Experiences of interprofessional learning among students in primary healthcare settings: a scoping review.

Abstract

Previous research on interprofessional learning in primary healthcare has been focused on students' learning in the encounter with the patient. However, the research is limited, and a review of the experiences of patients, students, and supervisors of interprofessional learning in primary healthcare is lacking. The focus of this scoping review is to describe the current knowledge and also to identify knowledge gaps. A scoping review in which blocks of keywords and synonyms were used for achieving a high level of subject precision together with a qualitative thematic analysis for the presentation of the results. Publications from 2012 to 2024 were searched for in the PubMed, CINAHL and ERIC databases. Peer-reviewed studies with a qualitative design describing the experiences of patients, students and supervisors of interprofessional learning in primary healthcare were included. The articles were retrieved, stored and reviewed in a shared online folder. All the authors participated in the scoping review. The decisions on inclusion/exclusion were made after a systematic, multidisciplinary team approach, which involved all the authors in the discussions to reach a consensus. The results showed that interprofessional learning helped the students to focus on the patient and that the students broadened their perspectives when working together. The results showed that supervisors planned for interprofessional learning by setting aside time for the students to get to know each other. The supervisors confirmed that interprofessional learning contributed to the primary healthcare employees remaining abreast with high professional standards, with updated knowledge, more resources and the implementation of several organisational changes. Interprofessional learning contributed to a patient-centred approach that provided new insights and expanded knowledge for students in professional training. More research is needed to understand how interprofessional learning between different professions can be developed.