Implementing Interprofessional Education into Nurse Practitioner Curricula: A Case Study

To address mandates for interprofessional education (IPE), our faculty designed and implemented a longitudinal team-based program for students in five health sciences programs. Funded by HRSA, our program aims were for students to: 1) appreciate the benefits of interprofessional team-based care, 2) understand roles of team members, 3) learn strategies for delivering patient-centered care, 4) develop a skill set for effective interprofessional practice, and 5) practice team-based, patient-centered care.

Methods: Students in medicine, pharmacy, nutrition, social work, and family and psychiatric nurse practitioner programs (N=82) on two campuses formed 12 teams to participate in activities designed to meet project aims. For some activities, teams worked asynchronously on-line; for others, they used videoconferencing to work face-to-face in a virtual classroom. Over an academic year, students engaged in structured activities to practice team building and collaborative care in a series of four simulated clinical encounters using an unfolding case study with standardized patients. With each encounter, students applied a collaborative approach as they practiced assessment, diagnosis, care planning, communication, and documentation skills. As the case unfolded, the patient’s care became more complex and student autonomy increased. Each encounter provided opportunities for teams to conduct or witness a care conference with the standardized patient. At the end of each encounter, students received feedback on their teamwork, patient-centeredness, communication, and plan of care from the standardized patient, student peers, and faculty. Teams then submitted SOAP notes to document their encounter; these notes were reviewed by faculty, who provided critical feedback.

Evaluation: Program evaluation was multifaceted.  We administered three instruments to students at multiple time points to measure changes in knowledge, behaviors, and attitudes towards interprofessional practice. We evaluated student skills and behaviors during the simulated patient encounters using a faculty-developed collaborative care worksheet and large group debriefing. Standardized patients evaluated student teams using a published tool. Finally, written assignments were evaluated using faculty-developed rubrics.

Conclusions. This program uses simulation, standardized patients, unfolding case studies and distance education to integrate interprofessional education into a DNP curriculum. This type of experience fosters future collaborations among healthcare providers.