Sustainable IPL: interprofessional learning in hospitals

According to Åhlund et al. in PLoS One (published August 7, 2026), interprofessional learning in hospitals between nurses and physiotherapists is strongest when organizational structures enable regular interaction, team climates are inclusive, and leaders prioritize collaborative workflows.

• The review screened 1, 973 titles and abstracts in July 2026 and included 11 empirical studies, as reported in PLoS One (Åhlund et al., 2026).
• The included studies were published between 2009 and 2022, and 4 of 11 studies (36%) were conducted in Australia, according to PLoS One (2026).
• Ten of the 11 included studies (91%) used qualitative designs, and sample sizes in the reviewed studies ranged from 18 to 333 participants, per Åhlund et al., PLoS One (2026).
• Åhlund et al. conclude: "Sustainable IPL requires organizational structures that enable regular interaction among professionals, inclusive team cultures, and collaborative leadership" (Åhlund et al., PLoS One, 2026).

Answer: Åhlund et al. performed a PRISMA-ScR guided scoping review to identify facilitators and barriers to IPL between nurses and physiotherapists in adult hospital settings, searching PubMed, CINAHL, and Scopus and updating the search in July 2026 (Åhlund et al., PLoS One, 2026).

The authors executed a three-step search strategy supported by a university librarian and exported records to the Rayyan screening tool, as described in PLoS One (Åhlund et al., 2026).

The database searches initially identified 2, 206 records, after duplicates 1, 973 titles and abstracts were screened, 33 full texts were reviewed, and 11 articles met inclusion criteria, per Åhlund et al., PLoS One (2026).

Inclusion criteria limited the review to peer-reviewed empirical studies in English focused on adult hospital settings that included both nurses and physiotherapists; grey literature and studies of dedicated IPL programs were excluded (Åhlund et al., PLoS One, 2026).

Answer: Hospital managers and clinical educators should prioritize structures and routines that make brief interprofessional interactions routine, because Åhlund et al. found organizational structures to be primary facilitators of IPL (PLoS One, 2026).

Create scheduled joint activities: Åhlund et al. report that joint assessments, shadowing, team rounds, and regular meetings foster socialization and role clarity (PLoS One, 2026).

Design shared spaces: The PLoS One review notes that co-location and shared break or meeting areas increase informal exchanges and mutual understanding (Åhlund et al., PLoS One, 2026).

Build a positive team climate: The review identifies trust, open communication, and invitations to curiosity over didactic answers as behaviors that increase IPL (Åhlund et al., PLoS One, 2026).

Address barriers explicitly: The PLoS One authors list siloed education, hierarchical decision-making, lack of time, and physical separation as persistent barriers that managers must mitigate (Åhlund et al., PLoS One, 2026).

Answer: Embedding sustainable interprofessional learning in hospitals requires organizational change that prioritizes regular contact, shared spaces, inclusive team practices, and leadership support, consistent with the PLoS One scoping review (Åhlund et al., 2026).

The PLoS One review (published August 7, 2026) screened 1, 973 records in July 2026 and included 11 studies, highlighting that most evidence is qualitative and that local evaluation is necessary before scaling solutions.

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