International Journal of Healthcare Simulation

Background and aim:

Collaborative learning is recognized as essential in ensuring the delivery of safe and effective healthcare. It is fundamental to creating the healthcare teams of the future [1,3]. Central to this, is the early exposure of healthcare students to multiple, healthcare professions to begin the process of thinking and practising in a more interprofessional way. Importantly, how the interprofessional experience is assessed is crucial to the success of collaborative learning. This was the background to the development of an interprofessional module within the School of Nursing & Midwifery at Queens’ University Belfast.

Aims:

(1) To collaborate on the development of additional IPE workshops to supplement an established interprofessional simulation model. (2) To develop an assessment component for the interprofessional activities, including interprofessional simulation. (3) To evaluate the process.

Methods:

Drawing upon the expertise associated with the implementation of a highly successful interprofessional simulation programme, an interprofessional education (IPE) group was established with representation across the Faculty. From the outset, there was a need to have a shared understanding of the module and its complexities, and to work together to collectively support the pedagogy, shaping student learning and assessment, and providing the best educational experience [2]. The team collaborated on sourcing and establishing IPE workshops, developing reflective questions, as well as working on designing and integrating an online video within a digital platform, and streaming all students to one interprofessional workshop. An evaluation questionnaire was created using Microsoft Forms. The 17-item questionnaire incorporated three Likert scales, plus two either/or answers and two questions on digital device/browser. The questionnaire had 10 qualitative ‘free response’ questions to allow candidates to elaborate, expand, clarify or illustrate their answers.

Results:

The collaboration with staff across the Faculty of Medicine Health & Life Sciences resulted in the establishment of four additional IPE workshops to complement an established six. Total number of IPE workshops, n = 10. These workshops were positively evaluated by both students and staff and one workshop contributed to a national IPE award. Importantly, the video-based, reflective, summative assessments submitted following participation in the IPE workshops were of a high standard with students reflecting on the importance and value of having the opportunity to engage with other professions and on how the IPE simulated workshops adding to their learning.

Conclusion:

Interprofessional opportunities that utilize a reflective video-based assessment contribute positively to the student experience and are a welcome addition to the undergraduate nursing curriculum.

Ethics statement:

Authors confirm that all relevant ethical standards for research conduct and dissemination have been met. The submitting author confirms that relevant ethical approval was granted, if applicable.