Learning about delirium in a simulated clinical environment : an interprofessional learning intervention for final year medical and nursing students

This research reports on findings from an interprofessional teaching and learning (IPL) activity delivered to 211 final year medical and nursing students using a simulated patient with delirium in a simulated clinical environment. The aims of the study were to develop, trial and evaluate an interprofessional learning approach and compare this with a uniprofessional learning (UPL) approach. Students’ knowledge and perceptions of the learning experience were evaluated for both groups. The objectives of the study were to identify whether an interprofessional approach: • increased students’ knowledge of, and confidence in, managing patients with delirium; • developed students’ appreciation of each other’s roles in the management of delirium; • developed students knowledge of, and confidence in performing interprofessional collaborative practice skills. An additional objective was to determine whether a modified Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (M-RIPLS) was a valid and reliable instrument to use in the pre-registration setting, in an Australian context. To address these objectives a Delirium Knowledge Test, an Interprofessional Learning Rating Scale and the M-RIPLS were used. Post-test questionnaires determined the perceptions of the students about the intervention. Individual interviews were used to further explore students’ perceptions of the experience. Four Sub-scales emerged from the Factor Analysis of the M-RIPLS instrument: “Teamwork & Collaboration”; “Patient Centredness”; “Roles & Responsibilities”; and, “Professional Freedom”. The scale was consistent with other iterations of both the original and modified version of the tool. Results indicated that the interprofessional education approach used in this cohort: • Increased students’ knowledge of delirium; • Increased students’ ratings of how IPL influences effective interprofessional collaborative practice (ICP); • Improved nursing and medical students’ knowledge and appreciation of each other’s roles; • Developed attitudes of appreciation, trust and respect amongst the students of the two professions; and, • Increased students’ confidence and perceptions of their personal development in interprofessional collaborative competencies, such as the ability to work in teams, to collaborate, to communicate interprofessionally and to work towards making the patient the centre of health care delivery. This study also revealed that a blended learning approach incorporating the use of simulation was the most effective way to deliver IPL and to develop ICP competencies.