The Role of Interprofessional Learning in Developing Transformative Health & Social Work Professionals

Authors

  • Ruth Mary Strudwick University of Suffolk
  • Jane Marie Harvey-Lloyd University of Suffolk
  • Hollie C Hadwen University of Suffolk

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1921/jpts.v16i1.1216

Abstract

Interprofessional learning (IPL) is an integral part of all health and social care undergraduate education programmes at our university.  It is widely considered that IPL encourages health and social care students to learn from and about one another and that this process underpins a better understanding not only of their own professional roles but also those of others.  This in turn promotes more effective teamwork, enhances integrated service user pathways and therefore provides improved care for service users.  IPL is transformative as it enables students to consider their role in the interprofessional team rather than focussing on themselves (Schmitt et al., 2011).

 

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the experience of delivering IPL at our university by using examples from our modules in order to highlight and debate the importance of IPL in preparing health and social care students for their professional roles. 

 

The article will describe two IPL modules where students work in interprofessional groups exploring and discussing practice-based case studies.  All of the staff and students involved completed a feedback questionnaire which evaluated their experiences of undertaking the case study exercise.  The impact of these experiences will be discussed in terms of professional development for the students involved and the impact that these learning experiences have on their future roles.  We will argue that these IPL experiences allow students to develop their own professional roles and identity, understand the roles of others and are enabled to provide more holistic care for service users.

 

We believe that working together in interprofessional groups to look at practice-based service user case studies is transformative in that it enables the students to learn from and about other professionals, it equips them with knowledge about one another’s roles and enables them to work together more effectively with other members of the interprofessional team (CAIPE, 2008).  This in turn enables the students to work together for the good of their service users and thereby becoming more compassionate and person-centred professionals.

Author Biographies

Ruth Mary Strudwick, University of Suffolk

Associate Professor, School of Health Sciences

Jane Marie Harvey-Lloyd, University of Suffolk

Associate Professor, School of Health Sciences

Hollie C Hadwen, University of Suffolk

Lecturer, School of Health Sciences

References

Ateah, C.A., Snow, W., Wener, P., MacDonald, L., Metge, C., Davis, P., Fricke, M., Ludwig, S. and Anderson, J. (2010) Stereotyping as a barrier to collaboration: does interprofessional education make a difference? Nurse Education Today, 30 (2): 208-213.

Barr H & Low H (2012) Interprofessional Education in Pre-Registration Courses – A CAIPE Guide for Commissioners and Regulators of Education. CAIPE, Fareham.

Bell L and Allain L (2011) Exploring Professional Stereotypes and Learning for Inter-professional Practice: An Example from UK Qualifying Level Social Work Education. Social Work Education: The International Journal, Volume 30, Issue 3.

CAIPE (2008) www.caipe.org.uk/about-us/defining-ipe

Cooper H, Carlisle C, Gibbs T and Watkins C (2001) Developing an Evidence base for interdisciplinary learning: a systematic review. Journal of Advanced Nursing. Vol. 35, Issue 2, pp28-237.

DH (2001) Making a Difference in Primary Care: The Challenge for nurses, midwives and health visitors. DH, London.

DH (2005) Creating a patient-led NHS: delivering the NHS improvement plan. DH, London.

Francis R (2013) Report of the Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry. The Stationery Office, London.

Gillham B (2000) Real world research – developing a questionnaire. London: Continuum

Gwee M C-E (2009) Problem-based learning: A Strategic Learning System Design for the Education of Healthcare Professionals in the 21st Century. The Kaosiung Journal of Medical Sciences, Vol 25, Issue 5, May 2009, p231-239.

Hammick, M., Freeth, D., Koppel, I., Reeves, S. and Barr, H. (2007) A best evidence systematic review of interprofessional education: BEME Guide no. 9. Medical Teacher 29(8): 735-751.

Kilminster S, Hale C, Lascelles M, Morris P, Roberts T, Stark P, Sowter J and Thistlethwaite J (2004) Learning for real life: patient-focused interprofessional workshops offer added value. Medical Education 38: 717-726.

Laming (2003) The Victoria Climbie Inquiry. HMSO, London.

Laming (2009) The Protection of Children in England: A Progress Report. HMSO, London.

Lapkin S, Levett-Jones T & Gilligan C (2013) A systematic review of the effectiveness of interprofessional education in health professional programs. Nurse Education Today, 33 (2013), p90-102.

Lave J and Wenger E (1991) Situated learning. Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Mandy, A. Milton, C. and Mandy P (2014) Professional stereotyping and interprofessional education. Learning in Health and Social Care. Volume 3, Issue 3, 154–170, September 2004.

Martin, V., Charlesworth, J. and Henderson, E. (2010) Managing health and social care, 2nd edition. Oxford: Routledge.

McKee N, D’Eon M & Trinderk (2013) Problem-based learning for inter-professional education: evidence from an inter-professional PBL module on palliative care. Canadian Medical Education Journal. 2013, 4(1) e35-48.

Mellor R, Cottrell N and Moran M (2013) “Just working in a team was a great experience…” – Student perspectives on the learning experiences of an interprofessional education program. Journal of Interprofessional Care. 27: 292-297.

Schmitt M, Blue A, Aschenbrener C A, and Viggiano T R (2011) Core Competencies for Interprofessional Collaborative Practice: Reforming Health Care by Transforming Health Professionals’ Education. Academic Medicine, Vol. 86, Issue 11, p1351.

Shaw A, DeLusignan S and Rowlands G (2005) Do primary care professionals work as a team: A qualitative study. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 19(4), p396-405.

Stone J (2010) Moving interprofessional learning forward through formal assessment. Medical Education 44: 396-403

Welsh J (2012) Overcoming language barriers when teaching interprofessional groups. Emergency Nurse, October 2012, Vol 20, No 6, p33-36.

Published

2019-05-12

How to Cite

Strudwick, R. M., Harvey-Lloyd, J. M., & Hadwen, H. C. (2019). The Role of Interprofessional Learning in Developing Transformative Health & Social Work Professionals. The Journal of Practice Teaching and Learning, 16(1-2), 96-109. https://doi.org/10.1921/jpts.v16i1.1216
Received 2018-11-23
Accepted 2019-02-15
Published 2019-05-12