A realist synthesis of interprofessional patient safety activities and healthcare student attitudes towards patient safety

Interprofessional education (IPE) has been used for instilling a positive safety culture within healthcare, yet what interventions work to change healthcare student attitudes and how improved patient safety outcomes are best achieved with this intervention, is unclear and challenging to evaluate. A realist synthesis was undertaken to ascertain how, why, and in what circumstances IPE activities result in a positive change to student attitudes to patient safety. Database searches of CINAHL, MEDLINE, Scopus, and Eric were undertaken in April 2022 to identify relevant studies. Synthesis with a realist framework of analysis, coupled with the development of a program theory was conducted to identify interactions among contexts, intervention, mechanisms, and outcomes (CIMO). Twenty-three articles eligible for inclusion articulated environments in which varied contexts, interventions, and mechanisms were activated to influence student attitudes to patient safety. Findings from this realist synthesis informs awareness into the methods of delivering and evaluating IPE activities and offers new perspectives for educators in planning and evaluating future IPE from a collaborative and positive safety culture perspective.

Automated summary

Interprofessional education (IPE) is used to promote a positive safety culture in healthcare, but there is uncertainty regarding the interventions that can change healthcare student attitudes and how to achieve improved patient safety outcomes. A realist synthesis was conducted to understand how and why IPE activities can positively impact student attitudes towards patient safety. The synthesis identified various contexts, interventions, and mechanisms that influence student attitudes to patient safety. The findings inform the delivery and evaluation of future IPE activities, emphasizing collaborative and positive safety culture perspectives for educators.