A five-year analysis of a pharmacy and occupational therapy interprofessional education post-stroke functional...

Healthcare is an interprofessional field with an overarching goal of providing quality care for patients. The interprofessional education (IPE) project discussed here involves students from occupational therapy and pharmacy working together to help a fictitious patient improve their functional status and quality of life following a debilitating stroke. Students also participate in a hands-on sensory deprivation simulation to enhance empathy and understanding of patients living with similar circumstances. The annual event is well-received by students, as demonstrated through the Interprofessional Collaborative Competencies Attainment Survey which is administered following the event and through anecdotal feedback from students. Qualitative feedback was gathered about positive and negatives aspects of the event, which have been used to improve the activity implementation. The data show students agreed that competencies such as communication, collaboration, and roles and responsibilities were achieved consistently with this IPE event. Overall, the results were consistently positive and suggest the feasibility of collaboration between occupational therapy and pharmacy students to build interprofessional teamwork skills for future professional practice.