Collaborative practice in action: Building interprofessional competencies through simulation based education and novel approaches to team training

Abstract

Background: Interprofessional collaboration (IPC) is integral to patient safety and quality of care. The demand for research evidence for IPC competency based education continues to grow globally for practicing healthcare professionals. Purpose: To design, deliver and evaluate an IPC competency based simulation curriculum for frontline interprofessional healthcare teams using the CIHC (Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative) competency framework. Methods: Intervention included a flip classroom approach of 4.5 hours of asynchronous eLearning on IPC, and two 4.5 hour facilitated workshops inclusive of four contextual simulations and 2 team based experiential learning activities, each followed by targeted debriefing on the IPC competencies. Discussion: This novel approach of using simulation based education (SBE) and debriefing coupled with team based experiential activities resulted in a statistically significantly changed in individual cognitive awareness, interprofessional attitudes and team behaviors (p < 0.05). Conclusion: There are very few reported opportunities for frontline healthcare teams to practice and gain proficiency in knowledge, skills and attitudes related to IPC. To demonstrate behavioral change in IPC competencies, frontline practitioners require a combined approach of foundational learning, non-medical experiential team based activities and simulation based learning.