Interprofessional Education Event Research Articles

Evaluating attitudes among healthcare graduate students following interprofessional education on opioid use disorder.

Provider-enacted stigma is a barrier for people with substance use disorder (SUD) who interface with the healthcare system, and it has been shown to lead to worse healthcare outcomes. This has given urgency to the need for stigma reduction interventions such as education- and contact-based approaches. The positive effect of interprofessional education (IPE) in reducing graduate health students' stigmatizing attitudes on opioids has been examined before, and we contribute to the existing literature by examining the attitudes across the following four health disciplines-osteopathic medicine, physician assistant (PA) studies and public health, pharmacy, and nursing-following a single half-day IPE event focused on opioid use disorder (OUD). We aimed to determine whether attitudes could be affected by the IPE event by assessing attitudes utilizing an adapted version of the Alcohol and Alcohol Problems Perceptions Questionnaire (AAPPQ) before and after the IPE event. A total of 647 students across the four previously mentioned health disciplines participated in the IPE event. Attitudes were compared between the pre/post groups utilizing unpaired t tests, and a summative "all-attitudes" score was generated, with higher scores being associated with improved attitudes toward individuals with an OUD. Linear regression was performed controlling for program type, gender, and previous OUD exposure (personal, professional, and education). We found that the pre/post summative attitudes scores improved an average of 2.81 units (SD 0.87, p=0.001, CI 1.09-4.52) for the entire cohort of graduate health students (56.9 vs. 66.6, p<0.0001) and for all attitudinal subscales (roleadequacy, role legitimacy, role support, task-specific self-esteem, and work satisfaction). Students from PA programs had significantly higher attitude scores than other programs, and there were differences in degree type on attitude scores, with an average decrease of 1.89 units in attitude scores (SE 0.38, p<0.0001, CI-2.64 to-1.16). We found that students with previous exposure to OUD had higher pre-IPE event scores than those without, and knowing someone impacted by an SUD was a significant predictor of increased attitude scores, by an average of 3.82 units (SE 0.27, p<0.0001, CI 3.49-4.16). However, students without previous exposure to OUD had equal attitude scores post event to those who had previous exposure to OUD through education, personal experience, or training. Our findings suggest that an IPE intervention and panel discussion may improve attitudes toward people with OUD in healthcare trainees, which is consistent with previous research that shows the beneficial effect of education and contact in reducing stigma. Degree type and knowing someone who has been impacted by an SUD are also significant predictors of attitude scores. IPE events are useful in targeting a public health issue by encouraging collaboration between different health professionals at early stages of their training, and preclinical educational efforts can affect therapeutic attitudes.

Acute Care Interprofessional Event Improved Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Athletic Training and Nurse Practitioner Students

Objective In this study, we sought to assess the changes in the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of athletic training program (ATP) and nurse practitioner (NP) graduate students before and after an acute care interprofessional education (IPE) workshop. Design and Setting This was a descriptive KAP survey to be taken by participants before and after the IPE event. This survey was administered using a QR code that participants scanned. The study occurred at the University of Central Florida College of Nursing before and after acute care skills were taught and practiced by each program’s students. Patients or Other Participants A total of 35 students from a professional master’s ATP and an adult gerontology acute care NP program were present at the workshop. Thirty-two students took the preworkshop survey, while 30 students completed the postworkshop survey. Main Outcome Measure(s) In this study, we aimed to measure the change in perceptions about the knowledge, skills, teaching, and IPE understanding of each respective program after the educational workshop. Surveys were distributed before the IPE workshop and then again after the workshop concluded. The survey responses were scored on a 5-point Likert scale. Scores for each section were averaged, and statistical analysis was done using repeated measures analyses of variance for total and subsection scores for both programs. Results A significant increase was found for each group in IPE understanding, knowledge, skills, and teaching scoring (P &amp;lt; .05) with moderate to large effect sizes. Conclusions Participating in this acute care IPE workshop showed significant increases in perceptions of the KAP among ATP and NP students.

