Interprofessional Learning In Practice Research Articles

The Interprofessional Practice Learning Needs of Nutrition and Dietetic Students.

The Interprofessional Practice Learning Needs of Nutrition and Dietetic Students.

Practice-based learning and the impacts of COVID-19: doing it for real?

This is the fifth article in a series exploring interprofessional education during the COVID-19 pandemic. This article focuses on the experiences and adaptations employed in relation to practice-based learning and placement provision. Forming an integral part of many professional programmes, changes in provision and approaches to practice-based learning and placements will be explored, drawing on theory and findings from existing literature and illustrated with case study reports. Opportunities for innovation, the challenges for incorporating interprofessional practice learning and evidence-informed guidance for future practice will be considered.

Creating interprofessional learning in practice.

Creating interprofessional learning in practice.

Practice educators’ attitudes and perspectives of interprofessional collaboration and interprofessional practice learning for students: A mixed-methods case study

ABSTRACT Interprofessional collaboration (IPC) is important for the delivery of effective integrated health and social care systems. Interprofessional practice learning (IPPL) enables students to learn to work together within a relevant context and prepare for future IPC. While there is some evidence that negative attitudes impact on IPC and interprofessional education, there is a dearth of research on health and social work professionals’ attitudes and perspectives of IPC and IPPL opportunities for students. A mixed-methods case study was used to investigate practice educators’ attitudes and perspectives of IPC and IPPL for their students. Results showed that attitudes were positive and that mainly meso- and macro-level factors, as opposed to the micro level, impacted on the implementation of IPC and IPPL for students’ learning in practice settings. IPC was perceived to be best enabled by effective communication, established teams, IPPL for staff, and shared processes and policies. Close working proximity to other professionals encouraged informal communication and positive interprofessional relationships. Motivation and resources were perceived as enablers of IPPL, but there were often missed opportunities for IPPL. These findings suggest that further work is required to identify systems for improving IPC and to enhance IPPL opportunities for students learning within practice settings.

Determining the impact of an interprofessional learning in practice model on learners and patients

ABSTRACTThe Institute of Medicine recently expressed a need to measure the impact of interprofessional education (IPE) on health professions collaborative behavior in practice environments and patient outcomes, and the National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education has focused research efforts to connect interprofessional practice and education. We describe a model intentionally designed to link interprofessional practice experience in ambulatory care setting and an IPE curriculum for students, called the Interprofessional Learning in Practice (ILIP) model. The study objective was to determine the impact of the ILIP model on student and patient outcomes during a 24-month intervention period. Student satisfaction was collected through a brief survey administered post-ILIP model. Patient outcomes were collected from before and after the intervention period through a retrospective chart review of patients who received care through the ILIP model. For the study, disease indicators for the top three chronic diagnoses of depression, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes mellitus were chosen as the patient outcomes. Student outcomes were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Mann–Whitney U test. Patient outcomes were analyzed using McNemar’s test and paired t-tests. Of the 382 students who participated in the ILIP model during the study period, 179 completed surveys, indicating that they valued the experience, valued learning from interprofessional preceptors, and gained interprofessional skills to use in their future practice. During the 24-month intervention, 401 patients were evaluated post-ILIP model, statistically significant results demonstrated HbA1c values for patients with diabetes were reduced by 0.5% and depression screening improved from 9% to 91%. Additionally, patients’ hypertension control was similar to baseline and diabetes control (as defined as HbA1c ≤8%) was improved compared to baseline but did not reach statistical significance. By aligning interprofessional practice and education in the ILIP model, students had a positive experience, gained interprofessional collaboration skills, and provided value-added benefits to improve patient outcomes.

Development and implementation of social work practice learning opportunities in NHS settings with no previous experience of social work education

The purpose of this paper is to outline the knowledge and practice used at a strategic, organisational and practice level in the planning and implementation of effective social work practice learning opportunities in NHS settings new to direct social work practice and social work education.The paper outlines the process which was used in order to create new interprofessional practice learning opportunities and it is intended to add to ‘process knowledge’ (Sheppard et al., 2000). Additionally the paper draws on the content of the ‘matrix of drivers and barriers to integrated working’ developed for the area of interprofessional practice (Stewart, Petch, & Curtice, 2003) and transfers this knowledge as applicable to Social Work education.In practice, across human services, there continues to be views of ‘other’ professional groups that can create obstacles to the development and maintenance of positive inter-professional working, and that can undermine effective service delivery for service users (Report of Caleb Ness Inquiry, 2003). The experience of inter-professional practice learning, when combined with emotional intelligence (Morrison, 2007) can impact positively to increase the confidence, knowledge-base and direct inter-professional practice of newly qualifying Social Workers.

