Interprofessional Education in Nursing: Current Status and Student Readiness

Both acute and community care settings increasingly emphasize addressing complex client needs through interprofessional approaches, highlighting the necessity of preparing nursing graduates with competencies in collaboration, communication, and patient-centered holistic care. This study investigated the current status of interprofessional education (IPE) in nursing schools and assessed nursing students’ needs through a literature review and a descriptive survey of 200 undergraduate nursing students in South Korea. While IPE is actively implemented in North America—where it comprises approximately 84% of programs across disciplines such as nursing, medicine, physical therapy, pharmacy, social work, dentistry, and nutrition—its implementation remains less widespread in South Korea. Nevertheless, evidence from students indicates substantial educational benefits. Among participants, 6.0% had prior IPE experience, whereas 79.0% considered it necessary in the nursing curriculum. The most frequently identified optimal timing for IPE implementation was the third or fourth undergraduate year. Preferred courses for integration included Health Communication, Simulation, and Medical Ethics. Barriers to adoption were primarily educational overload and limited collaborative practice experience. Medicine, pharmacy, paramedicine, and psychology were the disciplines most preferred for joint participation. The mean readiness score for IPE was 75.3, with the highest ratings for teamwork and collaboration, followed by professional identity and roles/responsibilities. Female students demonstrated higher readiness for IPE than male students, and readiness tended to increase with age. Students with prior IPE experience also showed greater awareness of interprofessional education. These findings underscore the urgent need to integrate structured IPE into nursing curricula in South Korea to foster the collaborative competencies essential for high-quality, patient-centered care.