Complexities of Interprofessional Care of a Person with a Amputation: Uniting Educational Programs Virtually
Background:
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many IPE activities have been redesigned to accommodate virtual learning. Virtual platforms can help in engaging healthcare professionals from other institutions to provide more realistic representation of healthcare professionals from across the continuum of care involved in care of patients.
Methods:
Healthcare professional students (n = 145) from different universities engaged in a virtual, interprofessional discussion using a case-based learning approach. Students were divided into small groups of 6-7 students each (1 O/P, 1-2 OT, 1-2 PA, and 2-3 PT) and were given a case centering around the needs of a person with a new acute dysvascular amputation. Following a pre-brief provided by instructors from each of the 4 professional programs, interprofessional student groups were placed in breakout rooms. Each student group was assigned a faculty facilitator to monitor progress and provide feedback. Students completed electronic worksheets to record answers to the case-based questions. A faculty-led debriefing followed using a web-based polling application to focus on roles and responsibilities and teams and teamwork. Students completed the SPICER-2 pre- and post-event to assess student perceptions of interprofessional education and collaborative practice.
Results:
Eighty-three students completed both pre- and post-event SPICER-2 surveys (PT = 44, OT = 13, PA = 13, O/P = 13). A Wilcoxon Ranked Test was completed to examine within group differences among the entire sample. Results demonstrated a statistically significant difference pre- to post-test in all three subscales of the SPICER-2: teamwork (p < 0.001), roles/responsibilities (p < 0.001), and patient outcomes (p=0.013).
Conclusion:
Virtual learning platforms offer an opportunity to expand IPE offerings to include other healthcare educational programs that may not be available at one’s home institution. Web-based polling applications can further enhance the debriefing process to allow more students to express their learning in a psychologically safe environment.
Lessons learned:
Virtual learning platforms can help to strengthening sustainability of IPE events that involve more than one campus or university. The implication is that new IPE events could be developed with programs at other institutions.
