University Professors’ Perceptions About Patient Safety Teaching in an Interprofessional Education Experience: A Phenomenological Study

Abstract

Background: Interprofessional education (IPE) and patient safety are recurrent and linked themes within the field of healthcare worldwide. International organizations have repeatedly called for and research has shown the benefits of health and social care professionals learning how to work collaboratively and efficiently to provide safer and better care. This study was undertaken to explore professors’ perceptions and experiences of an IPE curricula project with a view to improving future patient safety teaching in undergraduate health courses. Methods: This qualitative study utilized phenomenology as a theoretical framework. The participants were 11 professors from a public university in south-eastern Brazil, recruited through purposeful sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, which were transcribed and thematically analyzed. Findings: Four themes were identified: (a) sustaining IPE; (b) stakeholder involvement; (c) pedagogy; and (d) team learning. Enablers to patient safety teaching included the co-location of professors and sharing projects and lectures between them in consonance with the IPE project. Barriers included lack of knowledge of the patient safety national program, inadequate staffing, and significant academic workload. Conclusion: Professors revealed critical challenges to patient safety teaching within an IPE curriculum. They perceived patient safety to be an important topic for students but needed more support to integrate the topic into their routine as a formal activity. We call for patient safety policy to be more integrated within the educational system, with the active involvement of professors and other local stakeholders, and for its impact to be evaluated. Methods: This qualitative study utilized phenomenology as a theoretical framework. The participants were 11 professors from a public university in south-eastern Brazil, recruited through purposeful sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, which were transcribed and thematically analyzed. Findings: Four themes were identified: (a) sustaining IPE; (b) stakeholder involvement; (c) pedagogy; and (d) team learning. Enablers to patient safety teaching included the co-location of professors and sharing projects and lectures between them in consonance with the IPE project. Barriers included lack of knowledge of the patient safety national program, inadequate staffing, and significant academic workload. Conclusion: Professors revealed critical challenges to patient safety teaching within an IPE curriculum. They perceived patient safety to be an important topic for students but needed more support to integrate the topic into their routine as a formal activity. We call for patient safety policy to be more integrated within the educational system, with the active involvement of professors and other local stakeholders, and for its impact to be evaluated. Methods: This qualitative study utilized phenomenology as a theoretical framework. The participants were 11 professors from a public university in south-eastern Brazil, recruited through purposeful sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, which were transcribed and thematically analyzed. Findings: Four themes were identified: (a) Sustaining IPE; (b) Stakeholder involvement; (c) Pedagogy; and (d) Team learning. Enablers to patient safety teaching included the co-location of professors and sharing projects and lectures between them in consonance with the IPE project. Barriers included lack of knowledge of the patient safety national program, inadequate staffing, and significant academic workload. Conclusion: Professors revealed critical challenges to patient safety teaching within an IPE curriculum. They perceived patient safety to be an important topic for students but needed more support to integrate the topic into their routine as a formal activity. We call for patient safety policy to be more integrated within the educational system, with the active involvement of professors and other local stakeholders, and for its impact to be evaluated.