Preparing NPs in the use of Technology to Collaborate Interprofessionally at a Distance

In this age of fragmented health care, advances in information and communication technology are transforming care.  This transformation is taking place across the spectrum of the health care system, encompassing the many disciplines involved in patient care.  New communication technologies can be an important tool to improve interprofessional care and improve patient outcomes.  Learning these technologies through interdisciplinary programs can provide an ideal vehicle to not only promote their use, but to further enhance communication and understanding between professions.   The attendees of this symposium will be able to: 1. provide curricular content and interdisciplinary experiential programs that will prepare DNP/NP students to utilize technology to enhance distance interprofessional  collaboration and 2. mentor students using new technologies that promote distance interprofessional  practice models.  In order for students to develop competencies in utilizing healthcare technology to connect with other disciplines, the students participate in an experiential workshop where they are introduced to various technologies available for interprofessional collaboration.  These include telehealth, social media, and EHR.  These technologies are further explored through didactics where the students learn how to use the tools to locate and collaborate with others.  The students are then given an assignment where they must connect with others at a distance using a technology they have never used before.    In order to assist the students with this assignment, they are given a list of potential tool to use along with websites for obtaining information and downloading the application they choose.  Examples of technologies include Poplet, Blogs, texts, Skype, and Adobe Connect.  The students are then required to write individual papers about their experience including what technology they chose, benefits and barriers to using the technology, and an outline of a potential collaborations identified.  Examples of some of the collaborations will be presented along with a list of technology resources.