Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

Interprofessional Professionalism in Healthcare: An Interprofessional Small Group Activity

TTUHSC Interprofessional Practice and Education (IPE) Experience


Title of the Interprofessional Practice and Education Experience

Interprofessional Professionalism in Healthcare: An Interprofessional Small Group Activity


Experience Status

Approved


Approval Date Range

11/6/2017 - 6/25/2025


Criteria for Registering the IPE Experience

  • Involvement of two or more professions.
  • Opportunities to learn about, from, and with one another.
  • Significant interactivity between participants.
  • Teaching and/or learning about interprofessional practice and education is intentionally integrated into the activity. Interprofessional practice and education constructs are targeted with IPE learning objectives are also discussed, trained, reviewed, and/or assessed as part of the learning activity.

Type of IPE Experience

  • Workshop, interactive demo, or small group activity

IPEC Core Competencies Targeted by this IPE Experience

  • Communication: Communicate in a responsive, responsible, respectful, and compassionate manner with team members.
  • Values and Ethics: Work with team members to maintain a climate of shared values, ethical conduct, and mutual respect.

Quintuple Aim Strategic Goals Discussed in this IPE Experience

  • Improving care team well-being

Detailed Description and Purpose of the IPE Experience

Healthcare involves many personal interactions with a variety of people. Interprofessional professionalism in healthcare is more than just good manners; it is about establishing respectable relationships with patients, team members, and managers. Interprofessional professionalism (IPP) is defined as consistent demonstration of core values evidenced by professionals working together, aspiring to and wisely applying principles of, altruism and caring, excellence, ethics, respect, communication, and accountability to achieve optimal health and wellness in individuals and communities. (Stern DT. Measuring Medical Professionalism. Oxford University Press. New York, NY; 2006:19.) In a healthcare setting, healthcare professionals must set the tone for the interaction with patients, families, and other members of the healthcare team. Additionally, health professionals are constantly in contact with people who will assess them based on the way they communicate, body language, and appearance. Interprofessional professionalism, when practiced by all health professions: enhances quality healthcare outcomes for patients, promotes a culture that value and foster individual competence, and improves practice and academic environments. The purpose of this IPE learning activity is to focus on the observable behaviors that illustrate what interprofessional professionalism looks like in the context of interprofessional collaborations focused on patient- and family-centered care. Key IPP concepts will include understanding one’s own profession, understanding professional boundaries, evidence of respect towards other professions and valuing their contribution, understanding legal and ethical requirements of professions in team, reflection and critically appraisal and evaluation of outcomes of practice.

During an interprofessional etiquette dinner hosted by the TTUHSC School of Health Professions, IPP will be addressed by a guest speaker, interprofessional networking, small group discussions with IPP topics facilitated by a faculty preceptor, and student development and presentation of elevator speeches. Students will be divided into interprofessional small groups and assigned a table and preceptor. Following a presentation on IPP, students will partake of a three-course etiquette dinner. Throughout the dinner, the preceptor will facilitate small group discussions from a list of predetermined IPP topics. Students will then have the opportunity to develop and deliver an “elevator speech.” The interprofessional small group and faculty will comment on the delivery and the content, as well as provide suggestions for improving interprofessional communication style.
IPP learning outcomes for this IPE Learning activity include:

COMMUNICATION
Demonstrates active listening with members of other health professions.
Communicates respectfully with members of other health professions.
Communicates with members of other health professions in a way they can understand, without using profession-specific jargon.
Responds to questions posed by members of other health professions in a manner that meets the needs of the requester.

RESPECT
Demonstrates confidence, without arrogance, while working with members of other health professions.
Recognizes that other health professions may have their distinct cultures and values, and shows respect for these.
Respects the contributions and expertise of members of other health professions.
Seeks to understand the roles and responsibilities of members of other health professions as related to care.
Determines patient care roles and responsibilities in a respectful manner with members of other health professions.

ALTRUISM AND CARING
Offers to help members of other health professions when caring for patients.
Demonstrates empathy for members of other health professions.
Models for other health professionals compassion towards patients/clients, families and caregivers.
Places patient/client needs above own needs and those of other health professionals.

EXCELLENCE
Coordinates with other health professions and the patient/client, family and caregivers to produce an optimal plan of care.
Reviews all relevant documentation from other health care professions prior to making recommendations to plan of care.
Contributes to decisions about patient care regardless of hierarchy/profession-based boundaries.
Works with members of other health professions to assure continuity of care for patients.

ETHICS
Interacts with members of other health professions in an honest and trustworthy manner.
Works collaboratively with members of other health professions to resolve conflicts that arise in the context of caring for patients/clients.
Discusses with members of other health professions any ethical implications of healthcare decisions.
Reports or addresses unprofessional and unethical behaviors when working with members of other health professions.

