An exploration of interprofessional education in four Canadian undergraduate nursing programs

Abstract

Formal inclusion of interprofessional education (IPE) curricula within Canadian undergraduate nursing programs has been occurring since 2012. While there is evidence that Canadian university nursing programs are working to achieve the integration of IPE throughout undergraduate curricula, a gap exists in what is known about IPE integration in Northern Ontario nursing programs, particularly from the perspectives of faculty members and program administrators. This multiple case study explored how four undergraduate university nursing programs in Northern Ontario integrated IPE into their curricula, including the opportunities and challenges of this work. Program experiences were explored within, and across, four undergraduate nursing programs located in Sudbury (including both English language and French language programs), Thunder Bay, and North Bay. Data acquisition strategies consisted of interviews with program directors (n=3), focus groups (n=10) and interviews (n=3) with faculty members, review of available program documentation and websites, and on-site program observations. Thematic analysis was undertaken for each case and during the cross-case analysis stage. The cross-case synthesis resulted in the following themes: 1) varied understandings of IPE, 2) diverse IPE learning activities within curricula, 3) the requirement for support and resources for IPE and research, 4) student participation and leadership in IPE, and 5) limited IPE evaluation. These results highlight IPE practices within these nursing programs and what supports them. Faculty development, IPE research, student involvement, and administrative support are required to maintain and sustain IPE. Dissemination of results may encourage further research and dialogue on current IPE practices among nursing programs in Northern Ontario and beyond.