Sustainable interprofessional learning on clinical placements: the value of observing others at work.

Sustainable interprofessional learning on clinical placements: the value of observing others at work. J Interprof Care. 2020 Jan 03;:1-7 Authors: Kent F, Glass S, Courtney J, Thorpe J, Nisbet G Abstract Clinical placements have the potential to offer meaningful interprofessional learning opportunities for pre-registration students. Informal, as opposed to structured interprofessional learning opportunities, may offer a sustainable solution to the challenges of scheduling formal interprofessional programs in the workplace. To investigate this concept, students on clinical placement from a range of professions were invited to observe another profession undertake a patient consultation, after which they completed a standardized reflective tool. A grounded theory research design was used to explore the educational value of the one-off interprofessional observations, through an analysis of student written reflections (n = 79) and staff perceptions collected by interview (n = 11). The qualitative data was iteratively analyzed throughout the study period. A range of learning outcomes were described post student observations, ranging from knowledge or skills that informed profession-specific practice, to how others' roles related to patient needs, and the need for collaboration in order to provide high quality care. Staff orientation and facilitated reflection contributed to student learning. Positive learning value, though varying in de...
Source: Journal of Interprofessional Care - Category: Health Management Tags: J Interprof Care Source Type: research