Twelve tips to facilitate Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice with students on placements in healthcare settings

It is acknowledged that the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic will be long-lasting on healthcare organisations. Consequently, healthcare teams will need to work more collaboratively, supporting each other better in the post-pandemic period. Pre-registration clinical placements in healthcare settings provide an ideal opportunity to instil Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice (IPECP) skills, values, and competencies in students early-on. It is a common belief that teams need to have students from two or more professions to facilitate IPECP. Whilst this may be the ideal scenario, healthcare settings were struggling even prior to the pandemic to orchestrate such placement opportunities given the complicated logistics and their resource-intensive nature. This 12 tips paper provides clinical educators with practical tips to facilitate IPECP across the whole continuum from a single student on placement, to several students from two or more professions on placement at the same time. These tips, by promoting IPECP in all student placements, have the potential to re-energise IPECP in healthcare settings, thereby contributing to better outcomes for healthcare professionals, organisations, and service users.

Student Perception of Skills and Simulation Delivery within an Undergraduate Nursing Curriculum.

Introduction The existing delivery method for skills training is very task focused and delivered in large groups with limited time for actual ‘hands on’ practice of skills. Simulation was only included, sporadically, within the curriculum. Methods A questionnaire was designed to ascertain the student’s existing level of experience in skills and simulation, in addition to their opinion as to how effective the current method of delivery was in relation to a positive learning experience, and generation of knowledge. Their viewpoint was also sought as to any thoughts they may have in relation to changing the delivery of skills and simulation. Results The results demonstrated that, overall, there was a negative response from the students in relation to the current delivery of skills and simulation. Conclusion The study identified further areas for research in relation to the delivery and integration of skills and simulation within a pre-registration nursing curriculum. Key Words Nursing education, simulation-based education

Peer-Led Group Supervision A model to support and inspire social work students to be ‘active discoverers and constructors of their own knowledge’.

This article reviews the research findings from a student evaluation of a pilot study of peer-led group supervision for undergraduate social work students at a university in the UK. The definition, purpose and concept of peer-led group supervision are considered and the pilot model and intended learning outcomes described. The student evaluation provides positive feedback that this group setting allowed for support, knowledge exchange and an opportunity to discuss learning from placement experiences. Constructive student feedback enables further discussion in regard to the logistical set-up of this group learning environment and the role of an observing Practice Educator/link tutor. Recommendations are made for how this model can be developed in the future to further the learning opportunities for social work students using this peer-led group supervision model.

Art of Becoming a Social Work practice educator

Through this practice note, I share some of my reflections and learning of becoming a practice educator. The experience has enhanced my skills as a social worker and team manager and now as a social work doctoral student. Based on my observations of supervision as a practice assessor and my experience of having many different managers throughout my career, I have noticed when social workers move into management without a practice educator qualification, the supervisory relationship experience is a different one than that of a practice educator – turned manager. I question why this is. Is reflective supervision only reserved for students? I am suggesting that it should not be. Each supervisor should be supported and enabled to connect with their Art, as supervision is a form of Art.

Development and psychometric testing of Indonesian clinical assessment tool (In-Cat) for student nurses

In clinical nursing, students apply knowledge gained from classroom experience to real life situations. This educational model is experiential in nature, where patient learning experiences are selected based on the successful learning process. Hence, the competencies anticipated at a certain level are achieved in accordance with the objectives of knowledge. Purpose: This study was, therefore, aimed at developing a valid clinical assessment tool to guide the education system, and evaluate nursing students’ performance during practice in Indonesia. Methods: This research employed an exploratory sequential mixed method research design. Result: The transcripts generated from Focus Group Discussions and in-depth interviews showed three major areas of competence to be achieved while undergoing clinical practice. These ought to be combined with learning outcomes on the Competency-Based Curriculum in Indonesia, and subsequently reprocessed, to establish the final results, comprising 37 items. The study shows IN-CAT as acceptable (Scale-CVI= 0.9), indicating the agreement is adequate (Cohen’s kappa= 0.795), and satisfactory (The Cronbach’s alpha= 0.949). Conclusion: The results initially specify the scale as a reliable and valid measurement tool, with the potential for use in the assessment and evaluation of clinical competence amongst nursing students. Based on the feedback from teachers and students, The assessment tool demonstrates clarified learning objectives, improved focus, and enhanced the evaluation objectivity.

Attempting to disrupt racial division in social work classrooms through small-group activities

The notion of racial difference and racial segregation has continued to be problematic in higher education studies. Students belonging to Ethnic Minority groups often feel segregated even in courses and classrooms that promote anti-discriminatory and anti-racist practices. This paper presents a study that investigated seventy-five students from the BA and MA student cohorts within a London-based university. Students were encouraged to integrate and interrogate matters of race and belonging during a seminar on protected characteristics designed to disrupt racial division. Qualitative surveys were conducted to understand participants' views about racial disruption and experiences after the activities. Findings revealed ongoing segregation after the activity in and out of the classroom, fear of approaching racialised spaces, the need for additional brave reflective spaces that disrupt racial segregation and foster better understanding about race. The paper concludes by stressing the significance and value of racially disruptive teaching activities and racial assimilation in social work programmes as a means of tackling racial bias, segregation and decolonisation.