Lightning Talk Description: Medical misinformation, disinformation, and vaccine hesitancy led to excess deaths and a public health crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to influence many individuals’ critical health decisions. Vaccine hesitancy is not unique to the pandemic, but social media has made it easier to spread misinformation and disinformation. The aims of this innovative academic/cross-institutional project were to gather information about the underlying sources of vaccine hesitancy and to create learning/communication tools to effectively address misinformation and patient choices.
The goals of this clinical and academic cross-institutional partnership included the following: 1. Gathering information from diverse constituents about encounters with and sources of vaccine hesitancy and misinformation; 2. Identifying health profession students’ learning needs to effectively address hesitancy; 3. Creating simulated patient scenarios, webinars, and Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) experiences to measure advanced communication in this area of practice; and 4. Presenting a virtual workshop on scientific literacy for the health professions.
The project team includes faculty and students from two medical schools and a health professions university. A literature review was conducted to gather current knowledge in the field of global vaccine hesitancy. Focus groups with students from six health professions were conducted and qualitatively analyzed to glean experiences with patient hesitancy. Focus group prompts also sought to identify students’ learning needs related to addressing patients’ and colleagues vaccine and medical intervention hesitancy and choices. Data was used to develop an online toolkit, including videos of exemplar interactions highlighting respectful communication, listening skills, humility, empathy, and building trust with patients and colleagues whose health decisions differ from their own and those of institutional standards. Students also participated in OSCEs with standardized patients who presented with medical intervention hesitancy. Debriefing with students added important data to the project goals. Programmatic assessment using rapid cycle evaluation was used to improve the quality and efficacy of the learning tools.
Information gathered was instrumental in expanding knowledge of the sources of patient choices, reducing judgment, and identifying myriad reasons that underlie vaccine hesitancy. The tools developed and lessons learned can offer useful information to other institutions to inform curriculum and impart important skills for better patient communication, skills for managing difficult conversations, and providing care aligned with the Quadruple Aim and the priorities of person-centered practice.
In support of improving patient care, this activity is planned and implemented by The National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education Office of Interprofessional Continuing Professional Development (National Center OICPD). The National Center OICPD is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
As a Jointly Accredited Provider, the National Center is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. The National Center maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive continuing education credits.
The National Center OICPD (JA#: 4008105) is approved by the Board of Certification, Inc. to provide continuing education to Athletic Trainers (ATs).
This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credit for learning and change.
Physicians: The National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education designates this live activity for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with their participation.
Physician Assistants: The American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) accepts credit from organizations accredited by the ACCME.
Nurses: Participants will be awarded contact hours of credit for attendance at this workshop.
Nurse Practitioners: The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program (AANPCP) accepts credit from organizations accredited by the ACCME and ANCC.
Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians: This activity is approved for contact hours.
Athletic Trainers: This program is eligible for Category A hours/CEUs. ATs should claim only those hours actually spent in the educational program.
Social Workers: As a Jointly Accredited Organization, the National Center is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. The National Center maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive continuing education credits.
IPCE: This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credits for learning and change.
Learners can claim CE credit by completing the Daily Evaluation.
