Date of Conferral

2019

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Maureen L. Walsh

Abstract

If nurse educators do not teach students to function in interprofessional teams, students may lack communication and teamwork skills, which can result in patient harm; however, nurse educators do not always understand the concept of interprofessional collaboration (IPC) and may, therefore, fail to teach it to students. The purpose of this multiple case study was to understand how undergraduate nurse educators prepared to teach IPC and how their preparation informed their teaching. The theory of transformative learning and the Interprofessional Education Collaborative core competencies of IPC framed this study. Data included semistructured interviews and associated documents from 9 nurse educators representing 3 different schools of nursing. Transcribed interviews and associated documents were coded for emergent themes. The 5 key themes that emerged related to nurse educator preparation to teach IPC were academic IPC preparation was limited, lack of formal preparation and an incomplete understanding, interprofessional communication: positive perceptions and perceived barriers, previous IPC exposure influenced instruction, and educators taught IPC informally. The results of this study may influence positive social change by inspiring educational leaders to consider the possibility that nurse educators may need IPC-specific faculty development. Research suggests that when educators know how to teach IPC, they can prepare students to practice in interprofessional teams. Most importantly, when new nurses know how to work in interprofessional teams, this may result in a decrease in the incidence of unintentional patient injuries.

Included in

Nursing Commons

Share

 
COinS