title: Interprofessional education in a student-led emergency department: A realist evaluation.
abstract: This article reports a realist evaluation undertaken to identify factors that facilitated or hindered the successful implementation of interprofessional clinical training for undergraduate students in an emergency department. A realist evaluation provides a framework for understanding how the context and underlying mechanisms affect the outcome patterns of an intervention. The researchers gathered both qualitative and quantitative data from internal documents, semi-structured interviews, observations, and questionnaires to study what worked, for whom, and under what circumstances in this specific interprofessional setting. The study participants were medical, nursing, and physiotherapy students, their supervisors, and two members of the emergency department's management staff. The data analysis indicated that the emergency ward provided an excellent environment for interprofessional education (IPE), as attested by the students, supervisors, and the clinical managers. An essential prerequisite is that the students have obtained adequate skills to work independently. Exemplary conditions for IPE to work well in an emergency department demand the continuity of effective and encouraging supervision throughout the training period and supervisors who are knowledgeable about developing a team.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Orthopaedics , Karolinska University Hospital , Stockholm , Sweden.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ericson
authors.affiliation: b Department of Learning, Informatics, Management and Ethics , Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden.
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Löfgren
authors.affiliation: c Clinical Skills and Simulation Center , Karolinska University Hospital , Stockholm , Sweden.
authors.forename: Gunilla
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bolinder
authors.affiliation: d Centre for Research in Health & Social Care , Kingston University & St. George's, University of London , London , UK.
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reeves
authors.affiliation: e Department of Innovation in Medical Education, Office of Continuing Professional Development , University of Ottawa , Ottawa , Ontario , Canada.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kitto
authors.affiliation: f Department of Clinical Science and Education , Karolinska Institutet , Södersjukhuset, Stockholm , Sweden.
authors.forename: Italo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Masiello
mesh_terms: D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013337:Students, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Interprofessional education; realist evaluation; student-led emergency department; teamwork