Interprofessional Socialization Through Acute-Care Simulation

To explore the perceptions of interprofessional socialization in nursing, medical imaging, and physical therapy students using an interprofessional education acute-care simulation.

A mixed-methods design was used to evaluate the effect of a single simulation-based experience on interprofessional collaborative practice using the Interprofessional Socialization and Valuing Scale (ISVS-21) and 3 postactivity open-ended descriptive questions. Students participated in a patient care simulation with an elderly patient after total hip replacement surgery in an acute-care inpatient setting. Descriptive and exploratory statistics examined pre- and post-ISVS-21 survey responses, and phenomenological inquiry was used to explore the students' experiences and knowledge gained from participating in the simulation.

One-hundred-nine students participated in the acute-care patient simulation, including 42 from nursing, 47 from physical therapy, and 20 from radiography. ISVS-21 survey results indicated improved scores because of the simulation activity, including significant improvements in each of the survey items. Qualitative themes emerged related to creating a culture of communication and teamwork and professional role discernment.

Implementation of this acute-care simulation successfully exposed many students to interprofessional collaborative practice. Mixed-method analysis demonstrated significant improvement in attitudes related to socialization and interprofessional collaborative practice in students of each discipline.

This study adds a unique perspective on interprofessional simulation because it included nursing, physical therapy, and radiography students. Students' perceptions of interprofessional patient care, interdisciplinary communication, teamwork, and appreciation for professional role discernment can be enhanced after a single interprofessional simulation-based experience. Although each health care profession has a specific culture, it is possible to improve student beliefs, behaviors, and attitudes about teamwork and collaborative practice, which can carry over into professional practice.