Aberdeen Interprofessional Health & Social Care Education
Current and Future IPE Projects in Aberdeen
Interprofessional teaching of basic life support skills
A project involving the teaching of basic life support skills by final year medical students from the University of Aberdeen and final year nursing students from RGU has been underway in the Clinical Skills Centre, Garthdee Campus.
The recipients of the teaching were students from the Faculty of Health and Social Care. The project has been received with great enthusiasm by all the students and staff involved.
The medical and nursing students were trained up together at the Suttie Centre, Foresterhill Site and worked in pairs to teach their skills to first and second year Pharmacy and Life Sciences; Health sciences and Applied Social Science students. The impact of this project has been to use the concept of peer teaching and an interprofessional approach to enable skill acquisition in emergency life skills.
Funding was received from the Scottish clinical skills network managed education network and used to purchase extra resusci-annes and resusci bags to support the training.
The project concludes in March and will recommend that this teaching becomes a sustainable part of the curriculum for future students.
IPE within undergraduate courses
The foundations of IPE are embedded in the curricula of ten professional courses in years 1 and 2 (Years 2 and 3 for nursing).
These are: Diagnostic radiography; dietetics; medicine; midwifery; nursing; nutrition; occupational therapy; pharmacy; physiotherapy and social work.
From Year 3 onwards the developments are to move IPE into practice placements (Scroll down for more details).
Capturing serendipitous learning using interprofessional buddy groups - commenced Dec 2009
There is much written about the use of formal and informal learning in interprofessional education (IPE). There are benefits in trying to blend the use of formal and informal learning in an attempt to enhance the chances for behaviour and attitudinal changes and mutual respect towards the different professions.
(FREETH, D. et al 2005.Effective Interprofessional Education. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Ltd.)`
In Aberdeen the strategy is to capture the ‘hidden’ or ‘serendipitous’ learning by the creation of IPE buddy groups. Students from Diagnostic radiography; dietetics; medicine; midwifery; nursing; nutrition; occupational therapy; pharmacy; physiotherapy and social work have been put into small mixed groups of 10-12.
They interact with each other on shared intranet space between the two universities (Robert Gordon University and University of Aberdeen). This gives opportunity for the development of relationships between the students. Exchanges have included sharing about courses and comments about IPE activities.
Students can potentially remain in their IPE buddy groups for the duration of their courses.
Face to face sessions for IPE buddy groups occur in December, Feb/Mar and Oct/Nov of Years 1 and 2.
Year 1 IPE sessions
IPE is being launched in a new and different way for first year students from April 2011 . We start with a welcome from senior staff within both universities and listen to some patient stories. The scene is set for why IPE is Important to health and social care curricula. Learning is achieved in small groups of 10-12 students with facilitators from the different professions represented. The aim of the workshop is to generate an appreciation of professional identities; interprofessional team working and communication.
Year 2 IPE sessions
A new re-vamp to Year 2 IPE is also planned from Oct-Nov 2011 onwards and will focus on patient centred activities and re-enforce the concept of IPE buddy groups on the virtual campus.
Year 3 and above IPE in Practice Placements
IPE from Year 3 onwards is to be experienced in practice placements. The strategy is multi-faceted and multi-pronged enabling IPE to occur in any placement location and is student and mentor led.
Students from two or more professions will be encouraged to come together in a quiet area of placement and discuss an IPE activity lasting 1-2hours duration.
Pilot sites are currently being facilitated by the lecturer in IPE and practice education staff.
IPE activities are situated on shared intranet space (Moodle) and are categorised according to speciality.
Year 4 Interprofessional Education
Interdisciplinary Practice
This module runs each year for 4th year honours students from nursing, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and social work.
The aim of the module is to enable students to analyse the processes which impede and facilitate interdisciplinary and inter-agency work and apply the understanding to enhance their contribution to interdisciplinary practice.
Aberdeen and Edinburgh collaborative tutorials and workshops
4th year pharmacy students (MPharm) from Robert Gordon University and 5th year medical students from Edinburgh University take part in a one day series of events hosted at Edinburgh University.
IPE E Team
An enthusiastic support team of e-Learning support staff and lecturers develop the online activities for students and manage the IPE buddy groups shared intranet space.
IPE Research team
A highly motivated team of academics with research expertise meet together regularly and take forward research ideas for IPE.
IPE Facilitators’ workshops
All facilitators for IPE are required to undertake a workshop exploring the skills required for mixed group facilitation and to familiarise themselves with the IPE materials used within the IPE programme in Aberdeen..
