Synchronous virtual interprofessional education focused on discharge planning.

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Medical Education
• Nursing Education

Background:

• COVID-19 pandemic necessitated remote learning solutions for health professions students.
• Traditional in-person interprofessional education (IPE) activities were significantly disrupted.
• Discharge planning is a critical area for interprofessional collaboration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To adapt a planned in-person IPE activity on discharge planning to a virtual synchronous format.
• To assess the effectiveness of virtual IPE in achieving Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) competencies.
• To evaluate student engagement and learning in a remote IPE setting.

Main Methods:

• A 90-minute synchronous virtual session via Zoom was conducted for 28 nursing and 11 medical students.
• Students received pre-readings, agenda, learning objectives, and discussion questions.
• The session included introductions, breakout group discussions facilitated by faculty and experienced students, and a debrief.
• Post-session surveys and qualitative analysis were used for evaluation.

Main Results:

• Students successfully addressed core IPEC competencies related to Role/Responsibility and Interprofessional Communication.
• Evidence suggested students also touched upon other IPEC competencies.
• Qualitative analysis indicated students generally enjoyed the virtual learning experience.
• The virtual format simplified scheduling and enabled the activity to proceed despite pandemic restrictions.

Conclusions:

• Synchronous virtual IPE sessions are a viable and effective method for health professions education.
• This online approach can successfully facilitate learning of essential interprofessional competencies like discharge planning.
• The virtual format offers logistical advantages and may serve as a valuable model for future IPE activities.