A Modular Approach to Interprofessional Concussion Education and Assessment for Athletic Training and Nursing Students

Context Due to the complexity of concussion evaluation and management and the growing demand for interprofessional collaborative practice in health care, the need for interprofessional education (IPE) among professional health care programs has become increasingly important. Objective This IPE technique provides athletic training and nursing students with an opportunity to apply knowledge of professional roles and uses collective clinical reasoning to navigate a multifaceted case scenario with a patient who sustained a concussion. Background With the emphasis of IPE in professional health care programs, both athletic training and nursing programs accrediting bodies have adopted standards that require the implementation of IPE within the curriculum. Description of Techniques This IPE event uses a modular and scaffolding teaching approach to gradually introduce new developments into the patient case in a sequential manner to increase fidelity. Advantage(s) By using this approach, students will have the opportunity to meet the objectives for each module before moving on to the next. Additionally, students will develop professional relationships over time within the collaboration of professional groups. Conclusion(s) Use of this IPE technique affords athletic training and nursing students the opportunity to develop the professional skills required to engage in interprofessional collaborative practice and improve patient outcomes.

Technology-Enabled Visualization of Team Typologies at a Multi-Institutional IPE Event

Background: Preventable medical errors caused by ineffective teamwork are substantial contributors in the majority of patient harm events. Nonetheless, the interprofessional education (IPE) research to date has not reported on within-group interactions and discourse to determine if students in IPE teams are practicing effective teamwork at IPE events. Purpose: The overall objective of this mixed methods study was to develop IPE team typologies based on a multi-institutional IPE event in order to characterize and provide actionable knowledge for improving IPE teamwork. Methods: A total of 127 students and 18 faculty, representing eight pre-professional programs and three universities, participated in this study. The IPE teams were videotaped during their case-solving work. These recorded sessions were analyzed using a mixed methods design that included event-based scoring for cognitive level and team behaviors and development of IPE team typologies using a constant comparative analysis (open, axial, and selective coding) of 14 IPE teams during the process of developing care plans for novel patient cases. Team typologies were cross-validated with the current literature. Discussion: Four IPE team typologies emerged: Facilitated, Cohesion, Consensual Validation, and Silo Mentality (listed in rank order from most to least effective). Only the Facilitated team type demonstrated effective teamworking behaviors. Decreasing team effectiveness was met with a dose-dependent, concomitant decrease in average cognitive level and beneficial team behaviors. Conclusions: The results of this study provide the knowledge required to implement recommendations for targeted interventions to improve IPE teamwork. Effective teamwork is crucial to optimal patient care; therefore, future research should critically analyze and seek to improve IPE teamwork in order to prepare a practice-ready next generation of healthcare professionals.

An interprofessional peer learning event improves Doctor of Physical Therapy and Bachelor of Science in Nursing students' readiness and self-efficacy for interprofessional learning

Interprofessional learning and collaboration are essential for successful patient care. We describe an interprofessional education (IPE) event between Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) and Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students focused on increasing students' readiness and self-efficacy for interprofessional learning. First-year DPT and junior level BSN students in their first upper-level nursing semester participated in the IPE event. DPT students peer taught BSN students about safe patient transfers, assistive device management, and safe gait patterns for patient mobilization. A pre-post survey using the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) and Self-efficacy for Interprofessional Experiential Learning (SEIEL) outcome measures assessed changes in students' readiness and self-efficacy toward interprofessional learning. A statistically significant (p < 0.001) improvement in RIPLS score (pre: 81.8 ± 7.4, post: 85.2 ± 7.6), and SEIEL scores (pre: 123 ± 22.7, post: 141.8 ± 16.1) were found. This IPE event improved students' readiness and self-efficacy toward interprofessional learning.

Educating nurses caring for paediatric inflammatory bowel disease patients receiving biologics: the impact of a virtual event

Background: A virtual educational and networking event took place for registered nurses caring for administering biologic therapy in paediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) patients and their families. The aim was to establish the level of self-reported competencies of the nurses and to evaluate the impact that the event had on them. Methods: Participants were requested to complete an online questionnaire before and after the interprofessional education event. Results: Some 21 pre–event questionnaires were completed. Of these, 81% (17) reported no previous relevant training, 20% (4) did not feel competent in the administration of biologics and patient monitoring and 29% (6) did not feel competent to meet the patient's holistic needs. A total of 13 post-event evaluations were completed. All (13) agreed/strongly agreed with feeling more competent in caring for patients and 84.7% (11) agreed/strongly agreed with feeling more competent in administering and monitoring the biologic therapy. A total of 77% (10) of participants could identify changes to their practice post-event. Conclusion: This study highlighted the need for interprofessional education for nurses caring for paediatric inflammatory bowel disease patients, particularly where care is delivered in district general hospitals. Feedback demonstrated that virtual educational events are effective in raising self-reported nursing competencies and in ensuring high standards of practice.

