TY - JOUR
T1 - Interprofessional experiences of recent healthcare graduates: A social psychology perspective on the barriers to effective communication, teamwork, and patient-centred care
AU - Thomson, Krist
AU - Outram, Sue
AU - Gilligan, Conor
AU - Levett-Jones, Tracy
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
PY - 2015/11/3
Y1 - 2015/11/3
N2 - Achieving safe, quality health care is highly dependent on effective communication between all members of the healthcare team. This study explored the attitudes and experiences of recent healthcare graduates regarding interprofessional teamwork and communication within a clinical setting. A total of 68 pharmacy, nursing, and medicine graduates participated in 12 semi-structured focus group discussions in clinical workplaces across three Australian states. Discussion focussed on graduates experiences of interprofessional education and its impact on their capacity for interprofessional teamwork and communication. The Social Identity and Realistic Conflict theories were used as a framework for qualitative data analysis. A consistent pattern of profession-focussed, rather than patient- or team-focussed goals was revealed along with reports of negative stereotyping, hierarchical communication, and competition for time with the patient. Graduates acknowledged the importance of communication, teamwork, and patient-centred care and felt a better understanding of the roles of other health professionals would assist them to work together for patients wellbeing. Identifying workplace identities and differential goals has uncovered possible motivations underlying health professionals behaviour. These insights may help improve interprofessional collaboration by focusing attention on common team goals, increasing feelings of worth and being valued among different professionals, and decreasing the need for competition.
AB - Achieving safe, quality health care is highly dependent on effective communication between all members of the healthcare team. This study explored the attitudes and experiences of recent healthcare graduates regarding interprofessional teamwork and communication within a clinical setting. A total of 68 pharmacy, nursing, and medicine graduates participated in 12 semi-structured focus group discussions in clinical workplaces across three Australian states. Discussion focussed on graduates experiences of interprofessional education and its impact on their capacity for interprofessional teamwork and communication. The Social Identity and Realistic Conflict theories were used as a framework for qualitative data analysis. A consistent pattern of profession-focussed, rather than patient- or team-focussed goals was revealed along with reports of negative stereotyping, hierarchical communication, and competition for time with the patient. Graduates acknowledged the importance of communication, teamwork, and patient-centred care and felt a better understanding of the roles of other health professionals would assist them to work together for patients wellbeing. Identifying workplace identities and differential goals has uncovered possible motivations underlying health professionals behaviour. These insights may help improve interprofessional collaboration by focusing attention on common team goals, increasing feelings of worth and being valued among different professionals, and decreasing the need for competition.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84949729276&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3109/13561820.2015.1040873
DO - 10.3109/13561820.2015.1040873
M3 - Article
C2 - 26230377
AN - SCOPUS:84949729276
SN - 1356-1820
VL - 29
SP - 634
EP - 640
JO - Journal of Interprofessional Care
JF - Journal of Interprofessional Care
IS - 6
ER -