Although there is an abundance of published literature about interprofessional education (IPE) and research as a way to enhance patient-centered outcomes, there is no published literature that specifically addresses guidelines for conducting interprofessional team research that includes health care students. Guidelines for conducting interprofessional research (IPR), within an interprofessional model, are helpful to provide an infrastructure to guide the research team and form a foundation for future IPR teams. IPR guidelines clarify investigator team member roles and encourage the dissemination of study results (Eccott et al., 2012). The purpose of this article is to describe guidelines that provide a structured approach for interprofessional teams to conduct research.
DEVELOPMENT OF RESEARCH GUIDELINES
Initial interest in developing the guidelines came from a unique community research consortium (CRC) in northeast Indiana. The CRC was initially established by local universities and hospitals as a forum to exchange ideas and discuss and support research being conducted by the founding organizations. The mission of this unique consortium is to foster collaborative research among health care organizations, higher education institutions, and community organizations in the region.
The CRC supports the development of IPR skills while engaging in research projects that address local health care concerns, including care for underserved, vulnerable, marginalized populations and the reduction of health care disparities. There is collaboration across several disciplines (physicians, family medicine residents, medical students, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, occupational and physical therapists, pharmacists, and behavioral scientists) and institutions, including hospitals and other practice settings, to form research teams to carry out projects in the community.
An IPE approach provides the promise of effective, patient-centered care with enhanced outcomes. IPR also values the roles of all investigators while simultaneously learning about their respective roles (Eccott et al., 2012). One of the positive results of the CRC has been the ability for diverse health care professionals to collaborate about strategies to improve health outcomes of underserved populations. The CRC has provided support for several research projects that have led to enhanced patient care outcomes. These successful projects led to the decision to develop guidelines to assist in coordinating research projects utilizing all individuals and their respective skill sets.
INTERPROFESSIONAL RESEARCH GUIDELINES
Adapted from the Core Competencies for Interprofessional Collaborative Practice document (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2011), the IPR guidelines are guiding principles that serve as a foundation to direct research by providing ethical and professional constructs/elements. The purpose is to provide a structured approach for interprofessional teams to conduct research. The guidelines help clarify and coordinate investigator team member roles, as well as provide direction needed to keep projects focused on quality research. During the process, researchers learn to value the unique abilities of each team member. The guidelines also emphasize the importance of disseminating study results to the collective professional community as well as translate research into clinical practice.
The IPR guidelines include the following:
1. Maintain the interests of stakeholders (patients/clients, caregivers, providers, learners, communities, populations) as the center of IPR.
2. Define, establish, and communicate specific roles for all team members.
3. Recognize and respect the roles, responsibilities, and expertise of each member.
4. Use the unique and complementary abilities of every team member to optimize IPR.
5. Establish effective methods of coordination, collaboration, and communication that include all team members.
6. Actively engage all team members in problem solving.
7. Demonstrate high standards of ethical conduct, compliance with federal and institutional regulations, and quality of care in IPR.
8. Use best available evidence to guide effective teamwork and research.
9. Develop consensus on the methodology for each IPR project.
10. Disseminate research results to stakeholders.
11. Translate research results into practice.
Use of guidelines is one strategy and process to increase the likelihood of the desired outcome. IPR guidelines promote a well-coordinated and executed research project valuing the contribution of each profession.
CONCLUSION
Educators, researchers, and clinicians must develop ways to engage students in research as a way of enhancing collaboration and sustainability of the IPE movement (Rosenfield, Oandassan, & Reeves, 2009). The CRC implements the IPR guidelines with each new research project. The goal is to enhance the educational experience of future health care providers through experiences in IPR while improving health outcomes of our community.
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