We’ve all heard the adage There Is No “I ” In Team. Not so. The “I ” in Team is Interprofessional. Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice, that is.

Abstract

Interprofessional education (IPE) occurs “when students from two or more professions learn about, from, and with each other to enable effective collaboration and improve health outcomes ” (World Health Organization [WHO], 2010). The aim of IPE is to prepare health professionals for deliberate collaborative practice within a patient-centered, community/population-oriented healthcare system. Trends in health care delivery mandate that health profes-sions education in academic and service settings focus on interprofessional collaboration in education and practice. According to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) (2010), it is no longer enough for health care practitioners to be profes-sional; they must be interprofessional. Thus, a paradigm shift from individual competence to team effectiveness has emerged as the dominant culture of patient care delivery. To support quality health outcomes and team effectiveness, the IOM (2003) identified five core competencies for health care education and practice that align with the evolving health-care system: (1) provide patient-centered care, (2) work within an interdisciplinary team, (3) utilize evidence-based practice, (4) engage in quality improvement, and (5) make use of infor-mation technology. The focus on communication, teamwork, interprofessional education, and collaborative practice are aligned with the TCNS strategic focus that is directed toward promoting interprofessional culturally competent care world-wide. So the time for transcultural nurses to lead the way is NOW! I invite you to join us at the 41st Annual TCNS Conference that will be held from October 28 to 31, 2015, in Portland