Establishing Empathetic Collaborative Care for Survivors of Violence Through Multidisciplinary Simulation

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Interprofessional Education
• Trauma-Informed Care

Background:

• Nursing curricula often lack sufficient focus on caring for survivors of violence.
• Effective care requires professional competency, empathy, and multidisciplinary collaboration.
• Violence survivor care necessitates specialized knowledge and skills beyond general nursing education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a multidisciplinary simulation for students caring for survivors of violence.
• To assess the impact of simulation on empathetic and collaborative care skills.
• To enhance interprofessional understanding in treating victims of violence.

Main Methods:

• Students from nursing, criminal justice, and psychology participated in simulations.
• Simulations included scenarios of sexual assault, domestic violence, and human trafficking.
• A Socratic debriefing method was employed with standardized patients present.

Main Results:

• Students developed positive group dynamics through respect and communication.
• Debriefing discussions revealed an understanding of competent, empathetic, and collaborative care.
• Simulation fostered an appreciation for the complexities of treating violence survivors.

Conclusions:

• Multidisciplinary simulation is a promising educational approach.
• This initiative can improve the quality of care for survivors of violence.
• Simulation enhances interprofessional education for trauma-informed practice.