Strategies to Sustain Interprofessional Collaboration in Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care in Rwanda: Perspectives of Healthcare Professionals and Hospital Managers.

Introduction: Interprofessional collaboration (IPC) is beneficial in delivering quality healthcare. Lack of IPC increases healthcare errors and work under stress. Despite its importance, achieving a desired IPC continue to be a challenge worldwide. In Rwanda, different maternal death audits identified poor IPC as one of the contributing factors. However, there is no study conducted to identify strategies to improve IPC in obstetric and neonatal care. Accordingly, this study explored the perspectives of healthcare professionals and hospital managers on strategies to sustain inter professional collaboration in EmONC. Methodology: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted to explore suggestions and strategies to improve IPC in five hospitals in the northern province of Rwanda. Thirty interviews were conducted among general nurses, midwives, nurse anesthetists and medical doctors. To delve deeper into this study, additional interviews were conducted among hospital managers. Thematic analysis was used to analyze data. Results: The findings revealed that strategies to improve IPC practice were: Trainings on IPC; availability of resources; interprofessional conflict resolution; recognition and rewarding; open and constant communication and research. Conclusion: Based on perspectives from different healthcare professionals working in obstetrics and neonatal units, and their managers, all staff need IPC training focusing on communication as one of important aspect in IPC practice. Regular audits should be conducted to ensure protocols are followed and IPC challenges are constantly identified and addressed.