BEYOND SIMULATION: EFFECTIVENESS OF AN INTERPROFESSIONAL EDUCATION MODEL FEATURING ESCAPE ROOMS, CHART REVIEW, AND ANIMATED LECTURE ON STUDENT CORE COMPETENCIES

N. Belleza¹, M. Johnson²

Background: Interprofessional education (IPE) is noted to foster best-practice in the accreditation of rehabilitation science programs and can be one way to address modern healthcare shortfalls. IPE has been found to elicit better quality behaviors among team players and promote improved patient safety and outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a multi-method teaching IPE model for occupational therapy (OT) and physical therapy (PT) students’ self-assessment of Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) core competencies. The IPE model included novel learning activities such as an escape room experience, simulated medical chart review, animated lecture, and two different simulations.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to answer gaps in current literature and examine the effectiveness of a multi-method teaching IPE model on OT and PT students’ self-assessments of IPEC core competencies. We hypothesized the OT and PT students would score themselves with a higher level of agreement on the post-tests than they did on the pretests after engaging in designated IPE learning activities over a 15-week course.

Methods: Data was retrieved from 105 archived assignments of first-term OT and PT graduate students enrolled in a 15-week interprofessional course. Assignment scores using a tool for student self-assessment were compared before and after the IPE course. Statistical analysis was done with SPSS 26.

Results: After completing learning activities in the IPE model, a statistically significant change was noted in pre-post archived data analysis of the IPEC Self-Assessment Tool. A paired t-test demonstrated mean increased scores from the overall pre-test and post-test total scores of 0.54 (SD = 0.3), Interactions Domain scores of 0.80 (SD=0.41), and Values Domain scores of 0.29 (SD=0.31) with all having statistical significance (p < 0.0001).

Conclusion(s): This IPE model directly linked learning activities with specific IPEC core competency domains. The model demonstrated increased positive outcomes of student self-assessment on IPEC core competencies. As a result, students moved forward in the curriculum having a foundation of interprofessional collaborative practice and competencies better preparing them to be practice-ready clinicians.

Implications: The overall goal of IPE designed curriculum is to improve knowledge, skills, and attitudes, in addition to influencing behaviors of future clinicians in the preparation of a collaborative practice-ready workforce. There are valuable insights that can be gained from a student’s perspective through self-assessment as we found appropriate for first-term students in our study. The results of this study indicate that students are armed with an increased self-assessment of knowledge and attitudes of IP collaboration. As students progress in IPE curricula, knowledge, and attitudes of IPEC core competencies could translate into the development of IP clinical skills in preparation for being part of a collaborative practice-ready workforce.
When health education programs endeavor to implement IPE curricula and learning activities for their students, consideration of sequencing, structure, pedagogy, and best-practice of learning activities is paramount. Therefore, rigorous studies exploring the various IPE methods available may help navigate which avenues to pursue to tailor a program to meet the programmatic, accreditation, and institutional needs inherent in respective programs and settings.

Funding, acknowledgements: This study was not funded.

Keywords: interprofessional education, simulation, rehabilitation

Topic: Education: methods of teaching & learning

Did this work require ethics approval? Yes

Institution: University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS)

Committee: USAHS California IRB

Ethics number: 0131-020