Development of a Collaborative Care Curriculum

Fiona Maree Kent, Bronwyn Margaret Maddock

Research output: Contribution to conferenceAbstractpeer-review

Abstract

Introduction/background:
Collaborative practice is required to deliver safe and efficient person centred healthcare. To prepare students for collaborative working, interprofessional learning opportunities are required. The Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences (FMNHS) at Monash University has brought together key representatives from each profession, students and consumers to design a Collaborative Care Curriculum.
Aim:
The aim of the initiative is to develop and endorse a framework for collaborative practice for entrylevel health professionals. Representation from the FMNHS professions (dietetics, medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, paramedics, pharmacy, physiotherapy, psychology, radiation sciences, radiography and social work), students and consumers was gathered.

Method:
Existing interprofessional education frameworks were analysed and applicability to our context discussed. Accreditation documents from all professions were perused by profession representatives to identify items relating to collaborative practice and after synthesis, discussion, debate and then broader consultation, consensus on themes for the curriculum were established.
Discussion:
The four themes overarching curriculum themes are: Person centred care, role understanding, interprofessional communication and collaboration within and across teams. Learning outcomes at novice, intermediate and entry to practice levels are now under development. Alignment of the isolated interprofessional activities to the emerging framework is underway, and new interprofessional learning opportunities are under development in alignment with the overarching framework.
Issues/questions for exploration or ideas for discussion:
 Given the multiple interprofessional education frameworks in place, to what extent does local context require modifications in interprofessional education curriculum content?

Keywords

  • Interprofessional education

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