Interprofessional Practice in Palliative Care

Interprofessional practice informed by and developed through interprofessional education is critical for working within modern healthcare contexts and particularly within healthcare teams. Palliative care is a complex area of healthcare delivery, and interprofessional practice is a way of working together learning from, with, and about other health professionals. This chapter explores the terminology used within the interprofessional working and learning contexts. The challenges, opportunities, and barriers to interprofessional practice are explored in relation to what they are and how they can be constructive instead of creating conflict. One model of interprofessional practice is discussed, and the stages health professionals need to work through are outlined. The importance of interprofessional teamwork and collaborative practice is recognized as being critical to develop in settings such as palliative care where the focus is on the patient and their family.