Patients assessing students' assignments; making the patient experience real

The care of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) frequently falls short of the highest standards. This is noted in several publications, including national standards, despite nursing students being taught the importance of listening to and understanding patients. Teaching staff at the University of Glasgow primarily responsible for teaching third year undergraduate nursing students undertook a radical rethink of the planning, delivery and assessment of lectures on IBD. The subject had previously been delivered in a modified lecture format. Although the topic could be included in the end-of-year exams, there was little evidence to show whether this traditional teaching method had any effect on students' clinical practice. In a novel approach to learning and assessment, students were invited to research and produce an information leaflet for newly diagnosed patients with IBD. The leaflets were then assessed and grades awarded by an expert panel of patients and carers. Such enquiry based learning (EBL) intended to demonstrate in practice, the key role patients can play in both undergraduate nurse education and in service planning and delivery in the National Health Service (NHS). The panel found the exercise both interesting and insightful, while the students reported being invigorated and felt the expert assessment meant they were forced to achieve a higher level of work.