Faculty Development in the Education of Nurse Practitioner, Occupational and Physical Therapy Students in Interprofessional Teamwork Using Telehealth Technology

Issue:There is clear evidence that the care delivered through highly functioning teams of health care professionals results in improved patient outcomes and better utilization of health care resources (Zwarenstein, & Bryant, 2008; Glover, & Bogle, 2000). And yet, health profession students continue to be educated separately in what are often called educational “silos” and upon graduation to be mentored into the “tribalism” of the various professions. The key to practicing team-based care is thought to be educating students from different disciplines together in what is termed Interprofessional Education (IPE).  For successful educational outcomes to occur, optimal development of faculty involved in teaching effective interprofessional teamwork is requisite.

Method: Faculty in family nurse practitioner, adult/gero nurse practitioner, occupational therapy, and physical therapy programs on two campuses that are 100 miles apart participated in an interprofessional faculty development program. Faculty completed on-line modules designed around the interprofessional core competencies and participated in the evaluation of student interprofessional team performances in standardized patient encounters in simulated clinical environments using telehealth technology. Surveys were used to measure faculty knowledge and attitudes toward teamwork and use of telehealth technology. Results of the surveys were employed to craft meaningful learning experiences and conduct structured debriefing sessions to seek formative and summative feedback about the process.

Observations/Outcomes: Faculty demonstrated comfort and an affinity for teamwork and reticence toward the use of technology in presenting an interprofessional team-based curriculum using telehealth. They were impressively resilient in the curriculum development and delivery processes.

Conclusion:  A faculty development program customized to meet the particular needs of the faculty participants resulted in successful education of students from four disciplines about effective interprofessional teamwork to provide safe, effective, efficient, patient-centered care.