Real-Life Scenarios Help Teach Students How to Work With Other Professions

The scenario was one of three interprofessional education simulations (IEPs) on elder abuse, dementia and poverty that UMHB health education students recently participated in to learn how to collaborate effectively to help improve patient outcomes.

"Even though it was just a scenario, it was hard see­ing that because it reminds me that this actually does happen, and those will be real cases that we will have to deal with when we graduate," Averianna said. "Overall, the whole process was very rewarding, though, because we got to go through a step-by-step process of what would happen. It all happened so quickly, but that's how it will be in real-life situations."

The simulations included students in nursing, physi­cian's assistant, physical therapy, occupational therapy, counseling and social work. None of the experiences are required for licensing, but they are a university require­ment for graduation and part of UMHB's health profes­sions accreditation.

"No matter which health profession route you choose, it is all interprofessional practice," said Dr. Tracy Booth, director of interprofessional education for the Mayborn College of Health Sciences. "In the real world, we all have to work together as a team to provide care for our patients. So interprofessional education provides oppor­tunities for students to learn from and with each other to prepare them for interprofessional practice."

Because everyone uses healthcare, Booth says health­care providers must learn to collaborate to determine the best action plan.

"In terms of nursing, I can't do nursing without some physicians or PAs or advanced practice nurses, and the same goes for them. No one of us can do it all, so we have to work together and know everybody's roles and responsibilities so that we know who we can count on to help us with whatever else we need to do."

The scenarios include moulage, which is a special-ef­fects makeup used to simulate injuries, aging and other physical characteristics, and all the props necessary to bring the simulations to life, explained Simulation Specialist Rebecca Sharpe, who helps dream up the scenarios.

"I want to make sure that it's as realistic as possible. And so I put on the makeup. I put on the knee brace and the ID bands and make sure that the equipment that they need is in the rooms."

While Averianna was dealing with the abusive wife, another scenario included a relative who was stealing his mother's pain medication, leaving his dying mother in pain. Another scene involved a home health check in which an Army veteran with a total knee replace­ment was discovered living in squalor because he was unable to take care of himself and had no support system.

Sharpe said UMHB students are blessed to have the Learning Simulation Center to practice these sce­narios that happen in real life every day. She encour­ages them to see the center as a "safe place" where mistakes can happen and where they can learn from them and help prevent them from happening in the real world with an actual patient.

"I tell the students: 'When you go into the clinical setting to do orientation or rotations, you are a stu­dent nurse or OT or PT student. You are no longer the student when you walk into the simulated hospital. You are the nurse. You are the PT, the OT, and I want you to own that role so that you can show us what you know—show us what you're going to do when you are by yourself, and you don't have your faculty holding your hand. Then, we can see what you're going to do and just help get you better.'"