Student leadership in interprofessional education: benefits, challenges and implications for educators, researchers and policymakers
Context: Interprofessional collaboration is gaining increasing prominence as a team-based approach to health care delivery that synergistically maximises the strengths of each health professional to enhance patient care, decrease medical errors and optimise efficiency. The often neglected role that student leaders have in preparing their peers, as the health professionals of the future, for collaboration in health care should not be overlooked.
Developing sustainable models of interprofessional learning in practice-the TUILIP project]
This paper will describe the background and development of the Trent Universities Interprofessional Learning in Practice Project (TUILIP). It will review some of the contributing literature on recent policy initiatives for interprofessional learning (IPL) and in particular the literature that supports the case for IPL to be embedded in the practice learning environment. The impact of IPL on health outcomes is discussed and on team working in practice.
Interprofessional education and working in mental health: in search of the evidence base
AIM:
To explore interprofessional attitudes arising from shared learning in mental health.
BACKGROUND:
Inter-professional education in healthcare is a priority area for improving team-working and communication. Many studies have attempted to evaluate its benefits and challenges, although few emanate from the mental health arena. However, producing evidence to link educational input with clinical outcomes is notoriously difficult. This project attempted to produce evidence for changes in interprofessional attitudes and stereotypes.
METHOD(S):
Facilitating interprofessional education and practice
Collaborative patient-centred care has the potential to address serious issues in the Canadian health-care system such as those related to increasing complexity of care; patient safety and access; and recruitment and retention of health human resources. This approach involves teams of health professionals working together to provide more coordinated and comprehensive care to clients. It places priority on the preferences of the patient and fosters respect for the skills and perspectives of all health-care providers.
Difficulties in collaboration: a critical incident study of interprofessional healthcare teamwork
The challenge for members of interprofessional teams is to manage the team processes that occur in all teamwork while simultaneously managing their individual professional identities. The aim of this study was to identify and describe difficulties perceived by health professionals in interprofessional teamwork. Utterances on verbal actions and resolutions were also explored to enable a discussion of the implications for interprofessional learning.
A new inter-professional course preparing learners for life in rural communities
The 'Professionals in Rural Practice' course was developed with the aim of preparing students enrolled in professional programs in Canada to become better equipped for the possible eventuality of professional work in a rural setting. To match the reality of living and working in a rural community, which by nature is interprofessional, the course designers were an interprofessional teaching team.
Integration of e-learning technologies in an interprofessional health science course
BACKGROUND:
Advances in information and communication technology are influencing instructional formats and delivery modes for post secondary teaching and learning.
AIMS:
The purpose of this study was to determine whether interprofessional team process skills traditionally taught in a small group face-to-face classroom setting could be taught in a blended learning environment; without compromising the pedagogical approach and collaborative Group Investigation Model (Sharan & Sharan 1992) used in the course.
METHOD:
An innovative approach to student internships on American Indian reservations
Personnel shortages are evident for a number of disciplines in the health professions, from physicians to nurses. Project CRISTAL (Collaborative Rural Interdisciplinary Service Training and Learning) was designed to immerse students in rural and reservation communities and encourage them to consider practicing in locations that have shortages of health care providers. Students gain an understanding of the importance of working as part of a health care team and address present and future health care workforce shortages.
Interprofessional learning for pre-qualification health care students: an outcomes-based evaluation
Within health, it is widely acknowledged that a collaborative, team-oriented approach to care is required to ensure patient safety and quality of service delivery. A pre-qualification interprofessional learning experience should provide an ideal opportunity for students to gain the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes to enable them to work as part of a patient-centred interprofessional team. In this article we report a multidimensional evaluation of a pre-qualification interprofessional learning (IPL) program.
Developing a tool to measure contributions to medication-related processes in family practice
Successful team care requires a shared understanding of roles and expertise. This paper describes the development and preliminary exploration of the psychometric properties of a tool designed to measure contributions to family practice medication-related processes. Our team identified medication-related processes commonly occurring in family practice. We assessed clinical appropriateness using a sensibility questionnaire and pilot-tested with 11 pharmacists, nurses and physicians.