The study demonstrates that in a brief amount of time, valuable data specific to a particular setting can be obtained, and that there is potential to use this in order to build an environment-specific interprofessional education tool for healthcare professionals.