An evaluation of the student experience of interprofessional education in undergraduate healthcare curricula

The World Health Organisation (WHO 2010) has intimated the necessity of interprofessional education (IPE) in the increased integration of healthcare as well as to enhance the safety of patients and the quality of care. Implementing IPE within healthcare curricula enables healthcare students to learn and understand their separate roles and serves as a driver for improved patient care and safety. It is a requirement in the education and training standards of many health care professionals (NMC 2018, GPC 2021). This presentation will provide a brief overview of our experience of embedding IPE into our nursing, pharmacy, and paramedic science undergraduate curricula. This project aimed to create a digital resource to enhance and expand existing IPE systems to include paramedic science students.

Our project built on an established IPE programme involving nursing and pharmacy students, to include paramedic science students and develop a digital resource to reflect practice-based case scenarios. Each IPE session presented authentic animated case scenarios which were developed in response to feedback from service users in the School of Nursing & Paramedic Science service user group ‘People in Education and Research’ (PEER). The animated case scenarios provided an interactive learning platform where students could share knowledge through collaboration and reflection.

The aim of the IPE sessions was for students to gain knowledge and understanding of each other’s role and responsibilities in interdisciplinary working. Students were challenged to use effective forms of communication and evidence to inform their clinical decision-making, ensure patient safety and provide person-centred care. IPE sessions were linked to student modules and were run as a half day interactive collaborative learning workshop. Academic staff from nursing, paramedic science and pharmacy led a total of eight IPE sessions with 80 undergraduate pharmacy and paramedic science students.

Evaluation of the IPE sessions and the digital resource was collected through an online questionnaire. Students evaluated the IPE sessions as being extremely beneficial. The use of digital animations was found to enhance the session. Learning about, with and from each other was highlighted as extremely positive. Students identified the need for more opportunities for IPE with a wider range of healthcare professions.

IPE is a positive addition to undergraduate healthcare curricula, but needs to be embedded in the curricula to support integration of the future healthcare workforce.

References
Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) (2018) Future nurse: Standards of proficiency for registered nurses.

General Pharmacy Council (2021) Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists.

World Health Organisation (2010) Framework for action on interprofessional education & collaborative practice. World Health Organisation Press, Geneva.