Being at EASE: Student Perceptions of Interprofessional Practice Following an Experiential Interprofessional...

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Interprofessional Collaboration
• Simulation-Based Learning

Background:

• Optimal patient care necessitates effective interprofessional collaboration among healthcare professionals.
• Early integration of interprofessional education (IPE) into health curricula is vital for developing collaborative competencies.
• IPE prepares students for teamwork crucial in diverse healthcare settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of an interprofessional education simulation on family nurse practitioner and social work students.
• To evaluate changes in student perceptions and readiness for interprofessional learning.
• To determine the effectiveness of simulation with standardized patients presenting sensitive issues.

Main Methods:

• An interprofessional education simulation was conducted involving family nurse practitioner and social work students.
• Standardized patients presented sensitive patient scenarios to facilitate realistic interaction.
• Validated questionnaires, including the Student Perceptions of Interprofessional Clinical Education-Revised and Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale, were administered pre- and post-simulation.

Main Results:

• Significant positive changes were observed in both student groups' attitudes towards interprofessional collaboration.
• Students demonstrated enhanced perceptions of the value and practice of interprofessional teamwork.
• The simulation effectively improved readiness for interprofessional learning.

Conclusions:

• Interprofessional education simulations are effective in fostering collaboration skills among health professional students.
• Integrating IPE into educational curricula is essential for developing competent future healthcare providers.
• Early exposure to interprofessional collaboration through simulations improves student attitudes and readiness for teamwork.