Advancing Interprofessional Collaboration in Nursing Education

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to describe and understand the process of nurse educators teaching interprofessional collaboration to student nurses in a Louisiana pre-licensure baccalaureate-nursing program. Components of the theoretical framework for the study included Ray’s theory of bureaucratic caring, complexity theory, and transformational learning theory. As interprofessional collaboration is gaining momentum in the healthcare environment, nurse educators can be key players in a teaching-learning dynamic that encourages positive patient outcomes and a changing healthcare paradigm. Findings indicated the majority of nurse educators describe their role in preparing students for interprofessional collaborative practice using classroom, clinical and simulation teaching strategies. Clinical environments were most often described as settings in which students gain the most knowledge through actual participation with the interprofessional team. Findings from this study indicate a need for curriculum changes and enhanced faculty development programs on interprofessional collaboration in nursing education. Nurse educators and nursing programs can learn from this case study to develop teaching strategies to promote conducive interprofessional collaborative learning environments aiding students in the preparation for professional nursing practice.