ACCOUNTABILITY
Engages with members of other health professions in quality assurance/improvement activities.
Seeks clarification from members of other health professions about unclear information.
Accepts consequences for his or her actions without redirecting blame to members of other health professions.
Works with members of other health professions to identify and address errors and potential errors in the delivery of care.


Level of IPE Integration

  • 1. Foundations Level: Consists of introductory learning activities that provide learners with the opportunity to interact and learn from professionals and peers from disciplines beyond their own. The desired outcome for activities offered at this level is that learners will gain a deeper understanding of their profession while gaining an appreciation for the perspective and roles of other professions.

Attendance or Participation in the IPE Experience

  • Certificate credit
  • Voluntary basis

Frequency of the IPE Experience

  • 01. Annually
  • Annually

Duration and/or Timeline of the IPE Experience

  • 02. 1 to 3 hours
  • This is a 2 hour evening event.

Campus and/or Location of the IPE Experience

  • Lubbock

Average Number of Learners Participating in the IPE Experience

  • 02. 51 to 100
  • 75

Target Audiences

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Audiences


School of Health Professions Audiences

  • Addiction Counseling, MS
  • Athletic Training, MAT
  • Audiology, AuD
  • Medical Laboratory Science (Certificate)
  • Medical Laboratory Science (Second Degree), BS
  • Medical Laboratory Science, BS
  • Clinical Mental Health Counseling, MS
  • Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling, MS
  • Rehabilitation Science, PhD
  • Healthcare Administration, MS
  • Healthcare Management, BS
  • Molecular Pathology, MS
  • Physical Therapy, DPT
  • Rehabilitation Science, ScD
  • Physician Assistant Studies, MPAS
  • Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences (Second Degree), BS
  • Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, BS
  • Speech-Language Pathology, MS
  • Occupational Therapy, OTD
  • Occupational Therapy (Post-Professional), OTD-P

School of Medicine Audiences


School of Nursing Audiences


School of Pharmacy Audiences


School of Population and Public Health Audiences


Other

IPE Learning Objectives for the Experience

Values and Ethics

  • VE07. Practice trust, empathy, respect, and compassion with persons, caregivers, health professionals, and populations.
  • VE01. Promote the values and interests of persons and populations in health care delivery, One Health, and population health initiatives.

Roles and Responsibilities

  • RR01. Include the full scope of knowledge, skills, and attitudes of team members to provide care that is person-centered, safe, cost-effective, timely, efficient, effective, and equitable.
  • RR03. Incorporate complementary expertise to meet health needs including the determinants of health.
  • RR04. Differentiate each team member’s role, scope of practice, and responsibility in promoting health outcomes.

Communication

  • C02. Use communication tools, techniques, and technologies to enhance team function, well-being, and health outcomes.
  • C04. Promote common understanding of shared goals.
  • C06. Use constructive feedback to connect, align, and accomplish team goals.
  • C05. Practice active listening that encourages ideas and opinions of other team members.
  • C07. Examine one’s position, power, role, unique experience, expertise, and culture towards improving communication and managing conflicts.

Teams and Teamwork

  • TT05. Apply interprofessional conflict management methods, including identifying conflict cause and addressing divergent perspectives.
  • TT03. Practice team reasoning, problem-solving, and decision-making.
  • TT07. Share team accountability for outcomes.
  • TT01. Describe evidence-informed processes of team development and team practices.

Type of Learner Assessment Administered

  • Attitudinal and/or perceptions survey

Formal Assessment Protocol used, if Applicable

Type of Program Evaluation Administered

  • Activity feedback/evaluation – from faculty, facilitators, and/or preceptors
  • Activity feedback/evaluation – from learners

Provide Details on the Potential Sustainability of the IPE Experience

  • Dedicated personnel
  • Dedicated resources
  • Met an identified need or gap
  • The Office of Admissions and Student Affairs is committed to making this an annual event.

Provide Dedicated Funding Sources:

  • Decentralized school or program funding

Roles of Faculty/Staff in the IPE Experience:

  • Facilitators
  • Leadership team members
  • Volunteers
  • Faculty/ Alumni will serve as mentors and small group facilitators for each table to provide feedback after activities, and throughout dinner, alongside the TTU Career Center.

Additional Information About the IPE Experience, if Necessary


IPE Experience Organizer

  • School of Health Professions
  • TTU Career Center

Contact Person(s) and Contact Information for the IPE Experience

Rylee Ramirez
Assistant Director of Student Engagement
TTUHSC School of Health Professions
Rylee.Ramirez@ttuhsc.edu