The Westerveld framework for interprofessional feedback dialogues in health professions education

Abstract

Interprofessional feedback dialogues play a crucial role in educating the adaptive team members that health care practice requires. The aim of this study is to develop principles for interprofessional feedback dialogues, to support healthcare education on feedback processes in an interprofessional context. A critical review of the literature on (interprofessional) feedback, and discussions with local experts resulted in an initial framework. This was input for a two-round expert panel with international, leading scholars in the fields of feedback (n = 5) and interprofessional education (n = 5). Experts showed increased agreement and consensus over the rounds resulting in a framework, called the Westerveld framework, structured around seven criteria: Open and respectful; Relevant; Timely; Dialogical; Responsive; Sense making; and Actionable. The framework contains columns with feedback dialogue principles for information givers and users, and columns with additions to be taken into account in an interprofessional healthcare context. Structuring the information giver and user columns around the same criteria, emphasises shared responsibility of participants in a feedback dialogue. The integration of interprofessional additions facilitates transfer to the healthcare context. The Westerveld framework can provide guidance to teachers and students in interprofessional education, contributing to both student and teacher feedback literacy.