The value of learning virtual interprofessional collaboration during a pandemic and the future “new normal”: health professions students share their experiences

ABSTRACT

This exploratory study looked at the experiences of social work, occupational therapy, and nursing students who participated in an interprofessional simulation that was offered virtually due to the impact of COVID-19. The simulation was a one-day event that introduced advanced care planning to the students through an IPE team approach and incorporated various learning and teaching modalities. Using conventional content analysis of the post-program survey data from 255 students (35 occupational therapy; 87 social work; and 133 nursing), three primary themes were identified for the value of learning virtual interprofessional collaboration during a pandemic: (1) catalyst for telehealth education; (2) patient, family & professional safety; and (3) connection and continuity of care. In addition, students identified four primary themes that were learned and perceptions of what could lie ahead beyond the simulation: (1) patient & family convenience and inclusion; (2) expand interprofessional team involvement; (3) alleviate disparities/increase access; and (4) the “new normal” of virtual IP Collaboration.

KEYWORDS:

• Interprofessional education
• nursing
• occupational therapy
• simulation
• social work
• students

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This publication is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $3.7 million with 0 percentage financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.

Notes on contributors

Cynthia Hovland

Cynthia Hovland, PhD, MSSW, is an Associate Professor of Social Work and Director of the Master of Social Work Program at Cleveland State University. Dr. Hovland teaches Grief, Death, Loss & Life, Social Work in Aging, Human Behavior in the Social Environment I & II, Aging and Social Work Practice, Psychopathology and Human Values in Medicine. Additionally, she served as Director of a National Institutes of Health center grant, overseeing the Education Core for the Center of Health Disparities at CSU, in partnership with Metro Health. Dr. Hovland's program of research explores disparities in healthcare, interprofessional education, spirituality in healthcare, end-of -life care, death and dying, caregiving, grief and loss, and Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Her research interests are grounded in nearly 20 years of clinical practice as a hospice social worker, grief counselor/supervisor, volunteer, clinical manager, and scholar. Dr. Hovland's previous work on this topic has included national conference presentations and peer-reviewed publications.

Mary Gergis

Dr. Mary Gergis earned her doctorate in Critical Care & Emergency Nursing from Alexandria University. She joined the School of Nursing University of Maryland, Baltimore, where she had a six-month visiting scholar training followed by two years of postdoctoral fellowship with a focus on palliative and end-of-life care research. In addition, Dr. Gergis is an alumnus of the Harvard School of Medicine Palliative Care Education and Practice Program and Towson University Online Edge Program. Dr. Gergis program of research aims to help alleviate the suffering of seriously ill patients and their families through devising new palliative and end-of-life care education strategies that enable nurses to integrate palliative care principles into their day-to-day practice. Dr. Gergis is also involved in interprofessional simulation research as part of the Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Project and in research related to evidence-based practice education, Quality Matters, and student engagement.

Barbara Milliken

Dr. Barbara Milliken clinical specialties are in mental health and dementia care. However, her professional experiences have included veteran’s hospitals, inpatient rehab, inpatient adult and adolescent psych, dual diagnosis units, skilled nursing facilities, and community homeless shelters. She taught and served in administrative roles for 22 years. She joined the OT faculty at Cleveland State University in August 2018. She is deeply invested in ensuring holistic, client-centered interventions, and is committed to helping students develop both personally and professionally, so that they can deliver exceptional health care services.

Kelle DeBoth Foust

Dr. Kelle DeBoth Foust has worked as a pediatric occupational therapist in school, home and community settings since 2004. Her area of expertise in clinical practice is working with children with autism and sensory processing disorders. She completed specialized certification in the Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests (SIPT), becoming SI certified in 2006. Dissertation work focused on identifying sensory-based subtypes in children with autism and exploring related neurophysiological and functional behavior correlates of these subtypes. Current research interests include multisensory processing in autism and sensory processing disorders, neurophysiology of multisensory processing, interprofessional education, and multidisciplinary interventions for children with fine motor delays (such as music therapy and OT collaborations).

Joan Niederriter

Dr. Joan Niederriter, PhD, MSN, CMSRN, RN-BC is a retired Associate Professor of Nursing at Cleveland State University, has vast clinical and scholarship experience.