Interprofessional Teams of Students Create a Strategy for Coronavirus Mitigation by Remote Conferencing
Background: In this synchronous learning activity students from 6 professions in the SHS at a university in the Upper Midwest were asked to devise a mitigation strategy for a SARS-COV-2 outbreak. Due to policy restrictions, this Interprofessional team activity had to be delivered remotely. Problem Statement: In order to minimize morbidity and mortality as well as social and economic impacts of SARS-COV-2/COVID-19, students working as interprofessional teams in the USD SHS were asked to devise a community mitigation strategy. Aims: 1. Work as a healthcare team that interacts remotely to complete the stated goals.
2. Individuals function as a member of an interprofessional team, accepting input from and valuing contributions by team members of all professional levels and disciplines.
3. Demonstrate, through remote interactions with other health care professionals, professional attitudes and share knowledge.
4. Consider a complex, real-time, emergent situation. Propose solutions that are based on science and research (evidence-based).
Design or methodology: Observational study with self-reporting for evaluation. Course instructions, preparatory tools and case scenario were posted on an electronic learning platform (D2L). Students were enrolled through D2L. A synchronous, 4 hour course was conducted on Zoom. Three different surveys were used to evaluate the activity: JTOG to evaluate team function, a self-designed student satisfaction questionnaire, a faculty survey.
Results: 163 Students at various levels from 6 different professions were enrolled. Final participation was 148. Ten breakout sessions with 13-16 students each from at least 3 different professions. Students worked as Interprofessional teams to mitigate a coronavirus outbreak. Each of the break out teams was observed for team behaviors by a faculty observer. The activity was supported by 11 faculty from Nursing, Dental Hygiene, Physician Assistant, Physical Therapy, Communication Sciences and Occupational Therapy.
Conclusion: Multiple barriers to a remotely conducted, Interprofessional student activity were identified. Most were related to hurried implementation during an emergency situation and to insufficient familiarity of the staff and students with the necessary technology.
