Community health placements for junior medical and nursing students for interprofessional learning

ABSTRACT

Health care is increasingly delivered in primary and community settings, yet undergraduate clinical education remains focused in hospitals. Interprofessional student placements in community health offer an alternative to traditional clinical education and extend the capacity for clinical education beyond hospital placements. This study sought to investigate the value of interprofessional clinical placements at a community health center for dyads of second year medical and nursing students. A mixed methods evaluation was used. Quantitative and qualitative feedback was collected using the Interprofessional Clinical Placement Learning Environment Inventory (ICPLEI). Students (n = 58) completed the ICPELI after observation of community health half day sessions, at one of three community health sites. Two focus group interviews were undertaken with the health care practitioners (n = 8) to explore their perception of the new interprofessional placements. The placements were rated highly by all participants with three themes identified: It takes a team, Bouncing ideas and Realities of Community Health. Innovative approaches to clinical education and learning are needed to prepare a healthcare workforce capable of working in a collaborative, interprofessional manner. Community health offers a promising location for interprofessional learning for junior medical and nursing student teams.

KEYWORDS:

• Community health
• interprofessional learning
• medical students
• nursing students

Acknowledgments

Acknowledgements, the authors acknowledge the support of Link Health and Community staff who willing engaged in this project.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jennifer M. Weller-Newton

Jennifer M. Weller-Newton is the Director of Rural Health Academic Network in the University Department of Rural Health, Faculty Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences at Melbourne University. She is a nurse and midwife having worked in England and Australia as a practitioner and educator. Her research focuses on interprofessional education, workplace learning and reflective practice.

Fiona Kent

Fiona Kent is the Director of Collaborative Care and Work Integrated Learning in the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University. She is a physiotherapist and has worked as a clinician and clinical educator at Peninsula Health, Monash Health and in the Physiotherapy Department at Monash University. Her work and research focuses on the development and evaluation of interprofessional curriculum.