Sherry L. Donaworth
University of Cincinnati, USA
Title: Use of simulation debriefing for the development of interprofessional competencies in medical and distance learning nurse practitioner students
Biography
Biography: Sherry L. Donaworth
Abstract
Statement of the Problem: Interprofessional healthcare teams are becoming the norm in healthcare delivery. Opportunities for safe non-threatening interactions among interprofessional learners is essential to development of communication skills among student learners (Fanning & Gaba, 2007). Participation in provider neutral interactive case studies (ICS) allows students the opportunity for critical thinking in real-world scenarios (Colella, Rota, & Beery, 2015). Simulation provides an excellent opportunity to address interprofessional education needs and ultimately enhance collaborative practice. Face to face debriefing has been well established as an accepted method of reinforcing concepts presented during the simulation, but what happens when interprofessional debriefing occurs at a distance? Strategy/Intervention: At a large urban academic health center, advanced practice nursing students and medical students completed a provider-neutral Interactive case study (ICS). An interprofessional faculty team developed scenarios using the core competencies for interprofessional collaborative practice as a framework (Interprofessional Education Collaborative Expert Panel, 2011; 2016). Incorporation of distance learning students into synchronous interprofessional debriefing was accomplished using a conferencing software program. Interprofessional faculty facilitators set the tone as nonthreatening and encouraged open dialogue among students. Findings: Evaluations from both the nurse practitioner students and medical students were overwhelming positive with 83% of participants reporting the activity as valuable to their education. The debriefing afforded learners to develop a clearer perspective of each profession’s specific roles as part of the team. In addition, this teaching strategy offers faculty an opportunity to assess the student’s grasp of the concepts evaluated within the case and to guide the learners in becoming part of a cohesive interprofessional team. Interprofessional simulation debriefing is a dynamic teaching technique that can facilitate positive interaction among student learners.