3LLSun2 - Two Heads Are Better Than One: Physician Assistant and Nursing Students Problem-Solve Together in High-Fidelity Simulation Experience

Abstract : The purpose of this study was to evaluate if an interprofessional (IP) simulation would increase nursing and physician assistant students’ self-perception of IP competencies (values and ethics, roles and responsibilities, communication, and teams and teamwork) as defined by the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC). The simulation involved having 4-5 nursing students work with 2-3 physician assistants to provide care to 3 patients in a fast-paced immersive scenario with a contextual time pressure of an encroaching wildfire. Sixty-eight prelicensure nursing students and 23 physician assistant students participated in the activity. Students completed the Student Perceptions of Interprofessional Clinical Education-Revised (SPICE-R) before and after the activity. After the activity, students completed the retrospective pre-/post- Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Scale (ICCAS), Simulation Effectiveness Tool-Modified (SET-M), and a few questions about the Situation-Background-Assessment-Recommendation report structure after the activity. All 10 items of the SPICE-R and all 20 items of the ICCAS demonstrated gains from Time 1 to Time 2 at the p <.001 significance level. Eighty-three percent of students responded that their ability to collaborate interprofessionally was somewhat or much better after participating in the simulation. Nursing students reported that they had least confidence in the Recommendation component of their SBAR reports. Student feedback obtained through the SET-M was overwhelmingly positive and included many free text comments describing how they enjoyed and gained confidence from the IP aspect of the experience, especially through student-to-student interaction.

Please include a short summary of your presentation that highlights why an attendee would want to participate in your session.: After participating in a multi-patient high-fidelity simulation, nursing and physician assistant students reported increases in interprofessional competencies in the four domains defined by the Interprofessional Education Collaborative: values and ethics, roles and responsibilities, communication, teams and teamwork. Nursing students reported least confidence in the Recommendation component of giving a handoff report.