Dutch translation and validation of the readiness for interprofessional learning scale (RIPLS) in a primary healthcare context.
BACKGROUND
Interprofessional education and collaborative practice are gradually gaining importance in the context of growing healthcare complexity. The readiness for interprofessional learning scale (RIPLS) is a well-known scale that can identify attitudinal barriers and variance across professions, which may affect educational interventions.


OBJECTIVE
This study aims to translate the English RIPLS into Dutch and to test its reliability and validity.


METHODS
The scale was translated and back-translated by two pairs of people independently and tested for feasibility and comprehensibility. The translated scale was used with 219 general practitioners, 238 community nurses, and 53 palliative home-care nurses. Exploratory factor analysis was used to assess construct validity. Confirmatory factor analysis was done to generate a fit model. Cronbach's alpha was computed to evaluate internal consistency. Regression analysis was used to evaluate the effect of the RIPLS score on the level of learning through collaboration and to gauge the influence of the participants' gender, age, previous palliative care education, type of practice and years in practice.


RESULTS
Confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis confirms the factor structure of the original version. The Dutch version shows good reliability (overall Cronbach's alpha: 0.88; intraclass correlation coefficient after test-retest: 0.718 (95%CI: 0.499-0.852). The RIPLS score correlates with the amount of workplace learning during collaboration (discriminant validity: P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The Dutch translation of the RIPLS is now ready for comparative studies.
a Department of Family Medicine and Primary Health Care , Ghent University , Gent , Belgium.
Peter
P
Pype
a Department of Family Medicine and Primary Health Care , Ghent University , Gent , Belgium.
Myriam
M
Deveugele
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D058005:General Practitioners / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D009726:Nurses / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011594:Psychometrics; D012044:Regression Analysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
Palliative and terminal care; development of measurement instruments; medical education