Abstract:

The WHIRL project (Workplace Health InteRprofessional Learning: Blake et al., 2020) adopted a creative and collaborative approach to interprofessional (IPL) training in the context of healthcare education. The aim of the training was to equip volunteer healthcare students, from a range of health disciplines, with skills required for delivery of health promotion interventions and general health checks. 20 students completed the training and worked on rotas in small teams, offering health promotion advice and health checks, under supervision, to local workers in the construction industry as part of a broader research programme, Test@Work. This paper focuses on the model of IPL used in the WHIRL initiative and presents recommendations for best practice. The WHIRL model incorporated an innovative 4-part training programme (pre-field work) and clinical supervision (during field work):
(1) A 2-hour face-to-face training session outlining theories of behaviour change with practical scenario-based role play.
(2) Observed practice of the volunteer delivering brief health promotion interventions.
(3) Practical demonstration by the training team of taking measurements (height, weight), conducting mental health screen, recording blood pressure, and calculating body mass index (BMI).
(4) Relevant information about signposting to local services and self-directed learning using a national “Making Every Contact Count” e-learning activity.
To measure the effectiveness of the training in preparing the volunteers the Kirkpatrick Four-Level Evaluation Model was used to measure i) Level 1: Reaction (whether volunteers perceived the training/experience of delivering health promotion interventions to be engaging and relevant); ii) Level 2: Learning (whether volunteers acquired the intended knowledge, skills, attitude, confidence, and commitment based on their participation in the training), iii) Level 3: Behaviour (did the volunteers apply what they learned during their training in the health promotion field work) and iv) Level 4: Results (whether the training ensured that the volunteers were aware of their own accountability).

All 20 volunteers valued the experience and found it useful for their learning and clinical practice (Level 1). Volunteers’ knowledge and confidence increased and they valued the opportunity for peer discussion with students from other disciplines (Level 2). Volunteers reported they applied the learning in the health promotion field work and implemented theoretical principles in one-to-one interactions with workers during health checks (Level 3). Volunteers reported increased awareness of themselves as accountable practitioners in recognising wider determinants of health and the need for targeted health checks in marginalised populations (Level 4).
In conclusion, the WHIRL IPL project offered healthcare students a unique opportunity to improve their knowledge and skills in public health practice and effectively demonstrated added value of multi-professional training in healthcare education. Expertise of training providers to offer real life application of theory is integral to build students’ confidence to work in the diverse field of public health practice.

References:
[1] Blake, H.; Somerset, S.; Whittingham, K.; Middleton, M.; Yildirim, M.; Evans, C. WHIRL Study: Workplace Health Interprofessional Learning in the Construction Industry. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 6815. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17186815

Keywords:

Training, healthcare education, interprofessional learning, public health, health promotion.