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BACKGROUND: High-fidelity simulation is becoming increasingly important in the delivery of teaching and learning to health care professionals within a safe environment. Its use in an interprofessional context and at undergraduate level has the potential to facilitate the learning of good communication and teamworking, in addition to clinical knowledge and skills.

PURPOSE OF THE RESEARCH:

This paper reports on the evaluation of the educational benefits to third-year MPharm students attached to four Nottingham inner-city training practices as part of the first cohort of learners to come to a multiprofessional learning organisation (MPLO). The aim was to identify areas of benefit above and beyond those available at their core course in order to identify areas for further study.

METHODOLOGY:

Interprofessional education (IPE) has received little attention in veterinary education even though members of the veterinary and nursing professions work closely together. The present study investigates veterinary and veterinary nursing students' and practitioners' experiences with interprofessional issues and the potential benefits of IPE.

BACKGROUND:

Undergraduate interprofessional education (IPE) is perceived by many in health and social care education to reduce barriers between the professions. In Aberdeen there has been an IPE programme with Robert Gordon University and University of Aberdeen, and 10 health and social care courses since 2003. The steering groups reported to the Scottish Government in 2008. It was recommended that IPE should be extended from classroom-based learning experiences to practice-based learning experiences.

METHODS:

This paper reports on undergraduate students' evaluation of a new hospice-based interprofessional practice placement (IPP) that took place in the voluntary sector from 2008 to 2009. Ward-based interprofessional training has been successfully demonstrated in a range of clinical environments. However, the multidisciplinary setting within a hospice in-patient unit offered a new opportunity for interprofessional learning.

This mixed methods study used questionnaires and focus groups to evaluate a multiprofessional learning environment in which undergraduate pharmacy students were attached to general practices to learn alongside general practice specialist trainees (GPSTRs). All 27 of the first cohort of third-year undergraduate pharmacists elected to take part in the study.

AIM:

To explore the perceptions of staff working in and referring to community-based intermediate care teams in Wales.

BACKGROUND:

Central and devolved governments have high expectations of intermediate care to promote independence and quality of life for older people and to solve the system pressures within the acute hospital sector. Developing an evidence base of the effectiveness of a model of care that is characterized by diversity and difference in practice is problematic.

METHOD:

BACKGROUND:

High quality end-of-life care in the community is achieved with effective multidisciplinary teamwork, interprofessional communication between GPs and district nurses, and early referral of patients to district nurses. These aspects of palliative care are highlighted in the Gold Standards Framework, a programme recently established in UK primary care.

AIM:

To investigate the extent to which the framework influences interprofessional relationships and communication, and to compare GPs' and nurses' experiences.

DESIGN OF STUDY:

UK government policy is encouraging healthcare staff to blur traditional roles, in the drive to increase joint working between practitioners. However, there is currently a lack of clarity regarding the impact that changes to traditional working practice might have on staff delivering the services, or on patient care. In this article, we report findings from three qualitative case studies examining interprofessional practice in stroke care, in which the influence of professional differences emerged as a significant theme.

BACKGROUND:

Clinical placements have been traditionally offered on a profession specific basis, and as a result, we have a good understanding of salient issues related to their development and delivery. We know less about the planning and implementation of collaborative clinical placements. Aims: This paper presents key findings from a qualitative study that explored the collaborative processes connected to an interprofessional planning group who created and implemented a clinical placement for medical, nursing and allied health students.

METHODS: