Edinburgh Napier University

  Introduction:
Interprofessional learning (IPL) is defined as enabling “two or more professions to learn with, from and about each other to improve collaborative practice and quality of care” (1) . IPL offers a variety of benefits to students including acquired shared knowledge and development of a mutual understanding between healthcare disciplines . Advanced Clinical Practice is inclusive of healthcare students from all disciplines thus offering a unique opportunity to embed IPL within healthcare education by promoting an inter-collaborative approach to group study.

Aims/objectives:
To undertake a mapping and implementation exercise to provide a directed and expansive IPL student experience. To map current IPL activity and identify IPL opportunities with the objective of all module content designed to ensure a minimum of 50% of the live teaching sessions offered with an IPL focus.

Details of project:
Mapping and implementation process included: (a) curriculum review of learning, teaching and assessment strategies to identify current and potential IPL (b) mapping opportunities to embed IPL (c) cross reference activities to learning outcomes and ACP guidance.

Results/outcomes:
IPL activities included simulation of complex and extended physical, psychological and social care presentations; service user experience of disconnected healthcare provisions and ‘learning from each other’ sessions. Formal and informal feedback demonstrated increased student satisfaction.

Conclusions/impact: Students reported IPL aspect enriched their learning, and was both interesting and beneficial to their academic studies and clinical practice. This exercise has highlighted the benefit of the IPL approach and has offered a reduction in the volume of teaching staff required per session. Further evaluation will include academic, student and stakeholder outcomes.