Objective 2: Benefits of IP Learning for Students in Clinical Settings

Why should busy clinicians/healthcare managers make it a priority to support IPE for university pre-licensure students? Answer the following questions both from your own personal perspective, and thinking of benefits and values for students, patients and the healthcare system.

Reflection

I am: a clinician/preceptor, OR manager/administrator

A. What motivates you, personally, to offer IP clinical/fieldwork placements to students?

B. What do you see as the value and benefit of IPE clinical placements for...

  1. the student?
  2. the clinical site?
  3. the patient?
  4. the healthcare system?

Some Values and Benefits of IPE in Clinical Settings

Ref. Kipp J, McKim B, Zieber C. Neumann I., What motivates managers to coordinate the learning experience of interprofessional student teams in service delivery settings? Healthcare Management Forum, Summer 2006. 42-48

“Inter-Professional Patient-Centred Clinical Placements: meeting the challenge and going beyond” QUIPPED Project, Queen’s University, 2007.

Personal

  • Personal satisfaction of clinicians/members of healthcare teams in involvement in the development of future health professionals and colleagues with collaborative skills
  • Positive student and patient feedback
...an energizing experience. We see it as doing the right thing for patients and clinicians. We need to support our current staff to engage in inter-professional education and activities.

“...an energizing experience. We see it as doing the right thing for patients and clinicians. We need to support our current staff to engage in inter-professional education and activities.”

“STIPP (Stroke Team Interprofessional Placement) gave learners more scope & better understanding of the unit’s work. Learners are getting the big picture from the patient’s perspective. I think it makes the team feel more of a team when we’re approaching this as an inter-disciplinary kind of thing. I really appreciated the IP presentation - where we were given a presentation and such genuine thanks.”

Students

For students from a range of health disciplines, IPE placements offer the opportunity to learn with, from and about each other in a real clinical environment. Students learn:

  • about the roles of other team members and in doing so gain confidence in their own role on the team
  • satisfaction in being part of a team and respect for other health care professional colleagues
  • interactive communication and team skills from experienced clinicians, from observation and interaction with well functioning collaborative teams
  • the role of the patient and family/caregivers within the healthcare team
  • to function effectively as team members in the workforce
A very enriching experience that provided a holistic view of how healthcare providers work together as a team.

“A very enriching experience that provided a holistic view of how healthcare providers work together as a team.”

“I felt very pleased to be a part of such a dynamic group of people. It has been an excellent learning opportunity, .. unique to health care. All I can say from this experience is that we need a whole lot more of it ... It’s in the patient’s best interests that we all work together. ..”

The clinical site

  • Students provide input to the site’s Continuous Quality Improvement
  • The site is recognized as providing best practice in collaborative care
  • The site helps educate a pool of future collaborative health professionals to recruit and hire
  • Provides potential for all staff to be involved (not only clinical preceptors)
  • Creates an organizational culture where IPE is modeled, practiced and taught
I never actually felt like I was part of my team. I can’t remember a time when they all got together with me and asked for my input. It took me a long time to stand up for the things that needed addressing ... and I found it hard.

“I never actually felt like I was part of my team. I can’t remember a time when they all got together with me and asked for my input. It took me a long time to stand up for the things that needed addressing ... and I found it hard.”

The patient

  • Receives quality care in an environment of advocacy, empathy and collaboration
  • The patient (& family and caregivers) becomes part of the team in decision making regarding his/her own care

Providing opportunities for students to provide collaborative care in Clinical Placements in a team environment is the way to make sustainable change to this type of patient experience!!

The healthcare system

Quality, affordability and sustainability of services is ensured by preparing the next generation of healthcare providers in the most efficient and effective integrated practice.