Parents, healthcare professionals, education providers, hospitals, and health services
Statement of standard
Every healthcare professional has access to interprofessional education that enhances the delivery of practice in the care of infants and their families.
Rationale
Interprofessional collaboration is identified as critical to the provision of effective and efficient healthcare, given the complexity of the healthcare needs of patients, and the range of healthcare providers and organisations. Interprofessional collaboration has been linked to a range of outcomes, including improvements in patient safety and case management, the optimal use of the skills of each healthcare team member, and the provision of better health. Professional and academic leaders from diverse countries have developed a shared vision and strategy for postsecondary education in medicine, nursing, and public health. National organisations have created core competencies for interprofessional collaborative practice, positioning interprofessional education (IPE) and interprofessional practice (IPP) as fundamental to practice improvement. (1,2)
Provision of IPE opportunities will ensure that infants and their families are cared for by a multidisciplinary team that values and practices collaboration in the delivery of care. (see Infant- & family-centred developmental care)
Benefits
Facilitates effective collaborative practice which in turn enhances the quality of health services delivery, strengthens health systems and improves health outcomes. (3)
Facilitates exchange between students from two or more professions in health during all or part of their training to learn about, from, and with each other which leads to creation of a shared understanding and synergy. (3)
Components of the standard
Component
Grading of evidence
Indicator of meeting the standard
For parents and family
Parents contribute their perspective to the interprofessional education (IPE) and interprofessional practice (IPP) opportunities available to healthcare professionals.
B (Low quality)
Parent feedback
For healthcare professionals
IPE and IPP are attended by all responsible healthcare professionals.
B (High quality)
Training documentation
All principles of IPE and IPP (1) are understood and demonstrated.
A (High quality)
Training documentation
For education providers
An integrated interprofessional curriculum includes common time, common curriculum content, collaborative competencies assessed along with uniprofessional competencies, and learning which occurs in both university and practice settings. (4)
A (Moderate quality)
Training documentation
For neonatal unit
N/A
For hospital
IPE and IPP are ensured.
B (High quality)
Training documentation
The principles of IPE and IPP are endorsed by educators, healthcare providers, and those in positions of leadership.
B (Low quality)
Training documentation
For health service
The principles of IPE and IPP are supported by educators, healthcare providers, and those in positions of leadership.
B (Low quality)
Training documentation
Where to go
Further development
Grading of evidence
For parents and family
N/A
For healthcare professionals
N/A
For education providers
Inform and advance curriculum through collaborative research and opportunities for scholarship. (5)
A (Moderate quality) B (Moderate quality)
Develop, deliver, and evaluate curriculum in collaboration with faculty, families, and learners. (5)
A (Moderate quality) B (Low quality)
For neonatal unit
N/A
For hospital
N/A
For health service
N/A
Getting started
Initial steps
For parents and family
N/A
For healthcare professionals
Attend interprofessional education (IPE) and interprofessional practice (IPP).
Recognise the value of collaboration in professional practice.
For education providers
Include IPE and IPP in core curricula of undergraduate and graduate programmes.
Involve parents in the review and revision of the curricula.
For neonatal unit
N/A
For hospital
Support healthcare professionals to participate in IPE and IPP.
For health service
N/A
Reeves S, Perrier L, Goldman J, Freeth D, Zwarenstein M. Interprofessional education: effects on professional practice and healthcare outcomes (update). Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013 Mar 28;(3):CD002213.
Frenk J, Chen L, Bhutta ZA, Cohen J, Crisp N, Evans T, et al. Health professionals for a new century: transforming education to strengthen health systems in an interdependent world. The Lancet. 2010 Dec 4;376(9756):1923–58.
Campion-Smith C, Austin H, Criswick S, Dowling B, Francis G. Can sharing stories change practice? A qualitative study of an interprofessional narrative-based palliative care course. J Interprof Care. 2010;25(2):105–11.
EFCNI, van den Hoogen A, Johnston L et al., European Standards of Care for Newborn Health: Interprofessional education (IPE) and interprofessional practice (IPP). 2018.
