Exploring the Development of an Interprofessional Situational Judgment Test

Abstract

INTRODUCTION Although the prevalence of interprofessional education (IPE) is increasing, research measuring competency in IPE is underdeveloped (MacDonald et al., 2010; Shrader et al., 2017). Interprofessional assessment tools are plentiful, but most rely on self-report rather than performance data. Thus, the purpose of this study was to develop a computer-based situational judgment test to evaluate health professional student preparedness for interprofessional practice. METHODS The investigators developed the Creighton Interprofessional Situational Judgment Test (C-IPSJT) which includes nine interprofessional clinical case scenarios, each with multiple questions reflecting IPEC competencies. Subsequently, focus groups representing both IPE and health education experts were convened to assess the C-IPSJT. RESULTS Qualitative analysis revealed several themes. Participants found that the C-IPSJT was a novel assessment of interprofessional skills and case scenarios presented were reflective of current clinical practice. Challenges were found in understanding the role of the test taker, discerning correct responses, and the need for further validity testing. Additional themes included the impact team dynamics have on learner responses and how student responses could be affected by their place on the learning continuum. DISCUSSION Findings from the initial testing of the C-IPSJT demonstrate positive content validity through two independent content expert reviews. Content experts identified that the C-IPSJT could be a viable mechanism to differentiate between novice and competent health professional students. Future research includes item revision, testing over a larger sample in which psychometric properties and item analysis can be studied, and establishing content validity.