Conference educates and engages students in importance of interprofessional working
This is about interprofessional education which will encourage our students from different disciplines to work together. By involving the students in a simulated case conference, we are hoping to educate our future workforce.
Healthcare students will be joining with policing and social work students to understand the complexities involved in safeguarding children and young people.
Staffordshire University’s Interprofessional Safeguarding Conference: Children and Young People is taking place on the Stoke-on-Trent campus this Wednesday 5 February and will involve the students in a simulated case conference designed to educate them on how agencies need to work together to keep children safe.
A range of external speakers will be contributing their expertise on gang crime, child exploitation and children’s mental health with the aim of promoting a culture of interprofessional working among Nursing, Social Work and Policing students.
Dr Fiona Cust, Senior Lecturer in Children’s Nursing, said: “This is about interprofessional education which will encourage our students from different disciplines to work together. We know Serious Case Reviews happen when different agencies haven’t worked well together and children have been failed by a lack of interprofessional collaboration and ineffective communication. By involving the students in a simulated case conference, we are hoping to educate our future workforce.
“Interprofessional working is much talked about but it’s not clear how much it is practised and it needs to be if we are to avoid children and young people falling through the net.”
As well as hearing first-hand from former gang members, students will hear from Professor Vanessa Webb who is qualified as both a nurse and doctor and who has worked with police forces in the area of sexual offences.
Dr Cust added: “We’re delighted that Professor Webb will be with us for the day and able to observe the students during the simulated activity. She will be presenting on professional curiosity which is all about asking the right questions, in the right way at the right time.”
The conference is part of University activity for International Year of the Nurse and Midwife.