QU health students tackle antibiotics and infection issues
AN Inter-professional Education (IPE) activity that focuses on infection and antibiotic stewardship, was held at Qatar University (QU) recently. Nearly 150 students and 16 facilitators from QU Health, the health cluster that comprises three health related colleges at QU, pharmacy, medicine and health sciences participated in the event.
The Inter-professional Education Committee (IPEC) organised the event with the aim to introduce students to the concept of antimicrobial stewardship. The activity addressed shared IPE competencies, including role clarification, inter-professional communication and shared decision-making.
The event featured discussions focused on the issue of antimicrobial resistance to highlight the ongoing problem of antibiotics no longer being active against certain infections.
The students were introduced to a case study that encouraged discussion among groups on the role and perspective of different professions (pharmacy, medicine, public health, biomedical) in antimicrobial stewardship and the benefits of adding more professions to the team.
The challenging case allowed students to share their knowledge and learn from others during a group discussion in order to meet the needs of this patient.
Commenting on the event, CPH Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and QU Health Chair of IPEC Dr Alla El-Awaisi said, “Inter-professional education is an essential component in creating and promoting a collaborative culture where members of the healthcare team effectively collaborate for best effective care to our patients.
“We are proud that healthcare students in Qatar have had the opportunity, this academic year, to participate in curricula and extra curricula IPE activities learning with, from and about each other on a diverse range of topics such as smoking cessation, diabetes, mental health, infection, fall prevention and much more.”
CPH Assistant Professor and lead facilitator for the event Dr Shane Pawluk said, “As globally, the rates of antimicrobial resistance are increasing, inter-professional learning offers our future healthcare professionals the opportunity to face this challenge together in an organised and effective manner.”
Senior CHS biomedical student Fatima Abdullah Ahmadi said, “The IPE experience was very helpful as a student in health care. We gained tremendous knowledge from all healthcare providers such as biomedical sciences, pharmacy, medicine, nutrition and public health.
“Opening the discussion about important topics such as patient care, antibiotics and infectious diseases makes you realise that all of these disciplines somehow overlap and play a crucial role in patient care. Most importantly, it highlights that team work is vital in medical healthcare.”
Third year CHS public health student Sana Ahmed Elashie said, “Attending the IPE activity was a powerful opportunity to meet other professionals from other backgrounds and other perspectives that we lack. Everyone looked at the case from totally different angles. Activities such as this provide students with the opportunity to enhance their career and achieve more in their area.”