QU holds IPE activity on person-centred care

Students from different healthcare programmes in Qatar University participated in this activity. The professions involved were Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Science, Pharmacy and Public Health. This session started with an introductory video by Dr Lily O’Hara (lead facilitator, associate professor of Public Health from the College of Health Sciences), followed by an introduction of the team members.Then, discovery interviews were conducted to learn about, from and with other health professional disciplines within the group. Finally, a case study was introduced to students about the mental health of a 23-year-old female. They looked at her vital signs, nutrition intake and physical assessment and addressed the issues of mental health and services available for her. They also discussed the role of each health profession and how they could be involved.Dr O’Hara said: “Bringing students from different health disciplines together to learn about, with and from each other is an incredibly valuable experience for them. In this event, we had a case study of a young woman whose mental, physical and social health and well-being are impacted by a number of social factors. This case study was highly relevant to young people today, as they are dealing with many similar issues. By working together interprofessionally, students were able to think about these complex issues more holistically, and understand the role that each health professional may play in contributing to a system that can address these issues in a more coordinated and supportive way.”Professional Year 1 pharmacy student from the College of Pharmacy, Muneera Ali Abdullah, said: “The IPE sessions bring to light the interconnected and interdependent nature of the healthcare sectors and is pivotal in strengthening the relationship between various healthcare sectors. The IPE session was very productive. We had the opportunity to meet students from different health colleges such as public health, nutrition and physiotherapy. We tried to solve a medical scenario by looking at it from different aspects. This experience taught us how IPE can promote trust and understanding among different professionals, to achieve collaborative patient-centred care."