Interprofessional Simulations: Student Attitudes and Effects on SBAR Performance

Abstract

National healthcare organizations recommend innovative educational initiatives and fundamental changes in the way healthcare providers are educated. Educational strategies that incorporate collaboration have been shown to impact professional behaviors and competency. Improved student attitudes toward collaboration and increased understanding of professional roles are impacted by exposure to simulation and interprofessional education. The purpose of the Interprofessional Simulation Project was to determine whether the type of clinical simulation experience (traditional versus interprofessional) influences nursing students\u27 knowledge and performance of skilled communication. Additionally, the project investigated attitudes toward collaboration in an educational setting. A quantitative pretest and posttest design was utilized to examine changes in knowledge of skilled communication and investigate attitudes toward collaboration. A comparative posttest only design was used to examine differences in skilled communication performance between the traditional and interprofessional simulation groups. Senior nursing students were divided into two groups for simulation: a traditional group and an interprofessional education (IPE) group. Surgical resident physicians interfaced with the nursing students during the IPE portion of the simulations and debrief sessions. The IPE simulation intervention elicited statistically significant changes in skilled communication knowledge over time. There was no statistically significant difference between the simulation groups on skilled communication performance. Significant differences in motivation and utility, and understanding of key team communication skills were realized as a result of the IPE team simulation training. The results from this project add to the evidence for enhancing IPE team training of healthcare providers to increase understanding of the benefits and application of standardized team communication skills