Partnering for Patti: Shaping future healthcare teams through simulation-enhanced interprofessional education

BACKGROUND: Simulation-enhanced interprofessional education (sim-IPE) is a growing component of undergraduate health curricula, preparing learners for the practice environment and, in doing so, redefining practice culture. The Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative (CIHC) has established a national competency framework of integrative competency domains focused on fostering core skills, attitudes, and values in an effort to evolve interprofessional collaboration (IPC). This framework serves as the foundational underpinning for IPE within all health professions. Partnering for Patti is a sim-IPE experience collaboratively developed by faculty from Bachelor of Nursing and Respiratory Therapy programs within two Atlantic institutions leveled for third-year nursing and respiratory therapy students. This event provides an opportunity for participants to enhance their knowledge of the six CIHC IPE domains, and improve their understanding of and appreciation for IPC. Within this context learners must work together, and rely on the expertise of both professional groups to critically think through and improve a declining client scenario. Once complete, debriefing and reflective journaling help participants solidify learning and deduce new frames of understanding. It has been hypothesized that this event enhances student knowledge of CIHC IPE domains, and creates a deeper appreciation for, and understanding of IPC. The primary objective of this research was to determine if participants’ understanding of CIHC IPE domains improved, and if perceptions of their own and the other profession were reframed as a result of this innovation. METHODS: This article describes the educators’ approach in setting up and delivering this learning experience and the results of this event through students’ perceptions. This cross-sectional study used a descriptive mixed-methods design. Two data collection tools were used to explore changes in participants’ perceptions and event feedback. RESULTS: Data analysis found that the majority of participants identified value in this IPE learning experience. Qualitative and quantitative findings suggest participants developed a deepened appreciation for IPC and an improved understanding of the CIHC IPE competency domains. DISCUSSION: The evaluative findings of this study support the value of Partnering for Patti as a novel IPE learning experience. Although it is unclear to what degree objectives were met, findings strongly support continued integration of this learning experience.