Teaching Person-Centered Care and Interprofessional Collaboration through a Virtual Mental Health World Café: A Mixed Methods IPE Pilot Project

The purpose of this convergent mixed methods interprofessional education (IPE) pilot project was to help health profession students gain valuable insight about the experiences of people living with mental illness, to help them have a better understanding of person-centered care and have greater knowledge about the importance of interprofessional collaboration. A developmental workgroup which consisted of mental health consumers, four interdisciplinary students, and our team developed and implemented a virtual Mental Health World Café IPE event. Twelve other students attended the World Café event. A paired sample t-test was used to examine group differences between pre- and post-test scores for the Interprofessional Socialization and Valuing Scale and the Texas AHEC Survey measures among the four student leaders and the 12 student participants of the virtual Mental Health World Cafe. We conducted individual interviews with the four student leaders and collected reflective journals from the 12 students who attended the World Café event. We examined to what extent the statistically significant quantitative results supported the qualitative results separately for the student leaders and for the student participants of the virtual World Café. We also examined how both the quantitative and qualitative findings aligned with the key components of the Patient-Centered Care in Interprofessional Collaborative Practice Model. While the project allowed the students to reflect upon how they may apply the principles of person-centered care and interprofessional collaboration, the impact of the consumers on the student’s experiences was profound and resulted in widespread engagement of the students who attended the event.

Professional partners: Longitudinal interprofessional education events with pharmacy and nursing programs

Background and purposeFaculty from a school of pharmacy and a school of nursing developed a series of interprofessional education (IPE) events to create a two-year, longitudinal experience to maximize the time student groups would be able to work together. This paper outlines the activities created and the assessment tool utilized to evaluate the experiences. Educational activity and settingFour activities were planned for 43 pharmacy and 19 nursing students to cover topics encountered by both professions. These included Vitals Techniques, Medication Reconciliation, End of Life Care, and Enteral/Parenteral Nutrition. Each activity was evaluated by students using a modified Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Survey (ICCAS). FindingsThe most challenging part of creating this longitudinal experience was finding dates and keeping the groups the same from activity to activity. Despite this, the activities were well executed and for each event, over 95% of students completing the ICCAS survey agreed that the activities were appropriate and beneficial for IPE. Anecdotally, students enjoyed the experience and appreciated the group consistency over time. SummaryThe creation of a series of longitudinal IPE activities was successfully implemented between a school of pharmacy and a school of nursing.

Interprofessional Pain Curriculum for an Academic Health Science Center

AIMThe aim of this project is to develop a comprehensive pain curriculum to educate a diverse group of students across health care disciplines who care for those in pain. The outcome goals for participants of this educational program are to have increased knowledge and skills associated with the management of pain. This poster will describe the process of team development, development of the grant proposal, conducting a gap analysis, designing and developing the content of the program, and finally the integration of technology as we prepare for program delivery. METHODSThe team developing the program include representatives from the disciplines of nursing, physical therapy, social work, and psychology. The curriculum is based on the Interprofessional Pain Curriculum developed by the International Association for the Study of Pain. Holographic technology will be used to optimize participant engagement and interest. Additional modes of content delivery include synchronous video meetings, asynchronous discussions, and the use of case studies in both modes, all completed in multidisciplinary teams. RESULTSContent has been developed and loaded into a Canvas course shell. Delivering parts of the program via hologram technology will be recorded within the next 3 months. CONCLUSIONSThis content will be delivered to student groups in the Spring 2023 semester during an Interprofessional Education (IPE) event focused on the management of pain. Health disciplines represented at the IPE event will include Medicine, Nursing, Physical Therapy, Psychology, Social Work, and Pharmacy. Outcome assessments related to knowledge, beliefs and attitudes about pain from IPE participants will be collected. Based on that data, further tweaking of the education program will be considered. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTThis project was made possible through funding from the Elizabeth Morse Genius Foundation, Grant number: AWD00001443

Impact of a simulation-based interprofessional workshop (LINKS) on Portuguese healthcare students’ perception of roles and competencies: a quasi-experimental pilot study