Establishing and facilitating practice-based interprofessional learning: experiences from the TUILIP project

The Trent Universities Interprofessional Learning in Practice (TUILIP) project aimed to establish interprofessional learning (IPL) for healthcare students in clinical practice settings. Ten IPL facilitators were employed in eight varied practice setting pilot sites for up to a year to research, develop and run locally appropriate, sustainable IPL initiatives. Following the pilot phase, a qualitative evaluation was conducted in each site by means of interviews or focus groups with all key stakeholders (facilitators, clinical managers, practitioners, students, service users, carers). Data collection was guided by Kirkpatrick’s evaluation framework (1996), which focuses upon participant reactions, and their perceptions of learning, behaviour change and sustainable impact. In keeping with this framework, participants were asked to discuss their experiences of TUILIP in their placement setting (including its facilitation), and their opinions about its impact and success in terms of learning, behaviour change and sustainability. We report a subset of evaluation results relating to the roles of the facilitator, facilitation processes, experiences and challenges, personal and professional impact upon facilitators, and implications for IPL projects in practice. Facilitation tasks included preparing the ground, earning credibility, gathering ideas, researching feasibility, developing initiatives, involving service users, trialling and embedding initiatives. Facilitators were faced with challenges such as getting a focus, time limitations and dealing with logistics. They reported highs (being a fly on the wall, protected time, their educational role, and a sense of satisfaction) and lows (loneliness, frustration and fear of failure), but considered they had developed personally and professionally as a result of their experiences. Results demonstrated the complexity and demands of establishing and facilitating IPL initiatives in practice settings. Facilitation was time-consuming and effortful and did not always achieve its aims, but was a source of satisfaction and personal development. These findings suggest higher education institutions and practice settings should consider carefully the selection, preparation and support for facilitators of practice-based IPL, as well as how to engage local practitioners and service users, and embed changes in the clinical setting.

An evaluation of practice-based interprofessional education initiatives involving service users

There is little published evidence regarding the impact of service-user focused interprofessional education in the practice setting. This article reports evaluative case studies of two practice-based interprofessional initiatives, in which service users played a central role. These initiatives formed part of the Trent Universities Interprofessional Learning in Practice (TUILIP) project ( http://tuilip.hwb.shu.ac.uk), a collaboration between Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Nottingham. Practice settings were an acute mental health service and a community organisation offering care and services to adults with learning disabilities. Interprofessional initiatives were developed by facilitators, and empirically studied at each site. Facilitators, managers, practitioners, students and service users took part in interviews and focus groups to discuss their perceptions of the initiative in their practice setting. The study revealed participants' perceptions of the projects' aims, process and outcomes, factors which facilitated success or proved challenging, and their impact upon individuals, clinical practice and the organisations involved.

A qualitative evaluation of an interprofessional learning project

AbstractThe study described in this paper focuses on an interprofessional learning (IPL) in practice project. The project entailed appointing a number of IPL in practice facilitators whose task it was to assist clinical teams to develop opportunities for students to engage in IPL. The evaluation described focuses on one of the initial project sites, a rehabilitation ward in a community hospital. The evaluation aimed to establish a range of differing perspectives on the project including service users, steering group members, the clinical team and participating students. Narrative data were collected using focus groups, one‐to‐one interviews, documentary analysis and postal and electronic questionnaires. Triangulation approaches were used to analyse data and the findings were largely positive. Lessons learnt included such things as practical difficulties of introducing IPL in practice, effective use of lay persons in professional education and the difficulties of engaging medical staff in such initiatives. Limitations of the study include difficulties in getting students to participate in either focus group discussions or one‐to‐one interviews; therefore, alternative data sources had to be deployed, such as e‐mail contact. Conclusions are that even when an experienced IPL facilitator is in post there is a need to foster practice staffs’ commitment to IPL.

Interprofessional learning in practice

The NHS provides a rich culture of innovation, change and opportunities to improve patient care. This article will discuss the setting required to enable the inclusion of interprofessional learning (IPL) and interprofessional working (IPW) to become an inherent part of an organisation's learning and working strategy. The focus of activity in relation to IPL and IPW is currently associated with academia and delivery of programmes for pre- and post-registration learners in universities, from all areas of the healthcare team, including nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and social workers. This article argues the need for NHS trusts and social care organisations to embrace interprofessional learning and working in a more unified and coordinated way. This will need extensive investment with controlled change management programmes from central government.

Initial findings from the TUILIP (Trent Universities Interprofessional Learning in Practice) Project

This paper reports on initial findings from the Trent Universities Interprofessional Learning in Practice (TUILIP) project. The main aim of this project is to develop sustainable models of interpro...

