title: Interprofessional education: merging nursing, midwifery and CAM.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To ascertain the value of bringing together undergraduate students from nursing, midwifery, and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to determine what they could learn from each other.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Interprofessional education (IPE) is a growing field promoting interaction between professional groups, collaborative working and quality of health. In conventional health, IPE has a role to play in undergraduate education. No studies have been undertaken to investigate the integration of CAM students and conventional undergraduate healthcare students.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a mixed-method study, in 2010, a sample of third-year students enrolled on adult nursing, midwifery, homeopathy and complementary therapies degree courses took part in two workshops and a focus-group discussion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six themes were identified from qualitative data analysis: interaction; breaking down prejudices; knowledge of self; knowledge of others; common aims; and organisational limitations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The common aim of patient-centred care allowed students to recognise the benefits of a more integrated health system.
authors: Senior Lecturer, Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University.
authors: Maggie
authors: M
authors: Netherwood
authors: Ruth
authors: R
authors: Derham
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000193:education*; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003479:Curriculum; D004493:Education; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006705:Homeopathy / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008297:Male; D008880:Midwifery / Q000193:education*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D011247:Pregnancy; D011287:Prejudice / Q000517:prevention & control; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D006113:United Kingdom
keywords: Complementary and alternative medicine; Interprofessional education; Midwifery; Nursing