Investigating the long-term impact of interprofessional education (IPE) initiatives in care home settings

Stephens, Melanie; Kelly, Siobhan; Chadwick, Angelina; Clark, Andrew; Walker, Susan; Chesterton, Lorna

Abstract

While emerging evidence suggests that IPE initiatives can have benefits in care homes, their lasting impact in this context remains unclear. This study investigated the long-term impact of IPE in five care homes in Greater Manchester, building upon a 6-week pilot conducted by the project team in 2021 (Stephens et al., 2022a; Stephens et al., 2022b; Stephens et al., 2023; Kelly et al., 2023; Chesterton et al., 2023). From May to December 2023, students from a range of disciplines, such as Nursing (Adult, Learning Disability and Mental Health Fields of Practice), Physiotherapy, Dietetics, Occupational Therapy, and Sports Rehabilitation, were continually placed within five care homes. There were four six-week cycles of IPE conducted, during periods of ‘overlap’, where students were out on placement at the same time. In each cycle, the students attended weekly meetings to address the goals of residents as a collaborative team. A mixed-method evaluation ran alongside the IPE scheme which had two components: 1) weekly digital surveys were administered to students and care home staff to measure the impact involvement has on their development, and 2) a smaller sample of students, staff and residents involved took part in qualitative semi-structured interviews. This work explores the positive impact engagement had on the participants knowledge, skill, and personal development, illuminates the longer-term impacts of IPE in care homes, and explores future directions for such initiatives in this environment.

Citation

Stephens, M., Kelly, S., Chadwick, A., Clark, A., Walker, S., & Chesterton, L. (2024). Investigating the long-term impact of interprofessional education (IPE) initiatives in care home settings. University of Salford: Health Education England

• Report Type: Research Report
• Publication Date: Mar 26, 2024
• Deposit Date: Mar 26, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 3, 2024
• ISBN: 9781912337958
• Keywords: Interprofessional Education, Care Homes, Mixed Methods