The Effect of Interprofessional Education on Student Readiness for Collaborative Practice

Background: Health care reform promotes interprofessional patient-centric health care models associated with improved population health outcomes. Interprofessional education (IPE) programs are necessary to cultivate collaborative care, yet little evidence exists to support IPE pedagogy within nursing and other health science academia. Method: This quasiexperimental study examined differences in pre- and posttest Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) scores following an IPE intervention. The IPE intervention consisted of a video presentation and a debriefing session after a simulated interprofessional collaborative patient care conference that introduced baccalaureate nursing and health science students to the roles and responsibilities of clinicians in team-based primary care. Pre- and postintervention RIPLS scores were analyzed. Results: Pre- and postintervention RIPLS scores increased across all subscales, with distinct variation between nursing and health science student subscales. Conclusion: This IPE intervention had positive effects on students' readiness for interprofessional learning. Additional research is warranted to support health science pedagogy. [ J Nurs Educ . 2024;63(5):304–311.]