Readiness to Collaborate Scale: How ready are obstetrical practitioners to participate in an interprofessional healthcare team?

A gap has been identified in the literature regarding available approaches, and instruments, to measure and/or assess the readiness of post-licensure healthcare providers to participate effectively in an interprofessional collaborative healthcare team (ICHT). Globally, major changes are taking place in provision of maternal health care (WHO, 2015). Stillbirths account for over half of all perinatal deaths; and (1/3) of stillbirths take place during delivery, (i.e. are largely avoidable). Intrapartum deaths (i.e. those occurring during delivery) are closely linked to place of, and care at, delivery. In developing countries, just over 40% all deliveries occur in health facilities and little more than half take place with assistance from a doctor, midwife, or qualified nurse. Studies have shown that poor perinatal outcomes can be linked to poor interprofessional collaboration and that when effective interprofessional collaboration is in place, better health outcomes are realized (Freeth, Ayida, Berridge, Mackintosh, Norris, Sadler, & Strachan 2009; Watkins, Nagle, Kent, & Hutchinson 2017). Therefore, a Readiness to Collaborate Scale (RCS) has been developed and validated with a group of low-risk obstetrical providers to test their readiness to collaborate together in an interprofessional team. In Phase I, content validation was performed with a group of low-risk obstetrical providers (n = 9). In Phase II, construct validation included a larger group of low-risk obstetrical providers (n = 140). Using a Principal Component Analysis, four factors were identified: Readiness for Interprofessional Collaboration, Communication, Trust and, Reluctance to Collaborate. Finally, the five questions posed by Borrill et al. (2001), to determine high and low functioning teams, were used for criterion validation. A t-Test to determine significant difference was completed and p values indicated there was a difference between scores of those who were high functioning versus those who were low functioning, demonstrating that the Readiness to Collaborate Scale (RCS) can identify those who are ready to participate in an ICHT, and those who are not.