In a matter of a few weeks to months, healthcare individuals, teams, and organizations/institutions were forced to adopt, adapt, or expand telehealth and virtual teaching, often without adequate tr...

The Interprofessional Attitude Scale (IPAS) was developed to measure the core competencies for interprofessional education and collaborative practice, which thepresent study aims to evaluate for adaptation into Turkish. The study was conducted with 254 students from four different faculties related to health sciences. The guideline by Sosua and Rojannasrirat (2011) was followed. Content validity analysis, descriptive analysis, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and correlation analysis were performed. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha. Descriptive analysis revealed that the majority of the participants agreed with the items (mean scale score was 160.99 ± 15.99). The Item and Scales content validity indices were 0.85–1.00 and 0.93 respectively. In the construct validity analysis, the scale was divided into five sub-dimensions at an acceptable level. The reliability coefficient was calculated as 0.87. In the analysis of scale items variance component percentages estimated for person, for items, and for person × item were 14.1%, 29%, and 56.9%, respectively. In conclusion, IPAS-TR is a valid and reliable tool that can be used to measure interprofessional attitudes.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a sizable effect on interprofessional education and collaborative practice (IPECP) globally, yet much of the available literature on the topic remains anecdotal and locally bounded. This body of literature reflects celebratory and aspirational reports, with many case studies of successful response and perseverance under conditions of extreme pressure. There is, however, a more worrisome narrative emerging that pointed to differences in pandemic response with concerns raised about the sustainability of IPECP during and after the pandemic. The COVID-19 task force of InterprofessionalResearch.Global (IPRGlobal) set out to capture the successes and challenges of the interprofessional community over the pandemic through a longitudinal survey, with a view to inform global attempts at recovery and resilience. In this article, we report preliminary findings from Phase 1 of the survey. Phase 1 of the survey was sent to institutions/organizations in IPRGlobal (representing over 50 countries from Europe, North and South America, Australia, and Africa). The country-level response rate was over 50%. Key opportunities and challenges include the abrupt digitalization of collaborative learning and practice; de-prioritization of interprofessional education (IPE); and rise in interprofessional collaborative spirit. Implications for IPECP pedagogy, research, and policy post-pandemic are considered.

Research on interprofessional identity using the Extended Professional Identity Theory (EPIT) has shown promising results in measuring this identity, predicting interprofessional collaboration, and improving team outcomes. However, EPIT-based interprofessional identity has not been studied in Türkiye due to the absence of a Turkish version of the Extended Professional Identity Scale (EPIS). We aimed to develop and validate a Turkish EPIS, the EPIS-TR, and explore interprofessional identities across eight different professions. A cross-cultural adaptation of EPIS was made by linguistic validation, followed by analysis of psychometric properties using a sample of students from four Turkish universities and eight professions/programs (n = 405). Confirmatory factor analysis and reliability analyses were performed. Differences between professions were explored with ANOVA and a post hoc test. Three out of seven goodness-of-fit indices showed acceptable fit (x²/df = .004; RMSEA = .07; GFI = .94), and others showed excellent fit (SRMR = .04; AGFI = .91; CFI = .97; NNFI = .96). The internal consistency of the EPIS-TR is .93. The EPIS-TR scale has strong psychometric properties. The construct validity of the EPIS-TR was similar to that of the original version. The interprofessional identity scores of the different professions were mostly similar. Based on these findings, the EPIS-TR is well suited for measuring interprofessional identity.

The COVID-19 pandemic created global disruption in health professions education and healthcare practice, necessitating an abrupt move to digital delivery. A longitudinal survey was conducted to track the evolution of global responses to the pandemic. During the initial stages, educational and health institutions were forced to adapt quickly without careful consideration of optimal pedagogy, practices, and effectiveness of implemented approaches. In this paper, we report the results of Phase 3 of the global survey that was distributed between November 2021 and February 2022 through InterprofessionalResearch.Global (IPR.Global). The Phase 3 qualitative survey received 27 responses, representing 25 institutions from 27 countries in 6 regions. Using inductive thematic analysis, the data analysis resulted in three emerging themes: Impact of the pandemic on the delivery of interprofessional education and collaborative practice (IPECP); Impact of the pandemic on the healthcare system (team, population/client health, clients); and Sustainability and innovation. This study highlights the evolving nature of health education and collaborative practices in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. IPECP educators need to be resilient and deal with the complexities of face-to-face and digital learning delivery. Preparing for emerging forms of teamwork is essential for new work contexts and optimal health services.