Recognizing Elder Abuse: An Interprofessional Simulation Experience With Prelicensure Health Care Students

Area of Science:

• Healthcare education
• Gerontology
• Medical simulation

Background:

• Recognizing and reporting elder abuse is a critical skill for healthcare professionals.
• Teaching elder abuse characteristics and assessment can be challenging.
• Developing realistic training scenarios is essential for effective learning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the impact of an immersive simulation on healthcare students' perceptions of interprofessional care.
• To assess the influence of the simulation on students' understanding of elder abuse assessment.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of case-based learning in elder abuse education.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental, mixed-methods study was conducted with nursing and physical therapy students (n=143).
• Participants' perceptions were measured using the Interprofessional Socialization and Valuing Scale (ISVS).
• Focus group interviews were employed for qualitative data collection post-simulation.

Main Results:

• Students showed statistically significant improvement in all 21 ISVS questions (P < .001).
• Qualitative analysis revealed two key themes: team communication for holistic care and improved recognition of abuse.
• The simulation enhanced students' understanding of collaboration and abuse investigation.

Conclusions:

• Immersive simulations are effective tools for teaching elder abuse recognition and assessment.
• Interactive learning techniques improve healthcare students' interprofessional collaboration skills.
• Simulation-based education enhances the ability to identify and report elder abuse.