Determination of Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Among Students Enrolled in the Faculty of Health Sciences.

Abstract

Background: Interprofessional learning is increasingly recognised as a critical component in health sciences education, fostering collaboration and improving patient outcomes. Understanding the readiness of health sciences students for interprofessional learning is essential to designing effective educational programmes that enhance teamwork and communication across disciplines. This study aims to evaluate the readiness for interprofessional learning among students in the Faculty of Health Sciences, focusing on their perceptions of cooperation, collaboration, roles and responsibilities.

Material and method: This study is a descriptive study. The population of the study consisted of 1132 students studying in three different departments (Nursing, Midwifery and Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation) in the Faculty of Health Sciences who had taken their first vocational courses. The data obtained by using the Sociodemographic Data Form and Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) created by the researchers were analysed with the IBM SPSS Statistics 22.00 programme.

Results: In the study, the responses of the students in three departments and the scale total mean scores were analysed. The scores of the students who were highly satisfied with their departments were found to be statistically significant in terms of cooperation and collaboration, while the scores of the dissatisfied students were found to be statistically significant in terms of roles and responsibilities.

Conclusion: This study provides important clues for strengthening educational programs for health sciences students regarding interprofessional learning in general. Future research should evaluate the long-term effects of interprofessional learning on health education by including larger groups of students from different health disciplines.