Enabling service users to lead interprofessional workshops to improve student listening skills
N.B. The information below is authored by the mini-project applicants, not by staff of MEDEV. This text represents the views and opinions of the mini-project team only, not those of the subject centre or its affiliates.
Principal investigator
Elizabeth Anderson,Full list of project partners
Jenny Ford
Principal Lecturer in Speech and Language Therapy
School of Allied Health Sciences
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
De Montfort University
The Gateway
Leicester LE1 9BH
tel. 0116 257 7759
Description
Aim
To produce a model and strategy to enable service users to take on leading roles in the ‘Listening Workshop’, an established practice-based interprofessional teaching event to which they have already contributed and shaped the educational content
Objectives
• Assess the potential for disabled users carers and parents to take on teaching roles within an interprofessional community based training event
• Identify the support and framework required to enable a range of service users to develop teaching skills
• Develop and pilot guidance and training for service users using an action research approach
• Establish service user led workshops
• Assess student learning and satisfaction
• Assess impact on academic departments for future replication and complete a cost/benefit analysis
Background
Following a successful mini project grant in 2005 we have established and embedded a new interprofessional workshop, ‘The Listening Workshop’ focussed on improving student listening and communication skills. Today over 400 students from seven professional groups access this learning in practise. Service users have been central from the outset and are integral to the delivery. The learning model was shaped by a team of academics working with service users and carers. A feedback process was devised by the team in which service users give feedback on student communication skills. Student evaluations of this learning highlight the importance of developing an awareness of the service user’s perspective (Anderson et al 2010)
References
Anderson ES, Ford J, Thorpe LN.(2010). Learning to Listen: Improving students communication with disabled people. Medial Teacher; 32: 1-9.
Rationale
Since designing and developing this project the initial group of 12 service users has expanded to include over 60 participants who represent a range of conditions and ages. Experienced service user participants have expressed an interest in taking more leading roles in the teaching. We need to research how to harness this potential at a time of resource limitations and address pressure on capacity. This includes designing and testing a training package and process as a partnership between service users, students and teachers from academia and practice.
Methology/process
The action research cycle will include the following stages:
1.A series of away days with all stakeholders to assess the ground work.
2.Formation of a partnership steering group including service users/carers, students, academics and practice managers
3.Preparation and further consultation to design teaching materials and a delivery strategy
4.Pilot and evaluation of the materials
5.Evaluation of how to embed this including cost/benefit analysis
Data collected at each phase of the project will inform the next phase. Cyclical data collection from stakeholders will include qualitative data (questionnaires, interviews and focus groups).
Value for money
This project owes its success to funding from the Higher Education Academy and further development will ensure the achievements are sustained despite constraints on clinical time. The project will provide solution for continued delivery in practice and ensure the valued partnership with service users can progress to another level.
Aimed at
This project will engage practice staff (working for a local health Trust within the community), students (from health , social care, therapy, pharmacy) with academics from two Universities.
Outcomes
The project will deliver
•A structure to enable service users participants to progress into teaching roles
•A package of training and support materials for these roles
•Greater awareness of dialogue required to enable service users led-engagement within education and solutions to possible barriers
•A group of trained service users able to cascade and take forward the learning
•A cost benefit analysis of service user led practice based Interprofessional education
•Top tip into Open Education Resources
Benefits of this project
•Sustainable high quality interprofessional workshops in practice
•Growth and skill development for services users and carers
•A partnership between all stakeholders
Practice based interprofessional education is currently being challenged as managers review costs for services. We believe this model can be sustained effectively within practice by utilising the skills of willing service users who have from the outset designed and owned this learning. The learning outcomes of the workshop are designed to shape future practitioners who can work together and listen to key messages from users which can improve practice. Through working on this project service users can develop confidence, skills and a greater understanding o the educational process.
Personal experience
As a national Teaching Fellow I have a track record on educational research.I have held and coplted two mini project grants one for Health Sciences and Practice and one for SWAP.
I have also held research money from our Regional Health Authority.
Please see my CV for publications.
Ethical approval
The proposal will require ethical permission to engage service users and practitioners. There is already ethical permission for our local developmental work on interprofessional education with our COREC. We will extend this ethical permission.
