Interprofessional simulation of acute care for nursing and medical students: interprofessional competencies and transfer to the workplace

Abstract

Background Teamwork and communication are essential tools for doctors, nurses and other team members in the management of critically ill patients. Early interprofessional education during study, using acute care simulation, may improve teamwork and communication between interprofessional team members on the long run. Methods A comparative sequential quantitative–qualitative study was used to understand interprofessional learning outcomes in nursing and medical students after simulation of acute care. Students were assigned to a uni- or interprofessional training. Questionnaires were used to measure short and long term differences in interprofessional collaboration and communication between the intervention and control group for nursing and medical students respectively. Semi-structured focus groups were conducted to gain a better understanding of IPE in acute simulation. Results One hundred and ninety-one students participated in this study (131 medical, 60 nursing students). No differences were found between the intervention and control group in overall ICCAS scores for both medical and nursing students (p = 0.181 and p = 0.441). There were no differences in ICS scores between the intervention and control group. Focus groups revealed growing competence in interprofessional communication and collaboration for both medical and nursing students. Conclusions Interprofessional simulation training did show measurable growth of interprofessional competencies, but so did uniprofessional training. Both medical and nursing students reported increased awareness of perspective and expertise of own and other profession. Furthermore, they reported growing competence in interprofessional communication and collaboration in transfer to their workplace.

Society for Simulation in Healthcare Guidelines for Simulation Training

“…133,[135][136][137] Learners also reported higher self-efficacy and satisfaction with interprofessional training. 133,134,138 These results were not ubiquitous as some studies did not reveal any differences in learning outcomes. 134,138 Harms and burden: No harm or negative impacts were reported following the implementation of interprofessional training, and no studies reported on financial impacts.…”

“…Summary of the evidence: Six studies comparing interprofessional vs single-professional team training of healthcare students [133][134][135][136][137][138] were included.…”

“…Benefits: Interprofessional training led to improved knowledge acquisition and performance of learners compared with single-professional training 133,135–137 . Learners also reported higher self-efficacy and satisfaction with interprofessional training 133,134,138 . These results were not ubiquitous as some studies did not reveal any differences in learning outcomes 134,138 …”