Kimberly Adams Tufts
Old Dominion University, USA
Title: Inter-professional education and collaborative practice: Nursing’s place at the table
Biography
Biography: Kimberly Adams Tufts
Abstract
Collaboration, teamwork, effective communication and ethical decision-making are essential to effective inter-professional collaborative practice (IPCP). IPCP has been associated with better individual and population health outcomes. Engaging patients, families, and communities in mutual goal-setting around health, quality of life, and enhanced viability is foundational to IPCP. However, health professionals’ ability to engage in the inter-professional collaborative practice and to transforming health care systems is dependent upon their being exposed to and engaged in an inter-professional culture during their formative professional years. Inter-professional education (IPE) is the method for engaging students in IPCP during their formative years. Notably, Nursing has a well-established history of valuing the voices of others and of collaboration with other health professionals and patients/families. Therefore, the profession has the potential to assume a leadership role in an environment wherein educational institutions, health systems, professional organizations, and policy makers coalesce around issues of how best to integrate IPE into established educational programs and how to support the integration of IPCP into systems of care. Hence, it is essential that Nursing faculty strategically a) engage in professional development efforts to enhance our capacity for using IPE methodologies to teach nursing and other health professions students, b) lead curricula transformation efforts on our respective campuses, and c) work externally to shape educational policy and accreditation standards that support the integration of IPE across curricula. Moving forth quickly with this agenda will secure Nursing’s place at the health care transformation table and solidify our continued legacy of success.