Effect of interprofessional education on interprofessional professionalism behavior and Self-efficacy in communication among the infertility and reproductive medicine team.

OBJECTIVE: Infertility and reproductive medicine are complex fields that rely on the collaboration of diverse healthcare professionals. The study aimed to assess the effect of interprofessional education in the infertility and reproductive field on interprofessional professionalism (IPP) behavior and self-efficacy regarding interprofessional communication and collaboration of team members.

METHOD: The quasi-experimental study was conducted at the Yazd Reproductive Sciences Institute, affiliated with Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Iran, from 2023 to 2024. Participants included a diverse group of healthcare professionals such as nurses, surgical nurses, midwives, fellows (gynecologists who participated in a reproductive endocrinology and infertility fellowship program), and senior Ph.D. candidates in reproductive biology. They were divided into an intervention group (n = 22) and a control group (n = 20). The intervention group utilized a case-based learning approach within small interprofessional groups, fostering collaborative learning. The control group followed a traditional education program, including lectures and uni-professional group discussions. Interprofessional Professionalism Assessment (IPA), conducted by two independent evaluators, assessed participants' interprofessional professionalism behaviors in real-world situations. Attitudes towards self-efficacy in interprofessional communication were evaluated through self-report questionnaires. Data analysis employed descriptive statistics (mean, SD, percentage, frequency), ANCOVA, and Partial Eta Squared to determine the effect size.

RESULTS: The comparison of Interprofessional Professionalism behavior scores between the intervention and control groups revealed a significant educational effect, with a Partial Eta Squared value of 0.283. The IPP behavior scores for the intervention group were 79.04 ± 5.65, indicating a higher score of IPP compared to the control group's score of 70.40 ± 8.31. (P < 0.05). The scores for attitudes toward self-efficacy in the intervention group were 100.18 ± 14.08, reflecting a slightly higher level of self-efficacy compared with the control group's score of 97.55 ± 4.38. (P > 0.05) CONCLUSION: Infertility services require collaboration among various healthcare professionals throughout different stages of the treatment process. The present study revealed a significant educational effect of interprofessional education. The intervention group showed marked improvements in behavior across three key areas: communication, excellence, and respect. These findings underscore the importance of integrating interprofessional education into both continuing education and formal educational programs within reproductive and infertility courses. This approach fosters a culture of cooperation and enhances interprofessional professionalism capabilities in infertility services.