IPE and the rural and remote practice context
Teamwork is an essential part of providing effective health care when working in a rural and remote setting, and provides a great opportunity for students to observe interprofessional collaborative practice in action. To support rural workplace ready graduates, it is important that rural and remote student supervisors identify opporutnities for interprofessional education. Incorporating interprofessional education in a rural clinical placement can enhance a placement by:
- enabling students to target a key clinical goal of working in a team
- increased exposure to other professions
- increased understanding of roles within a team
- reinforcing client-centred care and patient safety
For information about interprofessional education including tools, refer to Interprofessional Education.
Rural and remote IPE Resources
- The Australian Rural Health Education Network published ‘A Text Book of Australian Rural Health’ (2008). The textbook can be downloaded and has an excellent chapter ‘Strengthening Interprofessional Practice’ (Smith, Stone & Bull, 2008). The chapter has clear learning objectives. There are two case studies that highlight the importance of team-based client-centred care in rural Australia. Each case study has a guided discussion and questions to stimulate further discussion about the roles, skills and team required to deliver quality health care to clients.
- The National Rural Health Student Network has published two position papers that relate to interprofessional education: Extended scope of practice, emerging health professions and rural career pathway attraction opportunities position paper (2013) and Interprofessional Education (IPE) position paper (2007, updated 2012).
References:
- Health Workforce Australia. Expanded scopes of practice program.
- Health Education Training Institute (2012). The Learning Guide – A handbook for allied health professionals facilitating learning in the workplace. Sydney: HETI. Retrieved from http://www.heti.nsw.gov.au/Global/HETI-Resources/allied-health/allied-health-learning-guide.pdf
- National Rural Health Student Network (2013). Extended scope of practice, emerging health professions and rural career pathway attraction opportunities position paper.
- National Rural Health Student Network (2012). Inter Professional Education (IPE) position paper.
- Smith, T., Stone, N. & Bull, R. (2008). In Liaw, S. & Kilpatrick, S. (Eds.). A textbook of Australian Rural Health. Australian Rural Health Education Network, Canberra.
