Small groups of IP learners (completing clerkship/clinical/field experiences) participate in monthly student-run care conferences discussing Neurology Intensive Care Unit patients. Learners formulate priority lists, ask clarifying questions, and discuss profession-specific perspectives to determine additional information and interventions necessary for successful discharge. Immediately following the care conference, students provide feedback regarding what was learned and indicate one behavioral change they commit to immediately implement to improve collaborative practice during clinical activities. Upon completion of the clerkship, students report if they enacted that behavior change, along with outcomes or barriers.
Five months of end-of-session feedback from 191 total learners (76 medical [MD], 58 nursing [RN], 24 pharmacy, 19 social work, 6 occupational therapy, 6 chaplain, 2 physical therapy) reveals that most professions report learning about specific roles of other team members and new knowledge pertaining to patient care/hospital discharge. At conclusion of rotations, 65 MD and 22 RN learners submitted behavior change data; 39 MD and 11RN reported having successfully implemented a change. Behavioral aspects most often identified as changing involved facets pertaining to teamwork and improved personal communication. Outcomes that occurred from these behavior changes included modifications of patient’s care plans as a result of new information learned by the team, as well as improved relationships/function across IP team members. Barriers for students who were unable to implement behavioral changes were cited as lack of time, change in environment (e.g. no longer working in inpatient setting), and unavailability of specific professions.
Student run care conferences immediately improved knowledge of profession-specific roles and this led to enhanced communication between team members and improved team interactions during clinical activities - which ultimately led to changes in team function and patient care. IP activities can be intentionally designed to optimize practice in interprofessional clinical learning environments.
Disclosures:
In accordance with the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education’s Standards for Commercial Support, adopted by the Joint Accreditors for Interprofessional Continuing Education, the National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education has a conflict of interest policy that requires that all individuals involved in the development of activity content disclose their relevant financial relationships with commercial interests. All potential conflicts of interest that arise based upon these financial relationships are resolved prior to the educational activity.
Judston Robinson, Elizabeth Brew, Ryan Pasternak, Shelley Ferrin, Neil Horsley, Rachael Stone, Sol De Jesus, Kelly Karpa, Indira Puroshothaman, Tanya Shaw, Joseph Zorek, Moshtagh Farokhi, Jeff Lacy, Sean Garcia, Michael Geelhoed, Le’Keisha Johnson, Janna Lesser, Melanie Stone, Heidi Worabo
declare no vested interest in or affiliation with any commercial interest offering financial support for this interprofessional continuing education activity, or any affiliation with a commercial interest whose philosophy could potentially bias their presentation.
