Courses
New initiative connects nursing and pharmacy students in shared learning
Atlantic Technological University (ATU) proudly hosted its first Interprofessional Learning (IPL) Day between BSc General Nursing, BSc Intellectual Disability Nursing, and the MPharm Pharmacy programmes on the 22 April. 36 nursing and pharmacy students participated in the event which took place across the Sligo and St Angela’s campuses.
This joint IPL initiative aimed to build confidence, mutual respect, and professional understanding through shared learning experiences early in students’ healthcare education programmes, with a focus on collaboration and communication across community and hospital support settings.
Students participated in team‑building activities, campus tours, a clinical skills laboratory session, medicine dispensing and an introduction to the roles and responsibilities of nursing and pharmacy professionals.
The day included IPL team discussion on practice‑based scenarios, including medication management, communication, and shared decision‑making. In addition, students explored how interprofessional collaboration supports person‑centred care for patients and people with intellectual disabilities across a range of health and social care contexts.
Student feedback highlighted the value of learning alongside other disciplines and a greater understanding of shared responsibility for care.
Dr Edel McSharry, Head of Department of Nursing, Health Sciences and Disability Studies, said:
Interdisciplinary learning is essential in preparing healthcare professionals to work collaboratively and deliver safe, person-centred care. This IPL initiative provided students with an opportunity to learn with, from and about each other, helping to build mutual respect, communication, and understanding of the important role each profession plays within healthcare teams. I would also like to acknowledge and thank Elaine Lowther, Ursula Gilrane and Sharon Sherlock for their leadership and commitment in driving this important initiative.
Head of the Department of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Marita Kinsella said “Pharmacists and nurses work together on an ongoing basis in our health services, sharing expertise and providing high-quality care to patients. Opportunities such as this IPL Day are incredibly important as part of the development of pharmacy and nursing students and provide the foundation for excellent life-long professional collaboration”.
It was wonderful to see both Pharmacy and Nursing students interacting in a friendly and professional capacity and learning from each other. The warm engagement between the students really reflects the professional collaboration that is essential for safe patient care.
Maíread Casserly and Dr Rosemary Smyth, Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
This inaugural IPL Day reflects ATU’s ongoing commitment to interprofessional education and to supporting collaborative, high‑quality healthcare across community and hospital settings.
