F13(Th)
AN INTER-PROFESSIONAL LEARNING EXPERIENCE WITHIN A RENAL
CLINICAL SETTING
Chigaru, T1, O’ Carrol, V2, Doyle, A1, Robertson, L3, Paterson, M4, Wood, M1
1
Department of Renal Medicine, Queen Margaret Hospital, Dunfermline, 2University of
St Andrews, 3Social Work Department, Fife Council, 4NHS Lothian
Emphasis is placed on health and social care professionals to work and learn together. Interprofessional learning is cited in several policy documents as a potentially effective method of
enhancing collaborative practice and the quality of patient care. Further evidence suggests
that inter-professional education remains largely limited to post graduate level with
significantly fewer opportunities reported for undergraduates. These requirements continue to
challenge the planning and delivery of inter-professional learning experiences at preregistration level.
BACKGROUND: NHS Fife and St Andrews University collaborated in developing a ward
based inter-professional education programme for undergraduate students. The structured
programme provides a supportive learning environment within a renal clinical setting which
allows students from medicine, nursing, dietetics, pharmacy and socialwork to share learning.
PROJECT: The programme consists of four interlinked modules enabling students to learn
about several aspects of patient care, namely the processes of hospital admission, managing
ward rounds and planning both care and effective discharge. Students participate in patient
centred small group activities, planned specifically to allow students to interact with patients
and learn from patients and from each other. The students are able to identify the different
professional responsibilities in the care provided. In the process the students are able to have
purposeful discussions which allow joint decision making through team working. Students
develop confidence in patient management with the support of clinical facilitators.
EVALUATION: Student feedback from all professions is positive and supportive of further
inter-professional learning in clinical practice. Students state that they are able to identify the
different professional roles and contributions made towards providing optimum patient care.
CONCLUSION: This innovative project demonstrates that utilising patients as a focus for
inter-professional development is extremely successful. Our model follows a student led,
patient focused and facilitated approach to encourage shared inter-professional learning. This
model of learning needs effective planning, implementation, reflection and evaluation.