There is a scarcity of simulation-based interprofessional (IP) programs in Portugal, with a notorious absence in undergraduate education. This paper describes the first step towards the development of an interprofessional education (IPE) undergraduate program, namely the implementation and preliminary assessment of the workshop LINKS – Lifting INterprofessional Knowledge through Simulation. The aim of this pilot study was to assess the educational effect of LINKS, in medical and nursing undergraduate students’ attitudes towards IP teamwork and collaborative practices, and their perception of roles and competencies within an IP team. A total of 23 final-year students participated in the workshop. Teams of three or four elements (medical and nursing students) were exposed to two critical patient management simulation scenarios. To assess the impact of the workshop on students’ perception of IP collaborative practice, two surveys (ATTITUDES and IPEC) were applied before and after the workshop. Additionally, students’ opinion/satisfaction towards the workshop and its curricular integration was explored. Students’ awareness of the relevancy of IP learning and self-competency in IP practice improved. For all subdomains and overall scores, statistically significant differences were found when comparing the pre- and post-scores, for both medical and nursing students, in both surveys. All students agreed that the workshop added educational value to their training, and recommended its integration in the formal curriculum, with a first round in the penultimate year and repeated in the last year. Considering the pre–post test results and anecdotal comments shared during the session, we may infer that this single IPE event contributed to a clearer understanding of the team dynamic and individual role definition, increased the motivation to engage in collaborative practice between physicians and nurses and potentially challenged pre-existent stereotypes of each professional group. These findings corroborate the need for sustainable simulation-based IP programs, integrated in the undergraduate curricula, promoting early clinical interactions of different professional groups. We envision that the results of this study can help to inform future curriculum planning and provide useful insights that can be used within and between Portuguese institutions to develop a common IP undergraduate program.

Rapid upskilling about COVID-19 vaccines: an evaluation of a novel interprofessional education workshop.

An inter-professional education (IPE) workshop centred around newly approved COVID-19 vaccination was attended by 77 nursing and pharmacy students. To embed and evaluate the implementation of a virtual IPE workshop, and to upskill undergraduate nursing and pharmacy students about the COVID-19 vaccination. The workshop was evaluated using a questionnaire completed by participants from both disciplines. A focus group was conducted with the IPE facilitators. 77 students out of a potential 400 attended the workshop (19% attendance). Of the 77 participants, 44 (23 nursing, 21 pharmacy) completed the questionnaire (57%), rating the content highly. There was overall positivity toward working interprofessionally, and there was no evidence of significant differences between how the two groups of students rated the workshop. Qualitative findings from students and facilitators corroborated the supposition that the workshop would enhance professional development. Thus, the workshop was successful in facilitating interprofessional interactions, with students all working collaboratively toward the same goal, the ultimate purpose of IPE. It was agreed that such an event should be included as part of the student curricula. Implementing an IPE event that includes real-time healthcare priorities can contribute to optimising students' healthcare education. More high-quality longitudinal research is needed to understand the impact of such sessions on students' competence and confidence.

KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES OF BACCALAUREATE SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS ABOUT INTERPROFESSIONAL COLLABORATION IN CANADA

Although interprofessional collaboration is a common expectation in social work employment, interprofessional education has not been a robust feature of baccalaureate social work preparation in Canada. There is also a dearth of research on the topic. These gaps are problematic because social workers with baccalaureate degrees are often employed in interprofessional teams in various health care settings in Canada. To address this gap in knowledge, this mixed methods study explores attitudes toward interprofessional collaboration of social work students in a Canadian undergraduate university. Also, the study evaluates the students’ knowledge acquisition of interprofessional competencies after a single interprofessional education event. Findings indicate a positive change in students’ attitudes and enhanced knowledge of the interprofessional care competencies. The study contributes to the limited body of research on interprofessional education of baccalaureate-level social work students in Canada. It also shows the power of a single interprofessional experiential event in benefiting professional education of future social work professionals.

Evaluation of student-perceived competence of interprofessional working in Gerodontology.

To evaluate pharmacy, dental and dental therapy undergraduate students' perceived competence of interprofessional working before and after attending an interprofessional education (IPE) Gerodontology workshop. Whilst there is international recognition of the importance of collaboration between the dental profession and systemic healthcare providers to enhance patient care, there remains a paucity of research into IPE in Gerodontology. Pharmacy, dental and dental therapy undergraduate students attended a 2-hour Gerodontology case-based workshop. Students completed anonymised Interprofessional Collaborative Competencies Attainment Surveys (ICCAS) before and after attendance. 108 questionnaires were received, 7 were withdrawn (1 incomplete with only pre-workshop side completed, 6 did not identify degree programme). From 101 included questionnaires, 37 were from pharmacy, 56 dental and 8 dental therapy students resulting in response rates of 84%, 82% and 67%, respectively. Each student group recorded an increase in positive reflective competence median (IQR) after taking part in the workshop. Overall median (IQR) reflective competence before the workshop was 6 (1), 5 (2) and 6 (2) for pharmacy, dental and dental therapy students, respectively, which increased to 7 (1) for all groups. There was variability in reflective competence before attending the workshop between dental and pharmacy students for two questions, and dental and dental therapy students for two different questions. All students reported increased reflective competence of interprofessional working following the workshop. These findings suggest that introduction of IPE events into Gerodontology curricula may improve student understanding and appreciation of interprofessional working when providing care for older people.

