Collaborative competence, values, and ethics in interprofessional education and collaborative practice: findings from a scoping review

Despite the abundance of studies on Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice (IPECP) and the integration of competencies into health curricula, there appears to be a lack of understanding of the development of ethical competencies for interprofessional teamwork.The objective of this scoping review was to examine how collaborative competence in values/ethics is characterized and developed within IPECP, along with an understanding of researchers' recommendations. A comprehensive search of nine databases was conducted for the period between 2011 and 2025, encompassing a total of 52 studies. The review identified several key findings, including: focus on IPEC Core Competences; an emphasis on certain values/ethics sub-competencies; the identification of conflicts related to professional hierarchy; and a range of approaches to developing ethical competence through educational strategies. The review highlights challenges in fostering ethical competence in IPECP, noting progress and limitations.