What keeps the flame burning? A qualitative study on tutor motivation to guide students in interprofessional education

Background and purpose: It remains challenging to implement and sustain Interprofessional Training Units (ITUs) for equipping health professional students with competencies that are essential for providing collaborative patient-centered care. In this qualitative study, we aimed to identify types of motivation of IPE tutors, the factors that influence their motivation and how these factors can be used to facilitate implementation and sustenance of ITUs. Methods: We interviewed twelve midwifery and nursing tutors of an ITU on a maternity ward regarding their motivation for their role as tutors. Content analysis was performed on the data. Results: IPE tutors had various types of motivation for guiding interprofessional groups of healthcare students. Key factors influencing their motivation included appreciation for their role, perceived effectiveness of their guidance, learning from others, and a balance between their roles as health care professional (HCP) and tutor. Discussion and conclusion: HCPs serving as IPE tutors can be moved from controlled to autonomous motivation through enhancement of their feelings of autonomy, competence and relatedness, by providing tutors with operational support and professional development opportunities. Being a tutor also seems to foster the HCPs' professional identity. Further research is required to determine how tutors’ professional, interprofessional and tutor identities influence IPE outcomes for all stakeholders.