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Interprofessional Education: Discover IPE Evidence

This guide is intended to help clinicians, students, instructors, and any individuals interested in Interprofessional Education (IPE) to find the content and resources you require.

How to Search for IPE Evidence

On this page, you will find tips and key terms to help you search for IPE academic literature, as well as links to common IPE-related journals, databases, articles, and Grey literature. If you are looking for IPE-related tools, resources, and videos, go to Discover IPE Resources instead.

Tips to Search for IPE Evidence

1. Consider synonyms

IPE research can appear under different subjects/terms. To obtain more search results, adding synonyms to your search via OR may be beneficial. Some databases, articles, and even disciplines outside of healthcare may also refer to IPE under another subject heading. Ensure your search is still specific enough and focused on IPE (e.g. "professional education" is too broad).

2. Specify the environment

IPE evidence can be investigated in numerous environments, which you can narrow down. Note that certain words may have alternative connotations that may dilute your search (e.g. "practice" can refer to "practice environment" or "practicing something" — noun vs. verb).

3. Consider domains of IPE research

IPE research may investigate and assess varying domains that you can specify in your search (communication, conflict resolution etc.).

4. Consider specific areas of care

If you're looking into research within a specific discipline, program, or area of care, you can also specify this in your search string (acute care, emergency care, etc.).

5. Use related terms

Below is a table that provides a list of concepts and synonyms that can be searched as a bounded phrase.

  • Interprofession*
  • Inter-professional
  • Interdisciplin*
  • Inter-disciplinary
  • Multidisciplin*
  • Multi-disciplinary
  • Learn*
  • Learning
  • Learning experience
  • Pedagogy
  • Training
  • Clinical practice
  • Applied learning
  • Simulation
  • Clinical experience
  • Clinical application

6. Construct using search string examples

Applying some of the tips together, here are examples of constructed search strings (Mac ID is required):

OVID:
((interdisciplinary or inter-disciplinary or interprofessional or inter-professional or multidisciplinary or multi-disciplinary) adj2 (educat* or learn*)).ti,ab.
Interprofessional Education/
Run search in OVID Medline.

Web of Science (advanced search):
((interdisciplinary or inter-disciplinary or interprofessional or inter-professional) NEAR/2 learn* and (simulation))
Run search by copying and pasting into the Topic field in Web of Science.

CINAHL:
((interdisciplinary OR inter-disciplinary OR interprofessional OR inter-professional OR multidisciplinary OR multi-disciplinary) N2 (educat* OR learn*)) OR ((MH "Education, Interdisciplinary"))
Run search in CINAHL.

Note: all search strings use proximity operators, where "learn*" has to be within 2 words of the term in the bracket

7. Remember to critically appraise your sources

  • Evidence should always be from a reputable source or a leading authority in the field.
  • Helpful tools to assess a source's credibility may include:
    • CRAAP Test - CRAAP Test helps determine whether an academic source is trustworthy, evaluating Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose
    • How to Spot Fake News - Simple eight-step infographic by the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) to  determine the verifiability of a source

HSL LibGuides

Still confused about searching?

Here's some more resources you can use to decide whether to use or integrate your evidence:

  • How to Search the Literature (Advanced) - LibGuide providing a eight-step framework for searching research literature and tips to consider when searching the literature
  • Searching the Literature (Basics) - LibGuide explaining how to effectively search the literature with tips on asking questions, selecting resources, and developing search terms
  • Finding Grey Literature - LibGuide containing resources and strategies for discovering research produced outside traditional commercial or academic publishing channels

Grey Literature

Grey literature includes conference proceedings, government statements, research policies, and other forms of media that may not be found in databases. They could help with learning and teaching IPE too.

When searching for Grey literature, the key terms applied would be similar to the tips described above, regardless of it being an academic database, an organization's website, or the Internet. For an efficient Grey Literature search, using an advanced Google search may be more helpful, as common resources and documents may appear. You can follow similar tips as the ones stated above.

Sample IPE Articles

IPE Journals

References

1. Thistlethwaite, J. (2011). Interprofessional education: a review of context, learning and the research agenda. Medical Education, 46(1), 58–70. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2923.2011.04143.x

2. Reeves, S., Perrier, L., Goldman, J., Freeth, D., & Zwarenstein, M. (2013). Interprofessional education: effects on professional practice and healthcare outcomes. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.cd002213.pub3

‌3. D'amour, D. & Oandasan, I. Interprofessionality as the field of interprofessional practice and interprofessional education: An emerging concept. (2022). Journal of Interprofessional Care, 19(sup1), 8-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/13561820500081604

4. Baker, L., Egan-Lee, E., Martimianikis M.A., & Reeves, S. Relationships of power: implications for interprofessional education. (2022). Journal of Interprofessional Care, 25(2), 98-104. https://doi.org/10.3109/13561820.2010.505350