Student -Led Interprofessional Education and Wellness Fair - Preparing for Practice

The faculty, staff, and health profession students conducted an interprofessional wellness fair aiming to promote health and provide opportunities for interprofessional collaboration. The disciplines of nursing, nutrition, occupational therapy, respiratory therapy, and kinesiology practiced the competencies of the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) and TeamSTEPPS® through training and implementation at the interprofessional wellness fair. The interprofessional team of faculty and students collaboratively designed a wellness fair to address chronic disease prevention and management. The team considered evidence-based literature for handouts and screenings offered. In addition, booth spaces were designed with interactive activities and incentives for participants. The team provided a holistic screening with incentive spirometry, healthy balance and stress management, blood glucose, blood cholesterol, blood pressure, adequate rest and sleep patterns, body composition (body mass index, lean and fat mass ratios), nutrition, proper use of weights and hand grip strengths, and counseling services. Over a four-hour time span, sixty-eight people attended the wellness fair, faculty and staff (25%) and students (75%). Participants expressed an appreciation of the services provided. In addition, approximately 59 providers benefited by visiting other’s booths. Our interprofessional students learned to work together through the TeamSTEPPS® training and gained knowledge about each other’s discipline. Faculty observed high performing teams, modeling effective leadership and communication skills to mutually support others to achieve the overall mission and objectives of the interprofessional health fair. A community of interprofessional learners was created with faculty and students. Seventeen faculty, staff and students were recruited for a spring wellness coaching program.Acknowledgement: This health promotion program and wellness fair was supported through the CNHP Faculty Development Award.