Effect of hospital simulation tutorials on nursing and pharmacy student perception of interprofessional collaboration: Findings from a pilot study

ABSTRACT

Interprofessional learning (IPL) during formal training enables interprofessional collaboration (IPC) in the workforce; however, on-campus IPL opportunities are seldom incorporated into curricula. We describe the development and implementation of two hospital simulation tutorials between nursing and pharmacy students. Students were required to provide “usual care” to a simulated patient at admission and discharge. A pre–post survey design was used to evaluate changes in Interdisciplinary Education Perception Scale (IEPS) score and student perceived educational value of the tutorials. The tutorials had a positive effect on IEPS scores (p < 0.001), whereas gender and profession did not appear to influence scores (p = 0.082 and p = 0.923, respectively). Tutorials were rated either good or very good by 89.9% of students and 79.6% of students reporting new insights into the other profession This tutorial format could be easily adapted by other institutions as an engaging and rewarding strategy to better prepare students for IPC the workforce.

KEY WORDS:

• Interprofessional Learning
• Simulation
• Pharmacy
• Nursing
• IEPS

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Dr Ian Hughes (Biostatistician, Office of Research Governance and Development, Gold Coast Health) for assistance with statistical analysis of data. We would also like to thank all 2015 final-year Master of Pharmacy and Master of Nursing student participants.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Supplemental data

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