Preparing Interprofessional Student Teams in Global Healthcare Engagement
Purpose/Aims
The purpose of this presentation is to demonstrate how to integrate the teamSTEPPSTM approach, and interprofessional role play activities, to support student led assessment teams focused on global healthcare delivery. Emphasis is placed on leadership, communication, mutual support, and situation monitoring. These competencies are directed toward community assessment and integration of team based elements including cultural awareness, health literacy, global citizenship, and social justice.
Rationale /Background
Teamwork is not an outcome of simply placing a group of individuals together in one place; it is, however, a response to commitment, collaboration, and effective communication with a common goal (King et al., 2008). Review of prior preparatory interventions highlighted a need to modify the orientation of student led teams pre-departure. Identified barriers included lack of team cohesion secondary to geographical boundaries, and varied program of study schedules. Each barrier contributed to deficient understanding of roles and responsibilities within the team. Additionally, it was identified that previous preparation included a passive or non-contextual method, further contributing to a lack of confidence in providing a team based approach to healthcare abroad.
Undertaking/best practice/approach/methods/process
TeamSTEPPSTM is recognized as “ an evidence-based set of teamwork tools, aimed at optimizing patient outcomes by improving communication and teamwork skills among healthcare professionals” (Health Research and Educational Trust, 2010, para.1). A one day retreat was scheduled to provide an opportunity for enhanced teambuilding pre-departure. The retreat was constructed with the teamSTEPPSTM model as a template. Students were divided into four groups of six participants with each group assigned a topic to present at the retreat. During the retreat students presented their group topic, and then self-selected teams to work on group teaching projects while in country. Finally, the retreat offered a simulation with a standardized patient and Spanish interpreter, to allow students to actively participate in a role-played clinic scenario. This was followed with sequential debriefing to understand clinic logistics, team roles, and to emphasize key team based elements of health literacy, global citizenship, social justice, and cultural awareness.
Outcomes achieved/documented
Student participants included nursing students and pharmacy students. Outcomes in country included personal observations by faculty identifying student leadership skills and confidence. Notably faculty was in consensus that the team demonstrated understanding of individual and team roles and responsibilities. Additionally, sound leadership skills supported understanding of seamless logistics, and because of this, students were able to focus on the common goal of providing care rather than the “how to” of developing teams and clinics. Finally, the team took the lead in debriefing after each clinic, demonstrating what had been modeled during the retreat. TeamSTEPPSTM surveys were obtained pre-departure and following the student experiences, and are currently in review.
Conclusions
The one day retreat using the teamSTEPPSTM model provided an effective venue to foster team cohesion and collaboration. Interprofessional collaborative teamwork is a core competency in all healthcare curricula both undergraduate and graduate. This experience serves as an example of how early involvement can effectively prepare students to work in teams and toward common goals.