Plenary1-03: EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING AND REFLECTION AS A MEANS TO ENGAGE MEDICAL STUDENTS IN INTERPROFESSIONAL COLLABORATIVE PRACTICE
Erik DeAngelis, MD1, Rose Kleiman, BA1, Laura Menez, RN2, Paul P Lin, MD, FACS1, Juliet Lee, MD, FACS1; 1George Washington University Dept of Surgery, 2George Washington University Hospital
Objective: The LCME requires that “medical schools prepare medical students to function collaboratively on health care teams.” While some medical schools have developed curricula to foster teamwork and understanding of other professionals, very few have embedded medical students with another professional in actual patient care in an experiential manner. The purpose of this study was to determine the experience and learning of fourth year medical students during an experiential learning session with surgical nurses.
Methods: Fifty-seven fourth year medical students were enrolled in an exercise in order to engage students in interprofessional collaborative practice and were assigned to partner with a registered nurse or medical technician for a 2-3 hour period of time. The student assumed all the roles and responsibilities of the nurse or medical technician except for the administration of parenteral medications. Following the experiential session, groups of 6-8 students participated in a reflective interview using a semi-structured guide and facilitated by a moderator. The reflective interview was recorded and audio-tapes were transcribed by a professional transcriptionist. Transcripts were then analyzed and coded for themes.
Results: Analysis of the transcripts revealed several themes about the experience of medical students taking on a nursing role. First, students expressed respect for the expertise of the nurses professionally and the importance of working cooperatively. Second, students acknowledged the limitations of their own skill set, and that medical skills should complement nursing skills. Third, students articulated how essential it was to communicate clearly and in a timely manner, and to be specific about tasks and care to be performed by the medical versus the nursing team. Fourth, technology can facilitate timely communication, but face to face communication is often necessary to foster teamwork. Fifth, students appreciated the importance of engaging nursing expertise and organization in the care plan for the patient.
Conclusions: Experiential learning can provide an opportunity for medical students to live the role of another health care professional. A short exercise and immediate reflection engage medical students in learning about interprofessional collaborative practice and can assist in developing tools and behaviors that foster teamwork and communication.