Undergraduate multiprofessional training : are students ready for it?

Abstract

Intorduction: Multidisciplinary simulation training at undergraduate level is still very scarce due to curriculum and logistical issues. Over the last couple of years, HICESC has worked with staff from most health departments to develop scenarios relevant to a range of disciplines that are involved in the final year Interprofessional Education module1. This abstract reports the students’ feedback from a series of sessions run in 2007-2008 with support from the Higher Education Academy and a University Learning and Teaching Enhancement award. Methods: 15 multidisciplinary simulation sessions were conducted with a total of 95 students from Adult/Children/Learning Disability Nursing, Paramedic Sciences, Radiography and Physiotherapy and a team of 6 faculties. Each student was involved as part of a small team in one long high-fidelity scenario2 with 3-4 disciplines and using actors, simulated patients and SimMan. Students also remotely observed another scenario tackled by their peers and were asked to document their observations based on CRM principles on a white board so it could be used as a discussion basis during the debriefing. Students filled in a pre and post-simulation questionnaire about the session using a 5-point Likert scale. Results: Most students (77.78%) were not familiar with the concepts of simulation and were quite anxious about the simulation (3.6/5). Being constantly observed can be distressing. Over three quarters of the students said the scenarios were realistic (3.99/5), which helped them to forget the cameras, instructors and their peers. They reported their performance was not really affected by the fact they were being observed (2.29/5). Concerning the difficulty to treat the mannequin as a real patient, the answers are very spread because it relies to a certain degree on the students’ sense of imagination. In general students thought the mannequin’s response to treatment was realistic (3.81/5). Even if students’ perception of knowledge of their own discipline role and skills was very high (4.73/5) and poorer about other disciplines (2.68/5), they reported simulation allowed them to learn more about their own discipline (3.82/5) and the other disciplines (3.91/5). Students said they leant from the debriefing sessions (4.39/5) and that it enhanced their technical knowledge (4.25/5). 80.16% of the students thought that seeing themselves on video would allow them to reflect better. They requested that 3-4 multiprofessional simulation sessions per year should be part of the Interprofessional Education module. Discussion: Simulation sessions are always enjoyed by students but on this occasion the feedback was even more positive (4.59/5) because it was multidisciplinary. Patient simulators are reported as being very useful in addition to learning from real patients. Students thought the simulation improved their clinical skills and knowledge. A supportive atmosphere, a realistic scenario and environment are important factors to fully immerse the participants. Introducing multiprofessional simulation pre-qualification was a valuable experience and could help students develop teamworking skills and feel more confident in a crisis situation.