Interprofessional education. Interprofessional Education (IPE) includes and is inseparable from collaborative practice. When the term “IPE” is used by AfrIPEN, it thus includes the concept of collaborative practice.

For a description of the following and other related terms, visit the Journal of Interprofessional Care.

Interprofessional education occurs when members (or students) of two or more health and/or social care professions engage in learning with, from and about each other to improve collaboration and the delivery of care.

Interprofessional collaboration involves different health and social care professions who regularly come together to negotiate and agree how to solve complex care problems or provide services. It differs from interprofessional teamwork as colleagues do not share a team identity and work together in a less integrated and interdependent manner.