1. Professional identity and shared values across health and social care students J.M. Harvey-Lloyd 1, H. Rugg 2, Dr. J. Day 2, Dr R. Strudwick 1 1 School of Science, Technology and Health, University Campus Suffolk 2 School of Nursing and Midwifery, University Campus Suffolk, Ipswich Following the Bristol Royal Infirmary inquiry 1, the impetus for interprofessional collaboration grew in momentum. Closely followed by the Victoria Climbie Inquiry report further recommendations were made that required training bodies ‘to demonstrate that effective joint working between [...] professional groups features in their national training programmes’ 2 These and other incidents since have set out the foundations for the need to implement interprofessional learning as the basis for collaboration between professions. In 2001, the Department of Health reaffirmed its commitment to the development of common learning programmes by stating that all health professionals should expect their education and training to include common learning with other professionals at every stage from pre-registration courses through to continuing professional development 3. In response to both political and educational drivers, an Interprofessional learning (IPL) programme was introduced across all undergraduate health and social care programmes at UCS in 2004. The purpose of the programme is to encourage pre-registration learners to learn from each other and to have a greater understanding of the roles and responsibilities of other professions. Introduction The first year module of the IPL programme at UCS is named The Professional Person. In the introductory workshop to the module, students are asked to consider issues of professional identity and shared values. The cohort of 80 first year undergraduate students were from a range of health and social care courses - nursing (adult, child and mental health), operating department practitioners, social work, diagnostic radiography, therapy radiography, midwifery. The group was then divided into small interprofessional groups of 8 members and given the following questions to discuss. Results Outcomes and Recommendations References 1 Department of Health (DOH) (2001b) The Bristol Royal Infirmary Inquiry. CM5207 (1). London: HMSO. 2 Department of Health (DOH) (2003) The Victoria Climbie Inquiry: Report of an Inquiry by Lord Laming. London: HMSO. 3 Department of Health (DOH) (2001) New NHS lifelong learning framework. London: HMSO. 4 Centre for the Advancement of Interprofessional Education (CAIPE) (2002) Defining IPE [online]. London: Centre for the Advancement of Interprofessional Education (CAIPE ). Available from: http://www.caipe.org.uk/about-us/defining-ipe/?keywords=definition [12 August 2008].http://www.caipe.org.uk/about-us/defining-ipe/?keywords=definition Question 1: What is a professional? Question 1: What is a professional? Contact: j.harvey-lloyd@ucs.ac.uk CAIPE ‘ Interprofessional education occurs when two or more professions learn with, from and about each other to improve collaboration and the quality of care’ 5. Question 2: What shared values do you have as a professional? Question 2: What shared values do you have as a professional? Method Following the activity, the group were then asked to consider the challenges that they faced whilst undertaking the activity in their interprofessional What is a professional?What shared values do you have as a professional? What were the challenges when undertaking the activity? Different perspectives of professional identity Operating from different models of care Conflicting values A wide range of different opinions Lack of knowledge of other professions Some professional groups were under-represented due to small cohort numbers Out of comfort zone – breaking down barriers It can be seen from the results that the interprofessional groups: were able to discuss and agree on what it is to be a professional identified shared values in the group regardless of professional background worked collaboratively on the tasks despite the wide range of opinions and being out of their comfort zone found the exercise useful in that it enabled students to challenge their thinking and realise as health and social care there are a lot of commonalities and the necessity to work together for the benefit of the service user Two primary recommendations from this study are: Future consideration of the use of service user patient pathways to illustrate how different professional groups may come into contact with each other Use of some short introductory videos to watch prior to the module to provide the students with information about role of each of the different professions involved in IPL, allowing students to discuss their roles with one another