Simulation-based education (SBE) has been used to augment and/or partially substitute clinical learning as it provides a controlled setting with natural, realistic, and relevant practice experiences, without risk of injurious patient consequences. Interprofessional SBE (IP-SBE) provides a platform for students to learn about, from, and with one another to develop and practice interprofessional collaborative (IPC) competencies. However, socio-historical hierarchies that are predominant in healthcare cultures often emerge in simulation, negatively impacting interprofessional learning. Creating conditions of psychological safety in IP-SBE can address the subtle coercive practices that exist amidst the power differentials within healthcare and facilitate fuller participation of students in their application of IPC competencies. This scoping review was conducted to better understand the barriers and enablers to implementing psychologically safe IP-SBE.
An interprofessional team of researchers, representing nine health professions as well as simulated patient educators, conducted the scoping review. Research team meetings and discussion of findings supported interprofessional learning amongst the research team. This research aims to build capacity to enhance IP-SBE facilitation skills that are psychologically safe. Lessons learned will be shared with the SBE community to establish psychologically safe IP-SBE.
IP-SBE, facilitated in ways that are non-threatening, supportive, non-judgmental, while treating mistakes as learning opportunities creates conditions for psychologically safe learning. Identifying barriers and enablers of psychologically safe IP-SBE is crucial for effective learning of IPC competencies, a necessity to develop health care professionals who are able and willing to collaborate to provide safe, quality patient-centered care.
The intentional engagement of researchers and simulated patient educators from multiple professional backgrounds to examine the barriers and enablers to psychologically safe IP-SBE serves to enhance the understanding of this concept for the greater SBE community. The overall aim of IP-SBE is for students to learn about, from, and with one another to work collaboratively on interprofessional teams.
In support of improving patient care, this activity is planned and implemented by The National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education. The National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
As a Jointly Accredited Provider, the National Center is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. The National Center maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive continuing education credits.
This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credit for learning and change.
