Simulations using telehealth to collaborate with other health-care professionals: effect on pre-licensure nursing students’ competencies and amount of collaboration in the clinical setting

ABSTRACT

Nursing students must gain experience collaborating with other members of the health-care team. Simulation can provide intra- and interprofessional collaboration experience; however, there can be barriers such as scheduling difficulties. We evaluated multi-patient, standardized patient simulations using telehealth as a strategy to provide baccalaureate nursing students with opportunities to learn and practice intra- and interprofessional collaboration. Forty-four final-semester nursing students participated. Student groups rotated to the simulation laboratory over 12 weeks to participate in two simulations that used telehealth to enable them to communicate patient concerns to other clinicians: a nurse practitioner, respiratory therapists, and social workers. Self-reported collaborative competencies and amount of collaboration in the clinical setting were measured at the start and end of the semester. Satisfaction and self-confidence were measured immediately after each simulation. For collaborative competencies, there was a statistically significant improvement in all item, subscale, and overall scale mean scores. Amount of clinical collaboration significantly improved, with the amount who indicated they never reported a patient concern to another professional decreasing from 39.5% to 6.8%. Findings also revealed a high level of student satisfaction and self-confidence following the simulations. Using telehealth to collaborate during simulations is a promising strategy to prepare nursing students for practice by improving collaborative competencies and encouraging more collaboration in the clinical setting.

KEYWORDS:

• Collaboration
• interprofessional
• intraprofessional
• simulation
• telehealth
• pre-licensure

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by funds provided by the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Program at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Notes on contributors

Kelly Powers

Kelly Powers, PhD, RN, CNE is an Assistant Professor of Nursing at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Wendy Neustrup

Wendy S. Neustrup, MSN, RN, CNE is a Senior Lecturer of Nursing at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Leslie Beth Sossoman

Leslie Beth Sossoman, MSN, RN-BC, ACNP-BC, CPHQ is a Faculty Specialist at Atrium Health and Adjunct Faculty at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, teaching in the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program.

Amanda Dexter

Amanda Dexter, MS, RRT, RCP, CHSE is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Respiratory Therapy at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Kimberly Clark

Kimberly Clark, EdD, RRT-NPS is a Clinical Associate Professor of Respiratory Therapy at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Frances A. Ferrante-Fusilli

Frances A. Ferrante-Fusilli, MSW, LCSW is a Clinical Assistant Professor and Field Placement Coordinator in the School of Social Work at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Ticola C. Ross

Ticola C. Ross, PhD, MSW, LCSW is a Clinical Assistant Professor and Field Education Director in the School of Social Work at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Cynthia Thomas

Cynthia Thomas, MSN, RN-BC is a Clinical Nurse at Atrium Health in Charlotte, NC.

Amber Saine

Amber Saine, MSN, RN, CMSRN is a Clinical Nurse at Atrium Health in Charlotte, NC.