Pilot Qualitative Study of Informal Teachers in Interprofessional Collaboration and Practice

Abstract Context Non-physician members of the interprofessional palliative care team often participate in teaching physicians and others in the context of workplace learning due to the interprofessional collaborative nature of the specialty. Objective This pilot study examines the beliefs of the non-physician members of the interprofessional team about teaching physicians-in-training; the disciplinary training and expertise that informs their teaching; and approaches to teaching in the workplace. Methods Semi‐structured interviews were conducted. All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Initial open coding by two researchers identified the codes and then the constant comparative method was used to find patterns by axial coding, categories and themes within the data. Results Of the ten healthcare professionals involved with palliative medical education at one academic medical center, six enrolled in the pilot. Those who participated included: chaplains, nurses, a social worker, and a physician assistant. Three major themes were identified from the informal teachers: (1) using professional identity as a foundation for teaching, (2) teaching through experiential learning or debriefing, (3) teaching to perceived gaps in physician training. Conclusion Non-physician members of the interprofessional team interacted with physicians-in-training guided by their discipline-based skills and perspectives on patient care. They directed their informal teaching towards perceived educational gaps using reflection and debriefing. Future studies could explore the educational roles of healthcare professionals across diverse institutions and specialties.