'Gaming': gamification for the advancement of multiprofessional/interprofessional groupwork. Using a games-based approach for synchronous interprofessional education (IPE) to facilitate students' learning with, from and about each other and support the development of collaboration, negotiation, conflict resolution and leadership skills.

‘Interprofessional Education (IPE) enables two or more professions to learn with, from and about each other to improve collaborative practice and quality of care’ (CAIPE, 2002). It is a professional requirement for IPE to be embedded in pre-registration curricula (HCPC, 2017; NMC, 2018; SWE, 2019) to ensure health and social care students are supported to develop the required knowledge, skills and attitudes to make a positive contribution to the interprofessional team, both as a student and upon qualification. Effective interprofessional working has been shown to enhance service user satisfaction and outcomes through collaborative practice (Grumbach ad Bodenheimer, 2004) and improve professional working relationships by challenging professional stereotyping and fostering interprofessional respect (Ateah et al., 2011).
Situated outside professional programmes, perceptions of IPE as an additional learning-burden are problematic which necessitates a creative approach to resource development to promote student engagement and motivation and reinforce the importance of IPE. To that end, 'GAMING', a games-based, interactive e-resource was developed using xerte software.
‘GAMING’ provides cross-Faculty learning opportunities for students to work synchronously online in interprofessional groups to explore a series of video scenarios. The sessions aims to provide an opportunity for students to learn with, from and about each other, and enhance their skills of collaboration, negotiation, conflict resolution and leadership.
In a post session survey of the first cohort to engage with ‘GAMING’, the majority of students found it to be a well-designed, innovative and engaging e-resource which was relevant to their learning. It was a positive experience which enhanced their knowledge and understanding of IPE and provided a valuable opportunity to learn with, from and about students on other professional programmes. A minority of students would have preferred a face-to-face session, suggesting ‘GAMING’ could be included in a suite of learning and teaching approaches to meet all learning preferences.