An Evaluation of an Interdisciplinary Joint Clinical Placement between Podiatry and Pharmacy Students
Keywords:
Interprofessional learning, Undergraduate, Healthcare, Pharmacy, PodiatryAbstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate a new joint clinical placement for third year undergraduate Pharmacy and Podiatry students. The purpose of which was to foster interprofessional education, enhance multidisciplinary working, and improve drug history taking, analysis and evaluation for students on both courses. The study involved a pre and post semi-structured questionnaire design targeted at 93 students attending a joint clinical placement. Podiatry students reported an increase in confidence in taking a patient case history, taking and documenting a drug history and communicating with other health professionals. Smaller increases in confidence were reported in identifying medication-related problems, assessing patient compliance and understanding the pharmacological basis of disease management. Pharmacy students reported an increase in confidence for all of the above descriptors and also constructing and prioritising pharmaceutical problem lists. Neither group reported high confidence levels with regard to the ability to critically discuss disease management. This study demonstrated that an interprofessional clinical placement can be an effective learning and teaching strategy for third year undergraduate Pharmacy and Podiatry students.
References
Barr, H. (1994) Perspectives on shared learning, London, CAIPE.
Cox, B. (1994) Practical Pointers for University Teachers (Kogan Page,
London), pp 24–25.
Dacre, J.E. and Fox, R.A. (2000) “How should we be teaching our undergraduates?”, Annals Rheumatic Disease 59, 662–667.
Dawson, L., Wright, J., Springett, K. and Stew, G. (2002) “Evaluation of shared learning”, International Conference Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy, Belgium.
Department of Health (1993) Targeting Practice: The Contribution of Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors (HMSO, London).
Department of Health (1999) Review of Prescribing Supply & Administration of Medicines (Final Crown Report) (HMSO, London).
Department of Health (2000) Meeting the Challenge: A Strategy for the Allied Health Professions. London: Department of Health (www.doh.gov.uk/meeting the challenge), pp. 23–32.
Embling, S. (1995) “Exploring multidisciplinary teamwork”, British Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation 2(3), 142–144.
General Medical Council (1995) Duties of a Doctor: Guidance From the General Medical Council (GMC, London).
Griffiths, R. (1988) Community Care—Agenda for Action (HMSO, London).
Jesson, J. and Wilson, K. (1999) “Primary care pharmacists: a conceptual model”, The Pharmaceutical Journal 263, 62–64.
Mandy, P. (1996) “Interdisciplinary rather than multidisciplinary or generic practice”, British Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation
(2), 110–112.
Mason, P. (1999) “Opportunities for pharmacists in primary care”, Primary Care Pharmacy 1(1), 3–5.
McManus, I.C., Richards, P., Winder, B.C., Sproston, K.A. and Vincent, C.A. (1993) “The changing clinical experience of British medical students”, The Lancet 341, 941–944.
McManus, I.C., Richards, P., Winder, B.C. and Sproston, K.A. (1998) “Clinical experience, performance in final examin- ations and learning style in medical students: prospective study”, British Medical Journal 316, 345–350.
Miller, C., Ross, N. and Freeman, M. (1999) Shared Learning and Clinical Teamwork: New Directions in Education for Multi- professional Practice (English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting, London), pp 86–101.
NHS Executive (1995) Education and Training Planning Guidance, (EL95)96) (NHSE, Leeds).
NHS Executive (1996) Education and Training Planning Guidance, (EL96)46) (NHSE, Leeds).
NHS Executive (1997) Devolution of Responsibilities to the NHS Consortia, (EL97)30) (NHSE, Leeds).
SCOPME (1997) Multiprofessional Working and Learning: Sharing the Educational Challenge (The Standing Committee on Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education, London).
Secretary of State for Health (1992) The Health of the Nation (HMSO, London).
Spencer, J.A. and Jordan, R.K. (1999) “Learner centred approaches in medical education”, British Medical Journal 318, 1280–1283.
Stew, G. (2000) “Interprofessional learning—an evaluation”, In:Bourner, T., Katz, T. and Watson, D., eds, 2000 New Directions in Professional Higher Education (St Edmondsbury Press, London), pp 52 – 59.
