Interprofessional Education Pathway: The power of collaboration

To be able to provide the most holistic and patient-centred care in the future, it is crucial for students in different health-education programs to learn to work alongside professionals from other health disciplines. Whether you’re training to be a nurse, physician, kinesiologist or pharmacist, the Interprofessional Education Pathway at the College of Health Sciences offers an excellent opportunity to enhance your learning experience. 

About 1,100 students from 12 different health programs at the University of Alberta attended this year’s Interprofessional Launch event. “What I found most valuable was working alongside students from various health programs. It gave me a deeper understanding of how each health profession plays a unique role in patient care,” shared Anisa Adams, a nursing student participant.

“The launch is an early opportunity for students to be exposed to the breadth of health professionals that contribute in health care. The focus is on learning in an interprofessional team, practicing team communication and working as a team,” explains Trish Manns, who helped coordinate the event. 

“These are skills that will be reinforced throughout students’disciplinary programs and in future interprofessional learning activities — skills that are critically important in an interconnected health system where patients will often see many different health-care professionals,” she adds.

Why is collaboration essential for future health practitioners?

Interdisciplinary learning strengthens patient care

The more students understand each health profession’s contributions, the better equipped they are to work as part of a unified care team. For instance, when a physical therapist collaborates with a dietitian, they can create a tailored health plan that addresses many more facets of a patient’s well-being. 

“Seeing how nurses, pharmacists, doctors, therapists, and others bring their expertise together to provide holistic care was really eye-opening. The event truly highlighted the importance of collaboration, especially during discussions of real-world patient cases. When one healthcare discipline wasn’t as strong in certain areas, another would step in with solutions, allowing the team to work smoothly. It became clear that no single discipline has all the answers, so effective communication and teamwork are essential for holistic patient care,” Adams noted.

“The feedback we received from students was positive. Students value working together on a case study about a patient’s journey in the health-care system. And they love hearing patient stories from people who have experienced care in the health system,” adds Manns.

Advocating for patients and families through understanding and empathy

Learning from patients and understanding their perspectives leads to improved health outcomes. Advocacy in areas such as care access and treatment options, along with addressing both physical and emotional well-being, ensures that patients and families feel heard, respected and empowered. 

“Students are very grateful for the opportunity to learn from patient participants about their experiences,” Manns notes. “I talked with several health mentors who said they had great questions from students about their health condition, the number of health professionals they worked with, and the impact on them and their family.”

Adams reflected on her experience, saying,  “A standout moment was during a simulation where we developed a treatment plan for a patient case. Watching everyone contribute their perspectives and then seeing how it all came together really emphasized the value of interdisciplinary care.” She also shared her appreciation for “how we were privileged to speak to patients and hear their point of view and see how they view us. All the patients’ stories about the support they received from their healthcare team stuck out to me, and I was proud to know we are all doing our best to ensure optimum patient care outside of the school premises.”

Creating a patient-first approach

Ultimately, interprofessional collaboration is about creating a patient-first approach, in which care is designed around the unique needs of each individual. The communication and teamwork involved in this approach allow health practitioners to have a deeper impact on the patient’s experience. All disciplines in the team contribute to ensuring care is well-rounded and centred on what truly matters — the well-being of the patient.

“In the end, it’s important to remember that each health profession is just one piece of a patient’s care, and together we all equally complete the puzzle,” said Adams.

Manns adds, “The contributions from health mentors help students to centre their relationships with patients as the critical piece when delivering health care, no matter what the discipline.”

In the words of Maya Angelou, “When you know better, you do better.” This quote, shared by a patient during one of the presentations, encapsulates the program’s mission. By gaining deeper insights into patient perspectives and learning from each other, students are empowered to make informed decisions and provide more compassionate, comprehensive care, ultimately leading to better health outcomes.