Changes in Student Perceptions after Participating in a High-Fidelity Simulation-Based Interprofessional Education Activity at a Historically Black University.

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to assess the impact of a high-fidelity simulation interprofessional education (IPE) activity at a large, historically Black university (HBU) on perceptions of IPE.

Participants: Student participants represented various allied health care professions; the majority were female and enrolled in the pharmacy professional program. Health administration, nutrition and dietetics, nursing, respiratory therapy, and clinical lab science programs were also represented.

Methods: Participants were randomly assigned to IPE teams of 6-7 individuals. The 1-day activity transpired at a high-fidelity simulation facility and included a pre-briefing, simulated scenario with high-fidelity mannequins, and a faculty-guided video-assisted debriefing session. The patient scenario was designed by subject area faculty experts and featured an adult patient on hemodialysis. Participants completed pre and post-activity questionnaires that included the Student Perceptions of Interprofessional Clinical Education-Revised (SPICE-R) instrument.

Results: Participants completed pre (n=107) and post-activity (n=81) questionnaires. There was a significant increase from the pre-event (M=3.90, SD 0.91) and post-event score (M=4.22, SD 0.84) for the SPICE-R item regarding understanding "the roles of other professionals within the interdisciplinary team"; t(186)= -2.471, p=0.01. The SPICE-R item score for "health professionals should collaborate in teams" also significantly increased from the pre-event (M=4.28, SD 0.80) to the post-event (M=4.53, SD 0.73); t(186)= -2.209, p=0.03.

Conclusions: Participation in a 1-day high-fidelity simulation-based IPE activity at a HBU has the potential to positively change students' perceptions of IPE. Future studies should consider the impact of IPE on perceptions of diversity.