Continuing Education and Professional Development Interprofessional Education (IPE/IPCE) Planning Guide

Purpose

Interprofessional education (IPE) occurs when members of two or more professions learn with, from, and about one another to improve collaboration and the quality of care.

Interprofessional continuing education (IPCE) is continuing education designed by the healthcare team for the healthcare team to improve collaborative practice and patient, family, community, and population health outcomes.

This guide helps planners determine when an activity should be developed using interprofessional education principles and how to complete the IPE/IPCE sections of the activity application.

IPE and IPCE

Activities may be planned to use interprofessional education (IPE) principles regardless of accreditation status.

Interprofessional continuing education (IPCE) is a specific model of continuing education designed by and for the healthcare team to improve collaborative practice and patient outcomes.

What Makes an Activity Interprofessional?

An activity is interprofessional when:

✅ The planning process includes multiple professions.

✅ The activity is designed for multiple professions.

✅ The professional practice gap affects collaborative practice or team-based care.

✅ Learners engage with content that helps them better understand, communicate with, and work alongside other professions.

✅ The activity is intended to improve team performance, care coordination, patient care, safety, quality, or patient outcomes.

Interprofessional Planning

Whenever possible, the planning team should include representatives from the professions affected by the identified professional practice gap.

Example

• For an activity focused on pediatric sepsis, the planning team may include physicians, nurses, pharmacists, respiratory therapists, and other professionals involved in sepsis recognition and management.

Tip: Including multiple professions in planning helps ensure the activity reflects diverse perspectives, collaborative practice needs, and opportunities for team-based improvement.

Interprofessional Activity vs. Multidisciplinary Activity

Multidisciplinary Activity

Multiple professions attend the same activity, but there is little opportunity to learn about one another's roles or improve collaboration.

• Example
  • Physicians, nurses, and pharmacists attend a lecture on pediatric sepsis.

Interprofessional Activity

Multiple professions learn with, from, and about one another to improve collaborative practice and patient outcomes.

• Example
  • Physicians, nurses, pharmacists, respiratory therapists, and advanced practice providers participate in team-based case discussions focused on sepsis recognition, escalation, communication, and coordinated management.

Key Difference: Attendance by multiple professions alone does not make an activity interprofessional. Interprofessional activities are intentionally designed to improve collaboration, communication, team performance, and patient outcomes.

When Should I Consider an Interprofessional Activity?

Interprofessional activities are often appropriate when the gap involves:

• Care coordination
• Communication failures
• Patient safety
• Quality improvement
• Care transitions
• Complex chronic disease management
• Health equity
• Behavioral health integration
• Emergency response
• Pediatric deterioration
• Discharge planning
• Family-centered care

Patient, Family, Caregiver, and Community Perspectives

When appropriate, planners should consider involving patients, families, caregivers, or community representatives in activity planning to provide valuable insights into care experiences, barriers, and opportunities for improvement.

Examples

• Patient advisor participation on the planning team
• Family caregiver perspectives incorporated into content development
• Community partner involvement in identifying educational needs
• Patient experience data used to inform planning decisions

When Is an Activity NOT Interprofessional?

Examples that may not meet interprofessional principles:

❌ Nursing education designed only for nurses

❌ Physician education designed only for physicians

❌ A lecture attended by multiple professions but designed for a single profession

❌ Content focused solely on profession-specific technical skills

Understanding "Learn With, From, and About"

Interprofessional learning should help participants:

Learn With

Professions participate together in educational activities.

• Example
  • Nurses, pharmacists, physicians, and respiratory therapists participate in a pediatric sepsis simulation.

Learn From

Participants gain insights from the expertise and perspectives of other professions.

• Example
  • Pharmacists explain antimicrobial stewardship considerations while nurses and physicians discuss implementation challenges.

Learn About

Participants develop a better understanding of the roles and responsibilities of other professions.

• Example
  •  
  • Learners examine how social workers, physicians, nurses, and case managers contribute to discharge planning.

Interprofessional Competency Domains

Interprofessional activities may address one or more competency domains that support collaborative practice and improved patient outcomes.

Values and Ethics

• Working together with mutual respect, shared values, and patient- and family-centered care.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Understanding and effectively utilizing the knowledge, skills, and expertise of different professions.

Interprofessional Communication

• Communicating effectively with healthcare professionals, patients, families, and caregivers.

Teams and Teamwork

• Applying principles of team dynamics, collaboration, and shared decision-making to improve care delivery and outcomes.

Identifying an Interprofessional Practice Gap

Ask:

• Does this problem affect multiple professions?
• Does resolving the problem require collaboration among professions?
• Would improving communication, coordination, or teamwork help address the gap?

Example

Current Practice

Communication during care transitions varies across teams.

Desired Practice

Team members consistently utilize standardized handoff and communication processes.

Professional Practice Gap

Interprofessional communication during patient care transitions is inconsistent.

Writing the Application Response

Weak Response

Physicians and nurses will attend this educational activity.

Why it is weak:

• Describes attendance only.
• Does not explain interprofessional learning.
• Does not describe collaborative practice improvement.

Strong Response

Physicians, nurses, pharmacists, respiratory therapists, and advanced practice providers will participate in case-based discussions and simulation exercises that promote collaborative decision-making, communication, and coordinated management of pediatric sepsis.

Sample Responses for "How Will Learners Learn With, From, and About One Another?"

Example 1: Sepsis

• Learners from medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and respiratory therapy will participate in case-based discussions and simulation activities that promote collaborative recognition, escalation, and management of pediatric sepsis. Participants will learn about each profession's role, learn from the expertise of other team members, and practice team communication strategies.

Example 2: Care Transitions

• Physicians, nurses, social workers, case managers, and pharmacists will participate in team-based discussions addressing discharge planning and care transitions. Learners will explore profession-specific responsibilities and strategies for improving communication across settings of care.

Example 3: Behavioral Health

• Primary care providers, psychologists, social workers, nurses, and behavioral health specialists will engage in case discussions that explore collaborative approaches to identifying and managing pediatric behavioral health concerns.

Completing the IPE/IPCE Section of the Activity Application

Quick Planning Checklist

Before requesting an interprofessional activity designation, confirm:

☐ Two or more professions are represented on the planning team.

☐ Two or more professions are included in the target audience.

☐ The identified professional practice gap affects collaborative practice or team-based care.

☐ Learners will learn with, from, and about one another.

☐ At least one interprofessional competency domain is addressed.

☐ The activity is intended to improve team performance, patient care, patient outcomes, safety, quality, or healthcare delivery.

☐ Educational strategies support interaction among professions.