Implementing IPE with Limited Resources

Developing and implementing robust interprofessional education (IPE) activities is a challenge under the best of circumstances. When a college or university is affiliated with an academic medical center and has extensive resources dedicated to educational technology and simulation, developing IPE activities is complex and resource intense. For institutions without these assets and with limited physical and financial resources the obstacles can appear insurmountable. The use of many unrelated clinical sites and the lack of a formal affiliation with a specific academic medical center complicate the situation.

In response to accreditation requirements and the publication of the Core Competencies for Interprofessional Collaborative Practice by the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) a 10-member task force was appointed by the Academic Vice President and charged with developing a plan for implementing IPE on the one campus. The task force recognized that there were both formal and informal IPE activities taking place. However there was no easily accessible data about what was being done and which faculty and students were involved. The immediate activities of the task force were to: 1. develop a mission statement and objectives. 2. collect data on IPE activities currently available to students. 3. build the foundation for scholarly assessments of IPE activities and student learning. 4. introduce the nursing, health professions and pharmacy faculties to the IPEC competencies. 5. develop buy-in for a coordinated approach to IPE.

The task force quickly realized that given the current economic climate, the short-term focus was on developing cost and resource efficient plans and strategies building upon the strengths of the Campus. An interprofessional education and collaboration center with staff to develop programs and support high tech simulation labs, large high tech auditorium style classrooms and many small breakout rooms might be a long-term goal but reality must rule for the present. The processes used and the lessons learned in addressing the objectives of the task force and on its data collection is reviewed and strategies/activities that are both cost and resource efficient highlighted. Emphasis is placed on the implications for nurse practitioner programs.