Creating interprofessional learning capacity in children's centres – description and evaluation of a pilot project

AbstractNationally, the promotion of interprofessional learning (IPL) at all levels is a key UK Government strategy aimed at improving communication, collaborative working and enhancing quality care for all service users. The development of interagency working through the provision of services for pre‐school children and their families within children's centres provides an ideal environment to promote interprofessional learning for pre‐registration health and social care students. A partnership project was established to develop new interprofessional practice learning placements for students completing social work and child branch nursing courses within two health and social care communities in a midland county and city in England.Following information on the aims and objectives of the project, children's centres opted in to participate. The Common Learning Programme North East Model for IPL was adopted as a template for managing the variability in numbers and timings for student placements. Workshops were provided to prepare IPL facilitators; students attended workshops and completed an IPL workbook as part of their learning experience. A total of 14 children's centres participated over the 2 years of the project. An action research framework was used to underpin the collection of evaluation data through questionnaires, telephone interviews and focus groups. All stakeholders were involved in workshop events to action plan for improvements following feedback from evaluations.All participating centres remained positive and encouraged other centres to participate. Problem areas highlighted and dealt with included the logistics involved in timing student placements; development and use of the IPL workbook; and ensuring enough IPL facilitators. A key factor contributing to the success of Creating Interprofessional Learning Capacity in Children's Centres has been effective partnership working with stakeholders from the higher education institutions, local authorities and the National Health Service. The benefits of IPL in providing students with an opportunity to develop into effective collaborative practitioners was recognised by those involved and resulted in a high level of commitment over the 2 years. Challenges remain and sustainability will always be an issue but gaining the ongoing commitment of all stakeholders within the children's centres themselves has been a key factor in the success of the project.

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. The modernisation of the National Health Service in the UK is explained and how the East Midlands Strategic Health Authority has commissioned the TUILIP project that will promote and facilitate the interprofessional skills of students through collaborative working within the practice setting. The TUILIP project is described, in particular, staff development for practitioners, the centrality of service users and the innovative approach of IPL Facilitators in pilot sites across the Trent region.

Interprofessional Learning in Practice: The Student Experience

Interprofessional learning and the development of teamworking skills are recognised as essential for patient care and are also a government priority for undergraduate education. Sixteen occupational therapy students worked on an interprofessional training ward as part of their practice placement and three of them participated in an evaluation using the nominal group technique. Despite this small number, the evaluation identifies the value of this learning experience in giving the students an opportunity to appreciate the importance of interpersonal skills; to learn about other team members' roles; and to experience the challenges of working on a busy rehabilitation ward for older people.

Interprofessional learning in practice for pre-registration health care: Interprofessional learning occurs in practice – Is it articulated or celebrated?

This paper summarises the issues involved in promoting interprofessional learning in practice both on campus and within placement areas with reference to one particular university. National drivers of Interprofessional Learning (IPL) are outlined and then explored in relation to the portfolio of pre qualifying programmes within a large, multiprofessional School of Health and Social Care. In this particular context, rapid development of campus based IPL require equally robust developments in practise based learning. Integration of IPL across the whole curriculum is considered in the light of current practice based learning initiatives and projects. From this discussion an approach to integration emerges, built on the need to explicitly articulate examples of interprofessional collaboration as they arise in every placement. These interprofessional learning opportunities need to inform assessment strategies both on campus and in practice. Inherent in this approach is the assumption that IPL does occur in practice but is not explicitly articulated or celebrated.

Beginning the process of teamwork: Design, implementation and evaluation of an inter-professional education intervention for first year undergraduate students

An evidence-based interprofessional educational (IPE) intervention involving first year undergraduate students studying medicine, nursing, physiotherapy and occupational therapy was piloted at the University of Liverpool. Campbell's phased approach and Complexity Theory guided development of the intervention and its evaluation. The intervention included a staff-training programme, e-learning materials and interprofessional team working skills workshops. A multi method study design was used to evaluate outcomes and the processes by which the outcomes had transpired. The first year cohort of students (n = 442) was invited to attend the pilots. Fifty-four per cent (n = 237) opted to attend. Findings showed that the intervention promoted theoretical learning about team working. It enabled the students to learn with and from each other (p < 0.001), it significantly raised awareness about collaborative practice (p < 0.05), and its link to improving the effectiveness of care delivery (p < 0.01). The qualitative data showed that it served to increase students' confidence in their own professional identity and helped them to value difference making them better prepared for clinical placement. The findings support the need to start IPE early in students' training before professional doctrines have been built into their learning. As a result of the findings, the intervention has become compulsory for students to attend and the project has evolved to include trained service users/carers as co-facilitators of the workshops. It is also working on strengthening e-learning by integrating the generic materials into the curricula of all courses. Alongside this, strategies are being explored for interprofessional learning in practice.