Interprofessional Education in Neurology Intensive Care Unit: Learning Activity for Students Completing Clerkships and Field Experiences

Introduction: Teaching learners the benefits and challenges of interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP) in acute care is best done in the context of authentic patient care rather than classroom settings. Yet differing clinical schedules of students and faculty as well as structured, controlled environments of intensive care units are not conducive to bringing multiple interprofessional learners to the bedside. Methods: We developed a 2.5-hour interprofessional education (IPE) activity based around neurology intensive care unit patients that was implemented using team-based learning (TBL) methodologies, including individual/team readiness assessments (iRAT/tRAT) and application activities comprising interprofessional student-led care conferences in which authentic patients and their unique, deidentified clinical parameters were discussed. Students represented medicine, nursing, chaplain, physician assistant, social work, respiratory therapy, pharmacy, physical therapy, and law programs. Results: Two hundred ninety-three students participated online during the first year. Mean tRAT scores were 14.9 points higher than iRAT scores (39.5 vs. 24.6 of 44 possible). There was strong agreement from students that the session met educational objectives (all >4.0 on a 5-point Likert scale). Individualized feedback was provided to learners using a rubric; 276 students shared personal reflections of knowledge learned through interactions with other health professional students/faculty. Discussion: IPE activities that use authentic patient chart data as the basis for student application exercises are useful learning tools since students must teach and learn from each other, interpret data, and propose care plans based upon their collaborations. This enables students to experience acute care IPCP in a low-stakes environment.