Inter-professional Learning: Innovation in Teaching and Learning for Pre-registration Student Nurses and Midwives

A requirement for all health care professionals is to work collaboratively in the provision of safe and effective care. However despite this students are not routinely involved in inter-professional learning, and are often taught in isolation within professional groupings. There is added value in inter-professional teaching and learning- evident from a resource that was developed by lecturers in nursing and midwifery. This was piloted live on an audience of pre registration nursing and midwifery students, as an mock fitness for practice hearing. Inter-professional group activities provided reflection, debate and discussion with students voting on sanctions and taking part in the panel summary and close. Feedback from both lecturers/participants (n=8) and students (n=31) indicated this was a highly valued experience. It is an innovative inter-professional learning resource, in pre-registration education for students in nursing and midwifery and will extend to post registration health care education.