Transitions Theatre: An Arts-Informed Interprofessional Education Workshop

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Medical Education
• Patient Advocacy

Background:

• Transitioning from pediatric to adult healthcare presents significant challenges for youth with special health care needs, impacting long-term health outcomes.
• Effective transition support necessitates collaborative planning, implementation, and evaluation involving healthcare providers, social services, youth, and families.
• Existing educational methods may not fully capture the complexities and emotional aspects of the transition process for all stakeholders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate an arts-informed interprofessional education activity to enhance understanding and support for youth transitioning to adult care.
• To foster interprofessional collaboration and empathy among healthcare trainees and professionals regarding the transition experience.
• To explore the utility of readers' theater as a pedagogical tool in health professions education for complex patient journeys.

Main Methods:

• An arts-informed interprofessional education activity, "Transitions Theatre," was co-designed using readers' theater, based on interviews with 15 youth and families.
• Four online workshops were conducted with participants from diverse health disciplines and post-licensure clinicians.
• Educators with lived experience (clients and parents) co-facilitated the workshops, integrating their perspectives into the curriculum.

Main Results:

• A total of 67 participants, including health students and clinicians, engaged in the workshops.
• Post-workshop surveys indicated a positive shift in understanding client/family perspectives, interprofessional roles, and confidence in providing transition support.
• The co-teaching model and lived experience perspectives enhanced learners' empathetic engagement with the challenges of healthcare transitions.

Conclusions:

• The "Transitions Theatre" activity, utilizing readers' theater and co-teaching, provides an effective and empathetic approach to health professions education on healthcare transitions.
• This evidence-based teaching method equips learners to better understand patient and family experiences and their role in interprofessional transition support.
• The study highlights the value of arts-informed methods and lived experience in preparing professionals to support youth with special health care needs during critical life transitions.