Interprofessional Learning Dynamics: Characteristic Features Affecting Healthcare Management in Southeastern Nigeria

Abstract

Background
Healthcare professionals in clinical settings work in teams that require interprofessional collaboration that hinges on interprofessional learning. Assessment of characteristic features of interprofessional learning affecting healthcare management in South-Eastern Nigeria is of high essence for effective patient management.
Methods
The research design was a prospective cross-sectional descriptive study. It was conducted at Federal Medical Centres and the Teaching Hospitals in various healthcare departments located in Southeastern Nigeria. 386 practicing healthcare professionals were enlisted for the study using a validated questionnaire ‘Interprofessional Learning Dynamic Scale’. The questionnaire contains socio-economic status, interprofessional learning features, healthcare professionals’ relationship, readiness, knowledge, attitude and perception, towards interprofessional learning. The researchers collected data through simple random sampling,
analysed descriptively using frequency tables, spearman’s rank correlation, one way analysis of variance and Tukey-kramer post honesty significant differences for comparison at 0.05 level of significance.
Results
Majority (61.7%) aged between 20-29 years and 57.3% of the total respondents were female. Gender had positive significant relation with teamwork (rs=0.112; p=0.028), and conflict resolution. Participants discipline had negative significant relation with teamwork (rs= -0.129; p=0.012), conflict resolution, communication and prejudice. Previous interprofessional learning showed positive significant relation with radiographers’ ability to communicate effectively, resolve conflict issues, accommodate others and in collaboration. The majority (51.3%) felt that patient management were not discussed adequately between healthcare practitioners. Ignorance among respondents towards having prejudice about other professionals and inappropriate patient referral was noted. There was noted significant difference (p=0.000) among disciplines with radiographers having better intra-relationship among themselves. Majority (72.5%) had previous experience of IPL and affirmed to had benefited from having radiographers on an interdisciplinary team.
Discussion and Conclusion
There were observed differences in accommodation, teamwork, value, prejudice, communication, and knowledge among healthcare professions while intra-disciplinary relationships were of good positive team dynamics. Institutions should ponder on possible ways to offer healthcare practitioners adequate interprofessional training needs as IPL knowledge is transferable in clinical practice. Interprofessional learning could provide answers to the differences in interdisciplinary practice that could create a path towards socialization, breaching the silos of diverse professional stereotypes.