Interprofessional Simulation (IPS) As an Educational Tool to Address Underserved Student Representation and Cultural Competence

Background:  Allport (1954) postulated that prejudice or stereotyping within groups would interfere with their optimum functioning (as cited in Gierman-Riblon & Salloway, 2013).  It has been widely suggested that his intergroup contact theory was an appropriate mechanism to reduce barriers and then evaluate the effectiveness of interprofessional (IP) identity and learning.  What has not been widely explored is the impact of those same exercises and their potential influence on gender, ethnic, cultural, religious, or intra-personal professional perceptions.   Prior findings from one multi-professional acute illness IPS exercise at a major southwestern US university suggested it had potential in the development of cultural competence training (Bargainer, et al., 2016).  

Purpose:   Social work practice requires knowledge and the ability to apply it with increasingly diverse populations. This can be especially challenging for students who have not been exposed to or experienced other cultures. In an attempt to better prepare social work students to work with underserved populations have been exposed to an IPS program to help them to function more effectively within a culturally diverse healthcare setting.    

Methods: The current work will report on a day-long chronic illness simulation exercise for n=97 students from five departments at two universities.  After IRB approval a simulation center was transformed into a typical day in a federally qualified health center (FQHC) and medical/surgical unit.  Twenty-two evidence-based scenarios were created and adapted to address chronic medical conditions, as well as gender, ethnic, religious, and cultural competence issues.  The cases were presented by standardized patients, and after randomization social work students worked collaboratively with other professions to assess and treat the patients.   Participants were primarily Caucasian females (66%, 87%, respectively).  Most had no prior medical work experience (53%), nor had they had any prior medical practicums (55%). 

 Findings: According to the Learner’s Self-Confidence Scale a paired samples t-test found that the exercise resulted in sig improvement in (p<0.01) their knowledge, skills, behaviors, and attitudes.   A Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test comparison of the specific skills developed found a significant improvement (p<0.01) in their ability to work effectively, contribute valuable insight, facilitate communication, coordinate tasks, resolve conflicts, and integrate information in their work with complex patients.

Conclusions:  The findings suggest the continued use of IPS exercises in the training of social work students may help to prepare them for the diversity issues they will encounter in their clinical practice.   A full review of the qualitative findings and the specific gender, ethnic, religious and cultural competence issues addressed by the scenarios will be presented.  

Bargainer, R., R., Whitcomb, K., Beckling, A., Paris, D., Faz, R., Keidl, T. &…Paris, W. (2016).  Interprofessional trauma simulation: A continuum to quality of care. International Nursing Education (NET:NEP) Conference.  Brisbane, AS.  

Gierman-Riblon, C. M., & Salloway, S. (2013). Teaching interprofessionalism to nursing students: A learning experience based on Allport’s intergroup contact theory. Nursing Education Perspectives, 34(1), 59-61.