Communication challenges including microaggressions occur frequently in healthcare among team members and even from patients. These events impact not only the targeted individual but also the team and may affect the quality and safety of patient care. Bystanders who witness these incidences are often uncertain how to respond. The purpose of this lightning talk is to discuss the design, implementation, and evaluation of an interprofessional activity designed to engage interprofessional students in a series of scenarios focused on microaggressions and communication conflict resolution, with additional goals of developing strategies to enhance allyship in future encounters. Using the Georgetown Microaggressions Toolkit as a guide, a virtual class activity was designed for interprofessional students to have faculty-facilitated conversations in small groups about scenarios that presented communication conflicts and microaggressions emerging from provider-patient interactions and intra-team dynamics. The conflict scenarios involved racial and ethnic disparities and stereotypes that sometimes affect healthcare teams. The technique of “Stop, Talk, and Roll” was provided as a strategy of resolving these conflicts. A debrief occurred after each case scenario with faculty facilitators discussing strategies and responses for future encounters. Schools/programs involved in the activity were medicine, nursing, pharmacy, physician assistant, and clinical rehabilitation/mental health, with 463 students participating. Survey responses from 261 students showed improved recognition and knowledge of how to respond to microaggressions in the clinical environment. We created a forum for students from different health professions to learn about the occurrence of these conflicts and to learn how to respond as an ally and not be a paralyzed bystander.
In support of improving patient care, this activity is planned and implemented by The National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education Office of Interprofessional Continuing Professional Development (OICPD). The OICPD is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
As a Jointly Accredited Provider, the OICPD is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. The OICPD maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive continuing education credits.
This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credit for learning and change.
Physicians: The National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education designates this live activity for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.
Physician Assistants: The American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) accepts credit from organizations accredited by the ACCME.
Nurses: Participants will be awarded contact hours of credit for attendance at this workshop.
Nurse Practitioners: The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program (AANPCP) accepts credit from organizations accredited by the ACCME and ANCC.
Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians: This activity is approved for contact hours.
Social Workers: As a Jointly Accredited Organization, the National Center is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. The National Center maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive continuing education credits.
IPCE: This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credits for learning and change
