Promoting Patient Advocacy During an Interprofessional Parkinson Simulation

Abstract

Background: Parkinson's is the second-most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease with about 90,000 people in the United States being diagnosed each year [1]. These staggering numbers make it essential for future nurses to understand the disease process and treatment regimes. Methods: The study is a mixed method design using quantitative data from 5 post simulation questions utilizing the Likert scale and 1 open ended question. Results: The majority of students answered between a 4-5 on the Likert scale indicating they felt very comfortable/ confident to somewhat comfortable/confident on all 5 questions. The student takeaways from the simulation experience were positive indicating they learned the importance of listening to the patient and family, the importance of medication, adhering to the medication schedule, and communication with the physician. Conclusions: Using an interprofessional simulation experience that focused on the medication schedule of a patient with Parkinson’s to help student learn patient advocacy has proven effective. A well planned out simulation scenario created a space where educator could focus on soft skills, like communication, collaboration, and advocacy.