Eyes Open: Students' Experiences and Perceptions of the Teaming Up for Community Health Simulation Intervention

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Social Work Education
• Interprofessional Education
• Community Health

Background:

• Social determinants of health (SDOH) are critical but complex factors in community settings.
• Effective intervention requires strong professional collaboration, a skill often underdeveloped in current curricula.
• Nursing and social work students need practical experience addressing SDOH.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore nursing and social work students' experiences with the Teaming Up for Community Health (TUCH) simulation.
• To assess students' perceived ability to apply simulation experiences in clinical practice.
• To understand the impact of interprofessional and intraprofessional teamwork on addressing SDOH.

Main Methods:

• An exploratory-descriptive qualitative approach was employed.
• Focus groups were conducted with students two weeks post-simulation.
• The study examined student experiences within intra- or interprofessional teams.

Main Results:

• Four key themes emerged from student feedback.
• Students reported an improved understanding of community-based nursing care.
• Addressing poverty and SDOH was perceived as complex yet essential, highlighting the importance of teamwork and simulation for applying knowledge.

Conclusions:

• Experiential learning, like the TUCH simulation, is effective for practicing SDOH integration.
• Intra- and interprofessional teamwork are crucial for addressing complex social factors in healthcare.
• Simulation provides a valuable platform for students to bridge classroom knowledge with practical application in community health.