Improving Communication among the Healthcare Team through an Interprofessional Education Virtual Training
Improving Communication among the Healthcare Team through an Interprofessional Education Virtual Training
Academic Year:
2015 - 2016 (June 1, 2015 through May 31, 2016)
Funding Requested:
$6,000.00
Project Dates:
-
Applicant(s):
Overview of the Project:
This project proposes an innovative approach to engaging members of the healthcare team in a virtual interprofessional (IPE) activity centered on Crew Resource Management principles of effective leadership and followership. Crew Resource Management (CRM), a training method which focuses on the management of human error and risk reduction in the environment, is one training method that has been instrumental in supporting aviation’s excellent safety record and has unique characteristics that have shown promise in reducing communication failure in healthcare. Integrating CRM principles into interprofessional training may be what is needed to improve communication and teamwork among the healthcare team. In this project, students in each of the healthcare disciplines (e.g. nursing, medicine, pharmacy, public health, and dentistry) will be asked to participate in a virtual IPE CRM activity. Participants will receive content related to the CRM leadership behavior segment through a self-learning module, which will be followed by participation in virtual simulations in Second Life. Second Life supports a high degree of interactivity, including role-plays and simulations, thus providing a rich environment for multi-disciplinary team training. Specific aims of the project include: (1) examine the feasibility and acceptability of virtual interprofessional education focused on the Crew Resource Management principles of effective leadership and followership; and (2) examine the levels of facilitators’ skills, knowledge, and use of effective communication/team strategies among clinicians after SL training. Results from this study will inform the feasibility and acceptability of using a virtual environment for an IPE intervention that includes skill-based learning.