Assessment of professors’ perception about the interprofessional education in health using focus groups

This study evaluates the perception of professors on interprofessional education (IPE) from a public university in Brazil. Professors of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing participated in synchronous online focus groups reflecting on topics: (1) common disciplines, (2) interprofessional research and extension projects, (3) attention to social determinants in user treatment plans, and (4) collaborative practices during the Covid-19 pandemic. An accurate focus group transcription and interpretative descriptive analysis were used to assess four focus groups (n=10) using a structured instrument with 17 items about the 4 topics mentioned. According to professors, there are no common disciplines among health courses. Extension and research projects with an interprofessional approach are only individual initiatives by professors. According to participants, students consider social determinants in treatment plans. There were few collaborative practices during the pandemic. There was a need for IPE guidelines for graduation.

Keywords
Interprofessional education; Focus group; Dentistry; Nursing; Medicine