Discharge planning simulation: training the interprofessional team for the future workplace.

PURPOSE

The integration of interprofessional education (IPE) into health professions curricula offers a possible way to increase collaboration among health professionals. In this paper we introduce an innovative IPE model of a team-based discharge planning case scenario.

METHODS

Occupational therapy, physician assistant, and physical therapy students (n=173) participated in a discharge planning simulation (DPS) focused on a patient with a stroke and subsequent hip fracture. A discharge-planning meeting DVD was developed and disseminated to the students. Pre and post surveys were sent to the students.

OUTCOMES

Eighty-nine percent (n=153) of the students responded to the pre-DPS survey and 77% (n=132) responded to the post-DPS survey. There was no significant difference when comparing pre-DPS or post-DPS by program of study, but significant differences were found in three of the four questions when comparing individual answers.

CONCLUSION

Participation in the DPS model resulted in significant changes in perception of a student's individual role as well as the role of their interprofessional team members in discharge planning for the complex patient. Preliminary results indicate that this model can be a useful tool to effectively teach the interprofessional team.