title: Respiratory Therapy Faculty Knowledge of and Attitudes Toward Interprofessional Education.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Interprofessional education (IPE) improves collaboration and patient care through joint education between health professions. Respiratory therapy (RT) faculty were surveyed to evaluate their knowledge and attitudes toward IPE. We report current opportunities for IPE from faculty and compare responses from associate's, bachelor's, and master's degree programs and profit versus nonprofit institutions.
  
  
  METHODS
  We developed an online survey based on IPE literature and questions modified for the RT discipline. The survey was distributed by email to 874 faculty from the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care accredited programs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The response rate was 33%. Faculty identified IPE as an important component of RT education (n= 207, 80%) but reported challenges in integrating IPE into current curriculum. Overall, communication was ranked as the most important IPE competency (n= 104, 39%) and ethics least important (n= 131, 49%). When asked how many credit hours are required to teach IPE, 48% of respondents reported that they were unsure of an appropriate time requirement. Significant differences between associate's and bachelor's/master's degree program faculty were found on the following topics: institutional resources needed for IPE (P< .001), faculty availability (P< .001), curriculum availability for IPE (P= .02), and importance of including IPE at academic health center campuses (P< .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IPE is recognized as an important component of RT education by all faculty respondents. However, significant differences in knowledge and attitudes toward IPE exist between faculty in associate's versus bachelor's/master's degree programs. Revisiting the current accreditation standards program may allow IPE to take a more prominent role in RT curricula.
authors.affiliation: College of Allied Health Sciences mvernon@augusta.edu.
authors.forename: Marlo M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Vernon
authors.affiliation: College of Allied Health Sciences.
authors.forename: Nicole M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.affiliation: College of Allied Health Sciences.
authors.forename: Lisa-Anne
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Cummins
authors.affiliation: College of Allied Health Sciences.
authors.forename: Stephanie E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Reyes
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Digital Health Sciences, College of Allied Health Sciences, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Mazzoli
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Digital Health Sciences, College of Allied Health Sciences, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Vahe
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Heboyan
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Digital Health Sciences, College of Allied Health Sciences, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Leo
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003479:Curriculum; D005178:Faculty / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D012138:Respiratory Therapy / Q000193:education*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: accreditation; competency-based education; curriculum; interprofessional education; teaching