This article describes and evaluates the assessment used for a module entitled ‘IPL - Working with Others’. There were 320 students sitting the module from; adult nursing, child health nursing, mental health nursing, midwifery, social work, operating department practice, diagnostic radiography and therapeutic radiography.
Students were divided into interprofessional groups of eight students. The groups were given a case study of a service user coming into contact with different health and social care professionals. They had to work together to produce a poster, based on the case study. The interprofessional groups provided a ‘real’ experience of working together and understanding one another’s roles. The students then had to defend their poster as a group and respond to questions from two assessors.
In order to review the assessment both students and staff were asked to provide feedback about the assessment process, listing the positive and challenging aspects.
All of the staff provided feedback (12) and 192 (60%) students also provided feedback.
Key findings
The assessment worked well, both staff and students have found it to be both a good learning experience as well as being a good way to assess IPL. Students had a ‘real’ experience of interprofessional working, facing the barriers and challenges to overcome which are similar to practice.