Cultivating a Remote Interprofessional Case-based Simulation Through Collaboration with Student Scholars
Interprofessional Student Poster Description:
Background:
Interprofessional education (IPE) is crucial for promoting team skills among healthcare professional students. Using a virtual collaborative case is one strategy to provide students from various health professions with an immersive interprofessional experience. The case focuses on prevalent health issues, aiming to guide learners in effectively navigating these challenges within their respective fields of expertise. Additionally, the case was designed to foster interprofessional collaboration by simulating real-world experiences encountered outside the classroom.
Methods:
A student scholar team created a new simulated patient case centered on a chronic health condition unfolding across the lifespan. Scholars recruited other students and faculty mentors from multiple health professions to refine the case-study around an individual living in a rural city of Alabama at two time periods of age - 29 (part 1) and 59 (part 2). Part 1 focuses on the patient’s initial PCP encounter with a diagnosis of Type II Diabetes. Part 2 focuses on his current health status at age 59 and the development of complications secondary to diabetes.
For part 1, learners completing the case are tasked with developing a framework from their respective disciplines on acute care management – which health disciplines should be consulted, treatment plans, and appropriate follow-up. For part 2, learners are tasked with understanding why complications developed, accounting for health, social, environmental aspects and how complications could have been mitigated through treatment and/or available health resources.
Results:
Learners complete this case-based study online through the Canvas platform. They will be tasked with completing weekly modules (4 weeks total) that focus on a specific activity each week, encouraging group discussion with the aim of fostering interprofessional communication, collaboration, and execution. A pilot course will be administered with the purpose of fine tuning the modules and receiving feedback on which aspects of the course activities were beneficial, tedious, or not capturing the essence of course objectives.
Upon the completion of the pilot course, comprehensive feedback will be collected from every enrolled student through a feedback form. These results will enable the team to draw meaningful conclusions and facilitate a thorough reflection on changes that need to be incorporated into future online collaboratories.
Conclusion:
The goal is to enhance learner engagement, knowledge acquisition, and preparation for interprofessional collaboration within a healthcare setting. By analyzing and utilizing the feedback, the team aims to optimize the overall learning experience and ensure continuous improvement in fostering interprofessional collaboration among learners.
