School of Physiotherapy

Faculty of Health

February 2014 Interprofessional Health News

~By: Gail Wainwright, Academic Coordinator of Clinical Education, School of Physiotherapy
BSR, MA
 

Interprofessional Health Education

Students in the Faculty of Health Professions (FHP) at Dalhousie University are required to complete a number of different interprofessional collaborative learning experiences, at least one must be in the practice setting. Over the past several years, the FHP has collaborated with community healthcare and social service settings to develop IPHE experiences for students engaged in clinical placements.  These experiences vary from site to site but a typical model involves students from different health professions meeting together, with facilitators, at least once a week to discuss cases, complete collaborative care plans or projects and engage in discussions about interprofessional collaborative patient/client/family/community-centered practice.  It is essential that students in practice settings have opportunities to learn about the roles and scopes of practice of other health professionals, to practise skills related to interprofessional competencies (specifically those identified by the Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative, 2010) and reflect upon the nature of interprofessional, collaborative patient/client/family/community-centered practice.

Physiotherapy students have been involved with experiences and projects at many sites and regions.  They have included the following:

Nova Scotia:

  • IWK Health Centre:
  • Oncology, Rehab Team, Neonatal ICU
  • QEII Health Sciences Centre:
  • Acute Stroke Unit, HI
  • ABI Team & SCI Team, NSRC
  • South Shore Health-stroke team
  • Southwest Nova DHA-Yarmouth Regional Hospital, stroke team
  • Annapolis Valley DHA-Kentville Regional Hospital & Soldier’s Memorial Hospital
  • Colchester East Hants HA-Colchester Hospital
  • Cape Breton DHA-Harbour View Hospital
  • Guysborough-Antigonish HA-St. Martha’s Hospital, stroke unit

New Brunswick:

  • Moncton City Hospital
  • Saint John Regional Hospital

Newfoundland:

  • Janeway Children’s Health and Rehabilitation Centre (Corner Brook site) Eastern Health

Mini Course

The Practice Education Committee of the Faculty of Health Professions was successful in a submission of a mini course for students.  These mini courses are delivered in a way to encourage interprofessional participation and knowledge exchange.  The title was: Investing in your future: Preparing you to become a preceptor in the practice setting.  Four classes were offered;

  • Nov 19                        Introduction and Teaching Methodology
  • Nov 21                        How to provide Effective Feedback and Evaluation
  • Nov 26                        Collaborative Peer Learning; Are 2 heads better than 1
                                       and are 2 professions better than 1?
  • Nov 28                        Dealing with Conflict-how to handle difficult situations

Presenters were Gail Wainwright, Emily Balkam (School of Human Communication Disorders), Anne Mahalik (School of Health Sciences), Anne Godden-Webster (IPHE Coordinator, FHP), Alison MacDonald, PT (QEII) and several PT students.