KMMS students took part in a recent interprofessional learning opportunity with Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU) MSc Mental Health Nursing students to help develop their understanding of the need for multi-disciplinary input within their careers.
In line with the recently adopted Interprofessional Learning (IPL) Strategy, the Interprofessional Learning lead, Cathy Bernal, began working in 2023 with Esme Blay, the MSc Mental Health Nursing (MHN) pathway director at CCCU and Dr Samuel Oyekan (NELFT), who delivered part of the session. The objective was to create an interprofessional learning opportunity through a planned teaching event about eating disorders.
This seminar is the latest in a number of developments by KMMS in its interprofessional learning strand, now represented in campus-based teaching in Years 1, 2 and 3. Its success has resulted in plans to widen the interprofessional element to include MSc Adult Nursing students in addition to their MHN peers next year.
Significant Development at KMMS
The introduction of seminars such as this represent clear progress in the IPL strategy. Cathy Bernal, commenting on the experience, said:
“In their feedback on this experience, students from both programmes made clear the benefits to their learning, some averring that they would like more of this in their curricula, and others that they would appreciate the involvement of students from other healthcare programmes in addition. This is therefore a very significant development in IPL at KMMS. I remain deeply grateful to Esme Blay for her hard work and enthusiasm in helping us to achieve such a positive outcome.”
Esme Blay collaborated with staff from KMMS to help create the workshop that allowed students an opportunity to explore the complexities of Multisystem Condition Anorexia.
She said: “This event marked an important milestone, showcasing the value of interprofessional collaboration in education. Bringing together MSc Mental Health Nursing students and KMMS medical students fostered a dynamic and inclusive learning environment. The seminar not only deepened understanding of the complexities of eating disorders but also emphasised the importance of teamwork in delivering holistic and effective care.”
The initiative reflects the commitment of staff to prepare students for real-world healthcare challenges. Esme added: “It was truly inspiring to witness students from diverse disciplines engaging in meaningful dialogue and learning from one another.”
Ram Reesaul, course director for MSc Nursing at CCCU, commented on the importance of interprofessional learning. He said: “Interprofessional Learning is a must to understanding the complexity of working together for a common patient outcome. It allows an understanding of the different roles of the multidisciplinary members and the importance of respect for the other profession. I highly enjoyed the session and look forward to more of this type with students from more schools and faculties.”
Positive Student Feedback
The day was a success, with 120+ medical students from KMMS joined by 18 nursing students from CCCU, who all participated together in the group work. The willingness of all students to use their own clinical experience and insights helped to support the learning of their peers. Carlota Martinez Juan, a student from KMMS, enjoyed the process, adding “working amongst students from a different course brought a different perspective to the conversation, which was very interesting to see and helpful for the task we were given.”
Feedback from students from CCCU was equally positive. Femi Are-Daniel added that the experience “underscored the value of breaking down silos to improve patient outcomes”, while Famel Quaye commented that the seminar was “highly enriching and provided valuable insight into the multidisciplinary team (MDT) experience”.
A huge thanks goes to Cathy Bernal, Joel Petch, Dr Ana Oliveira, Esme Blay, Professor Chris Holland and Dr Samuel Oyekan for all of your hard work in making this seminar a success.