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