The development of a questionnaire to assess the readiness of health care students for interprofessional learning (RIPLS)

Objectives Although shared learning activities are gradually being introduced to health care undergraduates, it has not been possible to measure the effects of educational interventions on students' attitudes. The main objective of this study was to develop a rating scale using items based on the desired outcomes of shared learning, to assess the 'readiness' of health care students for shared learning activities. Design and participants A questionnaire study of 120 undergraduate students in 8 health care professions. Results Principal components analysis resulted a 3-factor scale with 19 items and having an internal consistency of 0.9. The factors have been initially named 'team-working and collaboration', 'professional identity' and 'professional roles'. Conclusions The new scale may be used to explore differences in students' perception and attitudes towards multi-professional learning. Further work is necessary to validate the scale amongst a larger population.