SINGLE ROOM MATERNITY CARE TEACHING ROTATION
Through funding received from a Practice Education Innovation
Fund (PEIF) grant, an exciting interdisciplinary teaching
rotation has been established on the new 18 bed Single Room
Maternity Care unit (SRMC) at BC Women’s Hospital.
Located apart from the rest of the hospital, the SRMC unit
has a mandate to provide complete care for women with low
risk pregnancies during the intrapartum and postpartum periods.
This arrangement provides a unique opportunity for education
in low risk maternity care and is an ideal learning environment
for students of all professions and disciplines.
With PEIF funding, an innovative obstetrical teaching rotation
has been established on the SRMC. The goal of this rotation
is to allow learners to experience interprofessional education
and collaboration in the field of maternity care and to have
hands-on experience with different maternity care providers.
Students from nursing, medicine and midwifery attend weekly
small group educational sessions. These are taught by an interprofessional
team of maternity care providers including members from the
departments of Family Practice, Midwifery, Nursing, and Obstetrics.
Students then participate in the care of the maternity patients
on the SRMC unit with a primary caregiver regardless of the
primary caregiver’s profession.
This approach is a change from the more traditional model
of education where each profession trains their own learners.
It is therefore a great opportunity to experience both education
and patient care with a team approach. Evaluation of the learners
is done in the 360-degree model. This means that the resident,
midwifery or nursing student is evaluated by the patients
and nursing staff as well as the obstetrical, midwifery and
family practice maternity providers. This supports the concept
that the learner is part of the team and that the team works
together.
The eight week teaching rotation is currently in its second
session with eight students from midwifery and medicine participating.
Family Medicine residents from the International Medical Graduate
(IMG) and St. Paul’s Family Practice program have participated.
In addition, 4th year Midwifery students and Nursing students
are working alongside these residents. It is very rewarding
to see these interprofessional students share their knowledge
and experiences in a collaborative spirit. The SRMC project
will continue next year so that more students experience this
innovative and positive rotation.
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