Interprofessional training: Start with the youngest! A program for undergraduate healthcare students in Geneva,...

Demography of patients and complexity in the management of multimorbid conditions has made collaborative practice a necessity for the future, also in Switzerland. Since 2012, the University of Applied Sciences (UAS) and its Healthcare School as well as the University of Geneva (UG) with its Medical Faculty have joined forces to implement a training program in collaborative practice, using simulation as one of the main learning/teaching process.

The actual program consists of three sequential modules and totalizes 300 h of teaching and learning for approximately 1400-1500 students from six tracks (nutritionists, physiotherapists, midwives, nurses, technologists in medical radiology, physicians); in 2019 another hundred pharmacists will also be included. The main issues addressed by the modules are Module 1: the Swiss healthcare system and collaborative tools. Module 2: roles and responsibilities of the different health professionals, basic tools acquisition in team working (situation monitoring, mutual support, communication). Module 3: the axis of quality and safety of care through different contexts and cases.

A very first evaluation of the teaching and learning and particularly on the aspects of acquisition of collaborative tools shows positive attitudes of students towards the implementation of this new training program. Furthermore, a pre-post questionnaire on teamwork aspects reveals significant modifications.