Learning to work collaboratively to improve the quality of care for individuals, families and communities: The practice educator’s role

This article explores some of the issues that face the practice educator in providing and facilitating inter professional learning opportunities for their student during a practice placement experience. A brief overview of IPE is provided to show how it provides a platform for learning for effective collaborative practice Issues highlighted and discussed include: the unique factors which have to be taken into account when facilitating learning of mixed professional groups; the enhanced and additional skills needed by teachers and facilitators; the challenges of finding appropriate interprofessional learning opportunities in limited and diverse practice settings; the preparation, strategies and changes which are needed to support practice educators in their interprofessional teaching role. For the purpose of this article the role of the practice educator refers to a formal role in which the qualified health professional has formal responsibilities for facilitating the learning of pre-registration trainees.