Exploring the Efficacy of a Virtual First Year Interprofessional Education Event.

Interprofessional education (IPE) activities are utilized in health education programs to develop interprofessional collaboration (IPC) competencies. All first-year healthcare students at three postsecondary learning institutions attend a mandatory introductory IPE event annually. During the 2020/2021 academic year, the event was moved from a face-to-face activity to a virtual format due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. This study examined whether the virtual IPE activity was effective in supporting the development of interprofessional competencies for first-year healthcare students. Two hundred and six students attended a synchronous didactic presentation on IPE competencies and discussed a simulated case in interprofessional groups of eight students and two faculty facilitators. The Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Survey (ICCAS) was used to measure the students’ opinions on interprofessional competencies. Paired t-tests were used to compare the pre- and post-scores. One hundred and nine (52.9% response rate) students completed the survey. Surveys from 99 students with matched pre- and post-scores were included in the study. The ICCAS competencies showed improvements (p < 0.05) in all of the students’ self-reported IPE competencies following the activity compared to before the training. Our findings indicate that the virtual IPE activity is effective in facilitating the development of IPC for first-year healthcare students.

Comparing Virtual to In-Person Delivery of Continuing Medical Education in Dementia Care: Which Is Preferred?

There is limited understanding of learners' perceptions of virtual learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the use of virtual modalities for interprofessional education (IPE) in primary care. Four of 7 in-person annual "Booster Day" IPE sessions for health professionals working in primary care-based memory clinics in Ontario, Canada, were canceled when the pandemic was declared; these sessions were replaced with 2 sessions delivered via live-streamed videoconferencing. This study compares Booster Day session participants' perceptions of the in-person and virtual sessions and assesses their preferences for in-person or virtual sessions in the future. Survey methodology. Interprofessional primary care-based memory clinic team members attending 1 of 5 annual IPE events, 3 delivered in-person immediately prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and 2 subsequently delivered virtually via videoconferencing. Chi-squared test and analysis of variance was used to identify significant differences in reaction, attitude, and preference ratings between delivery modalities. There were no significant differences in satisfaction, relevance, knowledge acquisition, and intentions to apply new knowledge between delivery modalities. Although attendance via videoconferencing was perceived as useful, enjoyable, engaging, and as more feasible to attend, it was rated as less enjoyable and perceived as having fewer opportunities for networking than in-person sessions. Most participants preferred in-person sessions. Quality engagement and networking, as afforded by in-person IPE, are highly valued by health professionals attending dementia-related education. IPE on complex health issues of the older people requiring interprofessional perspectives may be best suited to in-person formats.

ABC's of diabetes education: An interprofessional education model

This interprofessional education (IPE) project with 29 PA, nutrition, and pharmacy students focused on the use of the Alphabet Strategy, a mnemonic containing components of diabetes management, as a tool to properly educate patients with diabetes. We utilized a three-session layout of this interprofessional project. Each session contained information about public health and how public health influences direct patient care; public health content focused on diabetes epidemiology, healthcare literacy, and selecting an appropriate checklist to optimize patient management. This IPE event taught and highlighted all four Interprofessional Education Collaborative core competencies: values and ethics, roles and responsibilities, interprofessional communication, and teams and teamwork. It also highlighted two entrustable professional activities, self-efficacy as a team-member and team approach to healthcare. Basic background information on the ABCDE model was provided, but students otherwise educated each other across the three activity sessions. We administered a pre-/post-test on diabetes disease information contained in the alphabet model, public health, and professional practice from the represented professions, which gauged the baseline knowledge and effectiveness of this activity. We administered the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) questionnaire before the first activity and at the conclusion of the three-part series, which gauged attitudes and beliefs about IPE. Additionally, we gathered qualitative data from students on perceptions of the IPE event series and qualitative data from the standardized patients utilized in the third session simulation. There was a statistically significant improvement in overall post-test score (p = 0.0004), diabetes knowledge (p = 0.0001), and public health knowledge (p = 0.0017). The three-part IPE series resulted in improvement in diabetes knowledge, public health knowledge, and on 9 of 19 RIPLS questions regarding IPE readiness. While no statistically significant difference in profession specific knowledge questions was identified, there was a non-statistically significant improvement in these items. This project highlights a successful model for interprofessional education on a highly prevalent disease. It significantly improved student knowledge of diabetes and public health. We believe this three-part IPE series format could be used on other clinical topics as well.

