As students embark on another year of learning and training in the health and social care professions here at CUW, the time is right to remind the campus community of the goals of IPE @ CUW.
Interprofessional education, or IPE, as it is most often referred to, is an opportunity for students to learn, train and ultimately work together as they care for patients and clients.
Around 10 years ago the major accrediting bodies and healthcare and public health created a set of competencies, or educational goals, for students to achieve. In short, the goals for students here at CUW is to learn how to 1. Create a culture of mutual respect and shared values, 2. To fully understand their role and the roles of others when assessing patient/client needs, 3. To be able to communicate effectively with other health and social care professionals, and 4. The ability to understand team dynamics and to work in teams to deliver quality patient/client care.
The Office of IPE @ CUW is committed to these goals as well the ‘end game’ of preparing students for IPC: interprofessional collaboration, out there, in the real world of health and social care practice. It may take a while for new students to “see” IPE in action – but eventually the “ah ha” moment will arrive. For those interested in reading about the impact of IPE and IPC on healthcare please see the following New Yorker article from 2011. (Thanks to professor Mike McKinnis, IPE Rep/Occupational Therapy Department for sharing.)
For more information on IPE @ CUW please see our website and/or contact the Campus Coordinator of IPE, professor Michael J. Oldani at michael.oldani@cuw.edu, or phone at 262-243-2779 (or stop by his office in the School of Pharmacy, #299/top floor).
Office of IPE @ CUW
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