Format of the Report

In writing your case study we want you to consider an event or example of interprofessional collaboration that you have seen or been involved with during your placement.  We offer the format below (some elements of which are taken from a process outlined by Gibbs 1988) as a way of setting out your work.

 

Each report to be between 600 – 800 words.

 

Step 1: Describe in detail the event or example of interprofessional collaboration

Describe in detail the event you are considering.   For example: Where were you; who else was there; why were you there; what were you doing; what were other people doing; what was the context of the event; what happened; what was your part in this; what parts did the other people play and, what was the result?

 

Step 2: Focus on analysis and evaluation

Try to evaluate or make a judgment about the interprofessional collaboration from the perspective of the ‘SHEEP’ framework (see appendix 1): Systems, Human Interaction, Environment, Equipment, Personal.  For example, you might consider what were the advantages, positive or helpful aspects, and what were the limitations, negative, or hindering aspects?  How did these factors impact on patient safety?

 

Focus on going deeper into key aspects from your evaluation.  Ask yourself more detailed questions about the answers to the last stage, for example: why did things go well; what did you do well; what did others do well; what could be improved; what did not turn out how it should have done; in what way did you or others contribute to this; were any other professions who could have contributed missing?

 

Step 3: Conclusions

This differs from the evaluation and analysis stage in that now you have explored the issue from different angles and have a lot of information to base your decisions. It is here that you are likely to develop insight into your own and other people’s behaviour in terms of how it may have contributed to effectiveness of the collaboration and the patient safety outcome.

 

See appendix 2 for examples of types of interprofessional collaboration that you might consider in your reports.