Fostering the Facilitator: Promoting Clinical Educators' Interprofessional Education Facilitation Skills and Socialization Using Exclusively Online Learning.

Abstract

Health professions educators can benefit from continuing education to more effectively facilitate interprofessional education (IPE) in clinical settings. Online learning formats enable broader participation and overcome barriers to in-person events, though few studies describe the most effective platforms and methods of online continuing education for this purpose. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, we developed a 6-week interactive online program implemented via an integrated online educational platform (OEP) to equip participants with knowledge and skills to better facilitate IPE in clinical settings. Program outcomes evaluation involved mixed-methods data analysis from OEP site usage statistics, pre/post-program surveys, pre/post program validated self-assessment surveys, and post-pro¬gram focus group. Twenty-four participants representing 5 professions from inpatient and outpatient clinical settings completed the program. Quantitative findings include statistically significant improvement in all of 11 measures of IPE knowledge and skills developed for this study, 4 of 9 socialization measures, and 7 of 18 facilitation measures. Qualitative findings include participants placing value on multiple modes of instruction, facilitated small group engagement, brief condensed asynchronous content, clear expectations of program time commitment, and detailed understanding of the OEP.