Other work
There is a plethora of research in health and social care education concerning user involvement in student learning and indeed the Higher Education Academy has sponsored some of this work (Benbow and Boyce, 2008); Clisssett et al 2008). The majority of studies are uni professional and some describe conventional involvement of service users such as being interviewed at home or an experience of being the patient with the student (Chipp et al 2004). It is well known that the needs of service users within health professional training are complex (Lloyd et al 2007). Some studies have gone onto consider deeper involvement by service users but this area remains under-researched. There is little on the skills users would require to lead interprofessional education which is known to be more challenging and requires advanced facilitation skills (Anderson et al 2009).
Reference
Anderson ES, Thorpe LN, Cox D. (2009). Preparation of Educators involved in interprofessional education. Journal of Interprofessional Care; 23(1):81-94.
Benbow SM, Boyce W. (2008). In Our Shoes: A user and carer led teaching model. HEA Mini project 2006-7.
Chipp A, Stoneley S, Cooper K. (2004). Clinical placements for medical students: Factors affecting patients involvement in medical education. Medical Teacher; 26 (2): 114-9.
Clissett P, McGarry, Cook J, (2008), Involving users and carer and other key stakeholders in the development of curricula for the care of older people. HEA Mini project 2006-7.
Lloyd M, Carson A, Bleakley C. (2007). Exploring the needs of service users involved in planning and delivering mental health services and education. HEA Mini project 2007-8.
Outcomes
The project will deliver
•A structure to enable service users participants to progress into teaching roles
•A package of training and support materials for these roles
•Greater awareness of dialogue required to enable service users led-engagement within education and solutions to possible barriers
•A group of trained service users able to cascade and take forward the learning
•A cost benefit analysis of service user led practice based Interprofessional education
•Top tip into Open Education Resources
Benefits of this project
•Sustainable high quality interprofessional workshops in practice
•Growth and skill development for services users and carers
•A partnership between all stakeholders
Practice based interprofessional education is currently being challenged as managers review costs for services. We believe this model can be sustained effectively within practice by utilising the skills of willing service users who have from the outset designed and owned this learning. The learning outcomes of the workshop are designed to shape future practitioners who can work together and listen to key messages from users which can improve practice. Through working on this project service users can develop confidence, skills and a greater understanding o the educational process.
Student involvement
Students will be members of the steering group therefore they will shape the project throughout. These students will gain new skills from working with service users and practitioners from different professions. On-going cyclical collection of data from students who attend this learning will shape content.
Impact dissemination
There is a plethora of research in health and social care education concerning user involvement in student learning and indeed the Higher Education Academy has sponsored some of this work (Benbow and Boyce, 2008); Clisssett et al 2008). The majority of studies are uni professional and some describe conventional involvement of service users such as being interviewed at home or an experience of being the patient with the student (Chipp et al 2004). It is well known that the needs of service users within health professional training are complex (Lloyd et al 2007). Some studies have gone onto consider deeper involvement by service users but this area remains under-researched. There is little on the skills users would require to lead interprofessional education which is known to be more challenging and requires advanced facilitation skills (Anderson et al 2009).
Reference
Anderson ES, Thorpe LN, Cox D. (2009). Preparation of Educators involved in interprofessional education. Journal of Interprofessional Care; 23(1):81-94.
Benbow SM, Boyce W. (2008). In Our Shoes: A user and carer led teaching model. HEA Mini project 2006-7.
Chipp A, Stoneley S, Cooper K. (2004). Clinical placements for medical students: Factors affecting patients involvement in medical education. Medical Teacher; 26 (2): 114-9.
Clissett P, McGarry, Cook J, (2008), Involving users and carer and other key stakeholders in the development of curricula for the care of older people. HEA Mini project 2006-7.
Lloyd M, Carson A, Bleakley C. (2007). Exploring the needs of service users involved in planning and delivering mental health services and education. HEA Mini project 2007-8.
Contact details
Amount awarded: £5,000.00
MEDEV project contact: Victor Ottaway
This proposal was funded under the Joint miniprojects with Health Sciences & Practice 2010 call
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