Social work ‘voice’ and interprofessional education: factors beyond professional culture

ABSTRACT Interprofessional education (IPE) ideally trains students from various disciplines together. Social work historically has lower status and power in the healthcare hierarchy, and little is known about how status differentials affect ‘social work voice’ during IPE. We explored ‘social work voice’ during an IPE event through social work students’, other disciplines’ students’, and social work faculty perspectives. We share the lessons learned from reflecting on events that occurred during the IPE event and during students’ and facilitators’ debriefing. Surveys were sent to all social work attendees and a random selection of students from other disciplines, with lower response rates than desired. A focus group was conducted with the social work facilitators. IPE attendees valued learning with varied disciplines. The social work contribution was acknowledged as unique and valued by other disciplines, even when social work students did not expect to be valued. Serendipitously, an interaction between social work students illustrated the obvious yet seldom recognized importance of students’ cultural influences. IPE organizers and faculty must attend to cultural and gender inputs when assisting social work (and other) students to find their ‘voice.’

1 Prison Simulation: Creating Accessible Xr Content for Hybrid Tel Classrooms in He

An Inter-professional Education (IPE) simulated learning prison was created in Microsoft Teams (MS Teams) for health and social care HE students using a #ReStartSim template The aim was to deliver a simulated learning IPE event with additional features accessible across the XR spectrum (extended reality) for technology-enhanced learning (TEL) accessible to students and staff within and external to the university in preparation for the hybrid (and hyflex) HE classrooms of autumn 2021.This simulation was co-created with colleagues across organizations thanks to the #DigiLearnSector, and based upon developments from a simulated learning event run in 2020 This simulation used both shared and profession-specific learning outcomes, and ran in September 2021 with second-year students who were used to navigating MS Teams resources. Digital skills were recorded in LinkedIn.

Geriatric Interprofessional Simulation Education Results and Rapid Cycle Quality Improvement

Following a geriatric interprofessional education event, we measured learner progression in interprofessional collaborative competencies using the Interprofessional Socialization and Valuing Scale (ISVS). We also measured student satisfaction with an investigator generated assessment tool. Through Rapid Cycle Quality Improvement (RCQI) processes, we implemented a number of variations of both the in-person and the virtual events. Variations included differences in case studies, pre work requirements, geriatric didactic topics, poster topics and presentation format, facilitator training, standardized patient or patient presence, huddle format, and demonstration of how to effectively perform teamwork. Results showed gains in interprofessional collaborative competencies between pre- and post-education using this geriatric simulation model. Learner satisfaction was high for all simulation variations. Results of education variations and comparisons of the delivery methods will be presented.

Family Conference Simulation Designed for Physician Assistant Students and Chaplain Residents.

Background: Physician Assistants (PAs) are increasingly likely to work in clinical areas where family conference skills are needed, but there is currently a lack of family conference education in PA program curricula. Objectives: To (1) describe a novel interprofessional education (IPE) event for PA students and chaplain residents; (2) examine whether participating in the IPE event is associated with improvements in attitudes and knowledge regarding interprofessional teams; and (3) describe participant perceptions about the event. Design: Two cohorts of PA students and chaplain residents completed a required interprofessional simulation activity involving a critically ill patient and a family conference. All participants completed pre- and postsimulation activity questionnaires. Bivariate tests were utilized to analyze the quantitative data. Setting/Subjects: Over two years, 171 PA students and 20 chaplain residents completed the activity at a school of medicine in the United States. Measurements: Pre- and postactivity measurements included role-specific questions plus overlapping sections regarding roles and responsibilities of the other discipline, comfort facilitating end-of-life discussions, and the value of IPE. Results: For PA students, there was a statistically significant increase for all questionnaire items. The largest effect size increases were in PA students' confidence in provider-patient communication at the end of life (Cohen's d > 1.1). Chaplain data demonstrated increases in knowledge of the PA role and likelihood of consulting with PAs in the future. Conclusion: This simulation event improved participant attitudes and knowledge relating to interprofessional interactions in the setting of an end-of-life family conference, and may contribute to more effective collaboration between PAs and chaplains in the clinical setting.