Teaching and evaluating interprofessional teamwork using sequenced instruction and TeamSTEPPS™ Team Performance Observation Tool (TPOT)

Abstract

Abstract This paper describes a semester-long interprofessional education (IPE) program focused on teaching health care students the knowledge and competencies needed to provide patient-centered collaborative care through a sequence of learning activities. To strengthen and expand IPE efforts at a large Midwestern university, graduate physical therapy, occupational therapy, and nurse practitioner students were enrolled in a one credit hour revised course on interprofessional case management. Students completed five sessions of coursework in which they studied pre-session online modules to acquire knowledge about provider roles and interprofessional communication, practiced conducting patient interviews and peer-teaching through student-led role plays, and worked in interprofessional teams on an unfolding patient case study, facilitated by faculty. At the end of the course, students were asked to self-rate and reflect on their team's performance for leadership, team structure, situation monitoring, mutual support and communication using 16 items from the TeamSTEPPS™ Team Performance Observation Tool (TPOT). Of 98 students enrolled in the course, 63 participated in the study (64.3% response rate). Students assessed all subscales, as well as the overall team performance, very positively with mean values above 4.5 on a scale with values from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree); however, non-Caucasian students rated two subscales (situation monitoring and mutual support) significantly lower than Caucasian students. Student reflections emphasized patient-centeredness, respect for the other disciplines, and family-centered decision-making. Positive quantitative and qualitative results demonstrate a promising model for teaching the knowledge and skills health profession students need to provide interprofessional health care.