Using Simulation To Increase Interprofessional (IP) Collaboration Among Therapy Students: Assessing the Impact and Exploring Best Practices

PURPOSE: A benefit of simulation is the ability for students to engage in solving ‘real-world’ problems, in a safe environment, that closely resembles the context in which they will be expected to practice. In occupational (OT) and physical therapy (PT), interprofessional (IP) socialization is an essential entry-level skill that has been challenging to instruct. Simulation is an immersive way to engage students in IP prior to clinical rotations. Although using simulation to enhance IP skills, communication and attitudes is emerging in the literature (Roberston & Bandall, 2008; Chown & Horn, 2017), there is little specific research which addresses the collaboration of OT and PT students in a simulated environment. It was hypothesized that students would improve their beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors related to IP socialization after participating in a collaborative patient care simulation experience. The secondary aim was to investigate best practices in integrating simulation in OT and PT curriculum to increase IP collaboration.

DESIGN: This was a mixed methods study that involved both OT and PT students from a graduate institution who were enrolled in a second-year treatment course specific to their program. All students enrolled in the courses took part in the simulation experience. Students choose to participate in the research project by signing an informed consent, participating in a pre and post-survey online, and participating in the focus group discussions.

METHOD: The independent variable for this study was the student’s participation in the IP simulation. The dependent variable was the Interprofessional Socialization and Valuing Scale (ISVS) and focus group questions. The ISVS is a validated tool that measures changes in attitudes towards a collaborative care approach (King et al., 2010). It captures objective data about the beliefs, attitudes and behaviors related to IP team collaboration (King et al., 2016). Students were given the ISVS through an online survey prior to and after the IP simulation. SPSS was used to analyze the survey data using a within groups paired t-test. Students also participated in a focus group discussion that centered on the efficacy of simulation and investigated best practices in integrating IP simulation as a teaching methodology. Focus group data was transcribed and analyzed through constant, comparative, open coding. Four researchers participated in thematic analysis and member checking was used to ensure trustworthiness.

RESULTS: Preliminary results indicated that there was a change in the students ISVS scores after the IP simulation. The use of IP simulation experiences may be beneficial to OT and PT students’ attitudes towards IP collaboration and IP socialization. Preliminary focus group data revealed that IP simulation experiences are an appropriate methodology for engaging students in IP collaboration. Themes derived from analysis included: desire for more IP opportunities in the curriculum, an appreciation of the realism offered by the simulation, and a gratefulness to have participated in the IP simulation experience.

CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that the use of IP simulation activities is an appropriate method for impacting the beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors of OT and PT students related to IP socialization. Additionally, results indicated that this method for educating students is appropriate and strongly desired among students. The results of this study, including the development and deployment of a large IP simulation scenario, are important to the future of OT education as fieldwork opportunities, specifically level I fieldwork, requires new methods for providing students with realistic opportunities to practice.

References

Chown, G., & Horn, L. (2017). Simulating experiences: Using interprofessional lab simulation in occupational therapy. OT Practice, 22(20), 13-15. Retrieved from: http://search-proquest-com.prx-usa.lim.net/docview/1973738455?

King, G., Orchard, C. A., Khalili, H., & Avery, L. (2016). Refinement of the Interprofessional Socialization and Valuing Scale (ISVS-21) and development of 9-item equivalent versions. Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions, 36(3), 171-177. doi:10.1097/CEH.0000000000000082.

King, G., Shaw, L., Orhard, C. A., & Miller, S. (2010). The Interprofessional Socialization and Valuing Scale: A tool for evaluating the shift toward collaborative care approaches in health care settings. Work, 35(1), 77-85. Doi:10.3233/WOR-2010-0959

Robertson, J., & Bandali, K. (2008). Bridging the gap: Enhancing interprofessional education using simulation. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 22(5), 499-508. PMID: 2457962