Case-Based IPE Forum
Every year since 2010 students in the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences have participated in a case-based IPE forum. During the IPE forum students are grouped into interdisciplinary teams where they discuss roles, team goals, and outcomes for patient / client cases.
Educational Objectives:
- Students will exhibit an increased awareness of the need for interprofessional teamwork and collaboration as demonstrated by increased scores on the RIPLS and IEPS.
- Students will gain a greater respect for other professions as demonstrated by increased positive professional identity scores on the RIPLS and increased perception of actual cooperation scores on the IEPS
- Students will be provided with an opportunity to discuss and clarify each profession’s scope of practice and the roles of each interprofessional team member.
- Students will verbalize an appreciation of the need for interprofessional communication assessed during a follow up semi-structured interview session.
Swallowing IPE
Graduate students at the University of Central Arkansas teamed up for a two-day collaboration focusing on interprofessional education (IPE). Part one was a combined lecture with the speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, and nutrition & dietetics. The emphasis was on the importance of interprofessional collaboration in the healthcare setting. Topics covered included dysphagia, assistive devices used for feeding, as well as specific modified diets. The second portion of the event was a two-part lab where students worked hands-on with both assistive eating devices as well as thickened liquids. Through this IPE event, graduate students from three different fields of study expanded their knowledge of each profession’s scope of practice. More importantly, these students learned how interprofessional collaboration can result in the maximum benefit for a patient in the healthcare setting.
Interprofessional Problem Based Learning
Students from the departments of Nursing and Occupational Therapy collaborate during the PBL activities, where the students consult with each other about the roles and responsibilities of each profession when working with selected cases. The students also present inservices to one another on selected topics in which their profession is considered the expert. At the end of the course, interprofessional student groups provide presentations on interdisciplinary case studies.
Collaborative Motivational Interviewing
Graduate students in nutrition and counseling partner to practice motivational interviewing techniques. Students in both classes study the approach and techniques of motivational interviewing, practice the techniques with a partner from the other profession, and complete a guided reflection at the end of the semester to address the impact of the experience on their own role and that of other professions.
Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND)
Janet Filer (SPED), Margaret McGee (PT) and Tina Mankey (OT) have been involved for over fifteen years with the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) which is an NIH grant through the Bureau of Maternal and Child Health held by UAMS for which UCA receives a subaward. The LEND program is designed to provide students with experiences which will enable them to become effective leaders and practitioners in their own disciplines, to competently apply knowledge and skills to support persons with developmental disabilities and their families, to effectively participate in an interprofessional process of designing, evaluating, and implementing programs, and to effectively work in an interdisciplinary setting. Students have the opportunity to interact with faculty and other students representing 18 different disciplines through a variety of LEND activities. LEND is a collaborative effort of the Department of Pediatrics at UAMS and the University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD). Currently this grant builds ties with other programs within UAMS as well as to other universities. Other universities include University of Arkansas-Little Rock, University of Arkansas-Fayetteville, University of Central Arkansas, Louisiana State University, University of New Orleans, and University of Southern Mississippi. As of April 2016 a total of 1,000 students have participated in LEND, including 93 PT students, 77 OT students, and 4 special education students from UCA. Additionally, 10 pediatric residents in the UCA PT Pediatric Residency program have participated in various components of LEND.
Multi-Disciplinary Clinical Activities in Pediatrics
In collaboration with our community partners (Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Pediatrics Plus, and Allied Therapy) Charlotte Yates and Leah Lowe provide physical therapy students enrolled in the course Neurological Rehabilitation in Pediatrics the opportunity to participate in multi-disciplinary clinical activities that facilitate learning a comprehensive team approach to caring for children with disabilities. During the course the students interact and learn from clinicians who are occupational therapists, child life specialists, speech language pathologists, and advanced practice nurses.
Interprofessional Simulation Lab
The Departments of Nursing and Physical Therapy are currently offering a collaborative student experience through the use of an interprofessional simulation lab. During the lab students interact and respond to changes in a “life like” intensive care setting using patient simulators.
UCA Health Fair
In the 2014/15 and 2015/16 academic years 349 students in the programs of health science, kinesiology, nursing, occupational therapy, dietetics / nutrition, and physical therapy have participated in the annual UCA Health fair. During the health fair interprofessional groups of students have provided education on obesity prevalence and risk factors; screenings including body mass index, waist to hip ratio, body composition, and collection of a family health history; provided tools and education on lifestyle assessment, strategy development, goal setting, and local resources to support nutrition, exercise, and stress management; and discussed medical treatment options for obesity including prescription medications, bariatric surgery, and medical weight management programs.
Interprofessional Role-play Simulation
In 2014/15 Summative Competency course groups, nursing students were paired with groups of OT students. The nursing students simulated selected patient diagnoses while the OT students performed evaluations and interventions. The nursing students then provided constructive feedback to the OT students and the OT students explained the role of OT to the nursing students.