Interprofessional Geriatric Education: Team-based Care for Chronic Conditions

The Eastern Pennsylvania-Delaware Geriatric Education Center (EPaD GEC) mission is to provide interprofessional geriatric education in Northeast and Southeast Pennsylvania and Delaware. EPaD GEC consortium members (Thomas Jefferson University (TJU), Christiana Care Health System (CCHS), Marywood University (MU) and Philadelphia Senior Center (PSC)) are committed to improving the health and quality of life of older adults and their caregivers by translating new evidence and innovative practice models into practical curricula and programs. One of our educational goals is to develop a structured curriculum on geriatric topics that can be integrated into the educational curricula of multiple health disciplines

The Impact of Multiple Mentoring Relationships on Attrition in the Ed.D. Program

Research suggests doctoral students leave their programs early due to the lack of mentoring relationships to support degree completion and success. Attrition across disciplines in Ph.D. programs is around 50%. Findings of studies on doctoral student experience solely focusing on Ph.D. programs suggest that mentoring relationships support degree completion. Ed.D. attrition rates and how mentoring contributes to degree completion is not widely studied. This qualitative-narrative study sought to explore how multiple mentoring relationships reduced attrition in an Ed.D. program. The research questions addressed include the following: How do multiple mentoring relationships support success in the Ed.D. program?, How do multiple mentoring relationships impact doctoral student experience in the Ed.D. program?, How do multiple mentoring relationships promote social learning to support success in the Ed.D. program?, What role do multiple mentoring relationships play in psychosocial support to promote success in the Ed.D. program?, and What role do multiple mentoring relationships play in career support to promote success in the Ed.D. program? The conceptual framework for this study reflects the core areas within the literature that support successful degree completion. These core areas include the doctoral student's experience, adult learning, and mentoring. Study participants shared their experiences with mentors across their life domains (academic, personal, and professional) and the support (mechanisms) provided to promote progression and or completion of the program. The study found that participants successfully graduated, moved through coursework, completed the dissertation process, and advanced in their careers as a result of multiple mentoring relationships. Each relationship served a specific purpose in contributing to the participant's progression or degree completion. For instance, family members and friends supported participants with home duties, childcare, encouragement, and praise during their doctoral journey. Supervisors supported the participant's success both academically and professionally. Fellow doctoral students enhanced the learning experience by sharing different perspectives and providing academic and career advice/strategies. Faculty were critical to the academic and dissertation process as well as to scholarly development. Participants expressed the importance of having multiple mentoring relationships to support progression and completion in an Ed.D. program.Ed.D., Educational Leadership and Management -- Drexel University, 201

A Simulated Clinical Skills Scenario to Teach Interprofessional Teamwork to Health Profession Students

The Eastern Pennsylvania Delaware Geriatric Education Center developed an Interprofessional Clinical Skills Scenario (CSS) to facilitate development of teamwork skills, specifically decision making, communication and collaboration, in health professions students in medicine, nursing, pharmacy, occupational and physical therapy programs. The case scenario provides students with the opportunity to practice communication and collaboration with a team and standardized patient and caregiver in a simulated clinical setting. The CSS was integrated into an existing occupational therapy course in 2011. Students were recruited by faculty from various schools (health professions, pharmacy, nursing, medicine) throughout the university to participate in the CSS. The program evaluation included demographic assessment, process, and outcome measures. 166 students have participated in the CSS. Pre- and post-tests measured students' attitude toward healthcare teams. A Team Observation Tool was used by faculty and standardized patients/caregivers to evaluate student teams on communication, information sharing, and team interaction. A satisfaction survey was completed by the learners at the end of the CSS. This simulated Clinical Skills Scenario is a practical, interactive exercise that allows teams of interprofessional students to practice teamwork skills and patient-centered care with standardized patients and caregivers. Following a review of the learning activity and evaluation tools, the authors reflect on the effectiveness of the evaluation process for this CSS

Using an Interprofessional Clinical Skills Scenario in an Occupational Therapy Course

Interprofessional education (IPE) is being adopted increasingly more in the health care education field. The literature cites benefits of interprofessional teamwork such as appreciation for the expertise of other health care practitioners, enhanced communication skills related to teamwork, higher quality patient care and improved patient outcomes.5,6 One of the goals of the Eastern Pennsylvania-Delaware (EPaD) Geriatric Education Center is to create geriatric interprofessional education for medical, nursing and health professions students. The Center developed an Interprofessional Clinical Skills Scenario to facilitate development of communication and collaboration skills. The Interprofessional Clinical Skills Scenario focuses on an older adult who is hospitalized for an acute stroke and is ready to be discharged from the hospital. The learning objectives for the students are to identify roles of professionals on the health care team, and to practice communication and collaboration skills through the development of a care plan and family discharge planning meeting. The Clinical Skills Scenario includes the development of care plan and conducting a family discharge planning meeting followed by feedback from standardized patient and family member, peers and faculty. The Clinical Skills Scenario was pilot tested in October 2009 with five students from medicine, nursing, occupational therapy (OT), physical therapy (PT) and pharmacy

Using an Interdisciplinary Falls Assessment Clinic to develop collaborative team skills among medical and health professions students.

In new practice models, such as the Chronic Care Model, there is an emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration; however health profession students have little or no opportunity to practice together during their educational training. Students need learning experiences in which they work collaboratively with groups in other disciplines to solve healthcare problems. The Eastern Pennsylvania-Delaware Geriatric Education Center (EPaD GEC) has developed an Interdisciplinary Falls Assessment Clinic which uses evidence based standard of care practice to evaluate and manage older adults who have fallen or at risk for falling. Older adults are at increased risk for falls and fall-related injuries, leading to loss of independence, disability, and increased mortality. The interdisciplinary clinic provides a clinical educational opportunity for students in medicine, nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, pharmacy, and social work to train and work together as an interdisciplinary team. The objective is for health care profession students to be able to identify roles and responsibilities of professionals on the health care team and practice communication and collaboration skills in a interprofessional care team. The Falls Assessment Clinic also provides an educational venue to increase the knowledge of students in medicine, physical therapy, occupational therapy, pharmacy, social work, and nursing regarding prevention and management of falls in the elderly. This session will focus on the educational impact of an Interdisciplinary Falls Assessment clinic to enhance interprofessional learning in geriatrics for health profession students. Based on the evaluation data, the interdisciplinary clinic facilitated the students’ recognition of the important roles each profession play in caring for a patient in a health care team. The experience of working in a team was reported as very rewarding and beneficial in increasing the students’ knowledge of teamwork in a clinical scenario. Students reported enjoying the team meeting experience and regarded this as a valuable part of their education. Learning Objectives: At the end of this session, participants will: 1. Discuss common barriers and challenges to incorporating learners from different disciplines 2. Discuss strategies and methods to assess competency and evaluate learners from different disciplines in different stages of learning 3. Identify a strategy to develop and implement an interdisciplinary clinic at their home institution