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Implementing an interprofessional patient safety learning initiative: insights from participants, project leads and steering committee members
  1. Lianne Jeffs1,
  2. Ilona Alex Abramovich2,3,
  3. Chris Hayes1,4,5,
  4. Orla Smith1,5,
  5. Deborah Tregunno6,
  6. Wai-Hin Chan7,
  7. Scott Reeves8,9
  1. 1Keenan Research Centre of the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St Michael's Hospital, Early Nursing Research Career Award, Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  2. 2Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  3. 3Centre for Research on Inner City Health, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  4. 4Quality and Patient Safety, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  5. 5Department of Critical Care, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  6. 6School of Nursing, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  7. 7Department of Knowledge Translation, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  8. 8Center for Innovation in Interprofessional Education, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
  9. 9Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  1. Correspondence to Dr Lianne Jeffs, Keenan Research Centre of the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St Michael's Hospital, Room 720, 30 Bond Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5B 1W8; jeffsl{at}smh.ca

Abstract

Introduction Effective teamwork and interprofessional collaboration are vital for healthcare quality and safety; however, challenges persist in creating interprofessional teamwork and resilient professional teams. A study was undertaken to delineate perceptions of individuals involved with the implementation of an interprofessional patient safety competency-based intervention and intervention participants.

Methods The study employed a qualitative study design that triangulated data from interviews with six steering committee members and five members of the project team who developed and monitored the intervention and six focus groups with clinical team members who participated in the intervention and implemented local patient safety projects within a large teaching hospital in Canada.

Results Our study findings reveal that healthcare professionals and support staff acquired patient safety competencies in an interprofessional context that can result in improved patient and work flow processes. However, key challenges exist including managing projects amidst competing priorities, lacking physician engagement and sustaining projects.

Conclusions Our findings point to leaders to provide opportunities for healthcare teams to engage in interprofessional teamwork and patient safety projects to improve quality of patient care. Further research efforts should examine the sustainability of interprofessional safety projects and how leaders can more fully engage the participation of all professions, specifically physicians.

  • Team training
  • Communication
  • Continuing education, continuing professional development

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