The London training ward: an innovative interprofessional learning initiative

Abstract

This paper reports the findings from an evaluation of a pilot interprofessional training ward project for pre-qualification medical, nursing, occupational therapy and physiotherapy students. This initiative required sustained collaboration from staff based in two National Health Service (NHS) trusts and four schools in three universities. The ward was based on a model of interprofessional education developed in Sweden, but adapted in the light of this experience and also to meet the needs and aspirations of the training ward stakeholders in London. The training ward was evaluated using a multi-method design. Data were collected from all participants involved in this pilot: students, facilitators and patients. The findings from the evaluation are presented and discussed. This paper pays particular attention to the collaborative experiences of the students, staff and institutions involved in this initiative. In addition, 1-year follow-up data collected from the students who had, by then, qualified as clinical practitioners are reported. The paper presents conclusions from the evaluation, and comments on the training ward's strengths, limitations and future development.

Inter-professional education: Healthcare students' experiences

“…Reeves and Freeth 8 recommended that learning can only take place once students' learning requirements are met. IPE facilitators should therefore understand the students' experiences as learning takes place once students' learning needs are met 8 . Learning and growth was reported on a professional, social and personal level, which was identified as subcategories of the second category, the benefit to the student.…”

“…Reeves et al 7 , who also conducted a systematic review, similarly recommend that studies should give insight into how IPE affected the changes and outcomes and this could be done through qualitative methods 7 . Research further recommends that learning Senior lecturer, Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Pretoria can only take place once students' learning requirements are met 8 . IPE facilitators should therefore aim to understand the students' learning experiences or learning needs during inter-professional teamwork 8 .…”

“…Research further recommends that learning Senior lecturer, Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Pretoria can only take place once students' learning requirements are met 8 . IPE facilitators should therefore aim to understand the students' learning experiences or learning needs during inter-professional teamwork 8 .…”

A BEME systematic review of the effects of interprofessional education: BEME Guide No. 39

“…This difference of reporting outcomes is not surprising, as the time gap between undergraduates receiving their IPE and them qualifying as practitioners presents challenges with reporting outcomes at levels 3, 4a and 4b. However, four undergraduate IPE studies did report outcomes at these levels (Dienst & Byl 1981;Reeves & Freeth 2002;Anderson & Thorpe 2014;Shiyanbola et al 2014). In addition, one study reporting on a postgraduate course for mental health practitioners reported outcomes across the six levels (Carpenter et al 2007).…”

Letters to the Editor

“…Teaching wards have constituted simulated learning environments; dedicated orthopaedic teaching wards; urban hospital wards; or clinical education wards since the mid 1990s (Wahlströ m & Sandén, 1998;Reeves & Freeth, 2002;Ker et al, 2003;Ponzer et al, 2004). In February 2003 medical and nursing educators at the University of Manchester examined the efficacy and feasibility of creating a teaching ward within one university teaching hospital.…”