Interprofessional education and collaborative practice with practicing radiographers: A mixed methods scoping review

Introduction

There is increasing evidence substantiating the advantages of Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice (IPECP) in healthcare. Despite this, global adoption is still in its infancy. Whilst there has been some recognition of the importance of collaborative practice in healthcare, implementation of IPECP programs remain limited in many countries.

Methods

This scoping review aimed to synthesise global evidence for the implementation and effectiveness of IPECP on practicing radiographers and to further identify the enablers and barriers to the implementation of IPECP within radiography. The JBI guidelines for the conduct of scoping reviews and the PRISMA guidelines for reporting scoping reviews were followed. Databases searched included Medline, CINAHL, Scopus, Embase, Cochrane library, and JBI. Grey literature was searched through Google, Google Scholar, and the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global.

Results

Following full text screening, 21 articles were included in the review, and data was extracted onto a custom-developed template. IPECP competencies identified in the included studies were mapped against the Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative (CIHC) framework of competencies.

Conclusion

Results indicate that while certain factors such as peer support and interprofessional communication facilitated IPECP, numerous barriers impeded its implementation on a wider scale.

Implications for practice

Implications for practice, policy and research include the need to prioritise funding for IPECP initiatives and to establish regulatory frameworks that support interprofessional collaboration.