IPR.Global Pearls - Learning in lockdown: exploring the impact of COVID-19 on interprofessional education

A series of publications in the British Journal of Midwifery are in progress from members of the Centre for the Advancement of Interprofessional Education (CAIPE) Research Experience Subgroup. 

The series aims to explore international experiences of ‘learning in lockdown’ from the perspectives of students, academics, and service users as IPE delivery transitioned to emergency remote teaching during the COVID pandemic.

The papers offer a rich and unique data source to inform future IPE provision with respect to the liminal changes that had to be made because of COVID restrictions. The series considers the context of IPE provision, the impact of COVID-19, student experiences, academic experiences, impacts on practice-based learning, assessment of IPE, impact on service user provision and lessons learnt for future planning.  

The goal of this series is to share insight into, and authentic experiences of, the global impact of the COVID pandemic on IPE provision. The papers report on the benefits and challenges of interprofessional learning in lockdown, offering the global community opportunity to build resourcefulness, resilience, capacity, and readiness for managing the future of interprofessional education and collaborative practice.

Complete list of authors: Alison Power, Michael Palapal Sy, Maggie Hutchings, Tracy Coleman, Alla El-Awaisi, Gatera Fiston Kitema, Jean Gallagher, Chulani Herath, Nichola McLarnon, Shobhana Nagraj, Veronica O'Carroll, Melissa Owens, Vikki Park, Emma Pope, Lisa-Christin Wetzlmair, P Jane Greaves, and Elizabeth S Anderson.

LINK:  https://www.magonlinelibrary.com/doi/abs/10.12968/bjom.2021.29.11.648   

IPR.Global Scholar Spotlight - Dr. Nhlanganiso Nyathi, Anglia Ruskin University (UK)

Hello, my name is Dr. Nhlanganiso Nyathi and I am an Associate Professor of Social Work at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) in UK. I am originally from Zimbabwe. I am very passionate and committed to about the capacity for of interprofessional education and research in transforming in preparing health and social care students for readiness to transforming the health and well-being for vulnerable people.

I initially became curious about how a multidisciplinary approach could mitigate the challenges faced by children who survive off the streets of my home City of Bulawayo in Zimbabwe in the early 1990s. After successfully leading a donor funded Bulawayo Taskforce on Street Children initiative, I later embarked on Doctoral research in interprofessional child protection decision making following some years interprofessional social work practice, leadership and teaching in the UK.

My proudest moments in the area of interprofessional education and research include:

• Achieving my PhD award followed by a number of publications in the area of interprofessional education and research. 
• Serving in the Faculty of Health, Education, Medicine and Social Care IPL strategic working group.
• Becoming a member of Africa Interprofessional Education Network (AfriPEN).
• Becoming a member of Afri-VIPE (a virtual IPE under the auspices of AfriPEN).

Having contributed and impacted interprofessional education and research at university and national levels, taking this passion to a global level through IPR.Global seems quite a logical professional progression form me.

And finally, should pineapple be on pizza? 

An absolute NO!

To contact Dr. Nyathi email: Nhlanganiso.Nyathi@aru.ac.uk

IPR.Global Scholar Spotlight - Dr. Renata Eccles, University of Pretoria (South Africa)

The bigger the dream, the more important the team

Hello, my name is Dr Renata Eccles, I am a speech-language therapist and senior lecturer from the Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, University of Pretoria in South Africa. I am predominantly involved in early childhood development, early communication intervention specifically. 

I am part of the team of lecturers involved in the INtwegrated Health Leadership modules at the University of Pretoria. These are multidisciplinary modules running from 1st to 3rd year that focus on interprofessional collaboration to achieve community engagement. I am most proud to chair the IPE theme for the Dirisana+ project. 

IPR.Global is valuable because it provides a network which further opportunities to connect with the IPECP community. 

And finally, should pineapple be on pizza? Yes or No? 

No, no, no. As an Italian, pineapple on pizza is not for me. But you do you

Dr. Eccles email: renata.mosca@up.ac.za

Interprofessional Research.Global Scholar Spotlight is a regular feature that highlights member research in Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice.  

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