Background

The Centre aims to offer opportunities for interprofessional learning (IPL) throughout healthcare students' education.  To achieve this, undergraduate students within the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences and the School of Pharmacy undertake two levels of IPL on a compulsory basis - level one (IPL1) (Lindqvist et al. 2005), and level two (IPL2) (Wright and Lindqvist 2008).

Two further voluntary levels of IPL are offered to healthcare students - levels three (IPL3) and four (IPL4).

IPL3 is run as a one-day Interprofessional Student Conference: "Learning and Working Together for Better Patient Care", and has been held each year since 2006.
 

Third and/or final year students from Medicine, Midwifery, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Pharmacy and Physiotherapy participate in the Conference and are joined by qualified health and social care professionals and service users.

Delegates are able to share their experiences of healthcare from a number of perspectives: as members of health and social care teams; as carers; and as patients. 

The Conference takes place in a neutral venue away from the clinical or academic environment. 
 

The learning objectives for students are to:

• consolidate the interprofessional learning that takes place in years one and two;
• further develop their knowledge of the different health professions involved in patient care;
• enhance their knowledge of how to collaborate most effectively with others;
• consolidate their understanding of the benefits of, and constraints on, interprofessional working;
• develop a greater understanding of the patient's perspective of interprofessional working;
• prepare for the transition from student to qualified practitioner.

Approach

Students are encouraged to work in interprofessional groups prior to the Conference in order to produce posters which are displayed at the Conference, with an opportunity to win a poster prize.

The Conference opens with joint presentations by the Deans and Heads of Schools from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences and the School of Pharmacy.  Service user groups then give a presentation, followed by a presentation from guest speakers (previous speakers include former UEA students and local interprofessional clinical teams).


Students then work in cross-professional groups, with the support of an educational facilitator, using video clips of actual patients describing their experiences of healthcare. 

The students are able to discuss with practitioners and service users the interprofessional issues arising from these cases, with the aim of exploring ways in which an interprofessional team can provide the most effective patient care.





Lunch is provided so that all delegates are given the opportunity to meet and discuss interprofessional teamworking issues. 

In addition, during break times, representatives from patient organisations are invited to exhibit at the Conference so that delegates have the opportunity to gain information about specific healthcare conditions and the work of voluntary organisations.

 

UEA drama students end the day by performing a sketch that they have researched, written and produced to illustrate some of the challenges of interprofessional working for healthcare professionals. 

Evaluation

Evaluation of the Student Conference is carried out using two methods: evaluation forms completed anonymously at the end of the Conference, and a debrief meeting with service users.

 Examples of feedback from students, service users, and professionals

Students

• "The Conference has given me greater insight into the roles of other healthcare professionals and the way in which we can work together to achieve a common goal - that of improved patient care."
• "The importance of IPL at university to prepare for MDT working once qualified.  Listening to other peoples' views and opinions, and coming up with strategies to overcome issues and ideas on how to resolve problems."
• "The Conference has reinforced the key issues I learnt in the previous two years of IPL.  It has highlighted the real need for good communication between professionals at all times."
• "From this conference I have been able to learn that involving patients in their care and giving patients the opportunity to participate in their care is of utmost importance."

Service Users

• "A good, informative day - excellent way of involving the patient perspective."
• "An excellent way of helping students to think through problems - work out a solution and plan care in advance - learning about essential lessons with other team members.  Explaining to patients and ensuring their needs are met."

Professionals

• "This was my first conference and I found it very encouraging, the way students have taken IPL as the way forward."
• "Excellent opportunity to share ideas/views and reflect on what is important for 'good practice'."

   

 References

LINDQVIST, S., DUNCAN, A., SHEPSTONE, L., WATTS, F. & PEARCE, S. (2005) Case-based learning in cross-professional groups - the development of a pre-registration interprofessional learning programme.  Journal of Interprofessional Care, 19, 509-20.

WRIGHT, A. & LINDQVIST, S. (2008) The development, outline and evaluation of the second level of an interprofessional learning programme - listening to the students.  Journal of Interprofessional Care, 22, 475-487.