Interprofessional collaboration competency development in healthcare students during clinical placements in the time of COVID-19: a mixed methods systematic review

Authors

Roi Charles Pineda, Departement Revalidatiewetenschappen
Priya Martin, University of Southern Queensland
Kimberly Khor, The University of Queensland
Jocel M. Regino, University of Santo Tomas, Manila
Lauren Smith, University of Southern Queensland
Romeo Luis F. Ramirez, De La Salle Medical and Health Sciences Institute
Michael Palapal Sy, ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences

Publication Date

1-1-2025

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Journal of Interprofessional Care

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered unprecedented challenges to the clinical education of healthcare students. Although alternative clinical placements were developed and introduced, it is unclear whether students successfully acquired interprofessional competencies required to be collaborative practice-ready healthcare workers. We examined interprofessional collaboration competency acquisition from adapted and alternative clinical placements that were made available to pre-qualification healthcare students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Information searches from online databases and supplementary sources identified 20 articles that met criteria. Student perceptions indicate that these alternative placements supported the learning of interprofessional collaboration competencies. Outcomes mapped against the updated Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative Competency Framework indicate that the most frequently reported interprofessional collaboration competency was team communication and the least reported were collaborative leadership and team differences/disagreements processing. Although gains in interprofessional collaboration competencies were reported across the studies, their methodological shortcomings make it difficult to determine whether alternative placements (e.g. online and telephone-based) were better or comparable to traditional placements (i.e. with face-to-face interactions), for interprofessional collaboration competency development. These findings suggest the need for further research assessing the effectiveness and sustainability of alternative placement models. A greater understanding of clinical placement alternatives could inform educational practices in future pandemics or other unprecedented events.

APA Citation

Pineda, R. C., Martin, P., Khor, K., Regino, J. M., Smith, L., Ramirez, R. F., & Sy, M. P. (2025). Interprofessional collaboration competency development in healthcare students during clinical placements in the time of COVID-19: a mixed methods systematic review. Journal of interprofessional care, 1–12. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/13561820.2025.2576239