Caution and Context: COVID-19 as the Educational Focus for Interprofessional Learning
Our academic health center delivers a 3-phase (exposure, immersion, competence) interprofessional education (IPE) curriculum that is a graduation requirement. On March 13th, 2020 onsite classes were suspended due to the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the state. Faculty rapidly implemented alternative methods of instruction to complete coursework for the spring semester. Many classes were hosted on a virtual platform using Zoom.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare students and faculty stepped forward with a desire to serve. Several public health support programs were provided by the academic health center. Several virtual IP simulations were developed to provide knowledge and skills necessary for students to serve in these public health support areas as well as meet course requirements for graduation. These included: a 1-800 COVID 19 hotline providing rapid access to health screening to assist the community in understanding when and where they should access the health care system for testing or care; a Contact Tracing Call Center to identify those with exposure and risk and counsel next steps, and provision of public health information regarding the virus and the vaccine.
Format of these simulations consisted of an initial brief detailing Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) domains and Patient- and Family-Centered Care principles followed by scenario introduction and IP team review such as a screening algorithm and decision tree for hotline and call center work, subsequent was standardized patient (SP) interaction, and finally IP debriefing. Five simulations were conducted with 190 students participating. Evaluation metrics include pre/post Interprofessional Collaborative Competencies Attainment Survey (ICCAS), evaluation of learning objectives, SP interaction and simulation methodology via Likert scale, and identification of themes from qualitative response items. Descriptive statistics will be shared.
