Small Scale, Low Resource Options for Introducing Clinical Laboratory Science Students to Interprofessional Simulation

Michelle R. Brown; Kristopher Maday; John Hurt

doi:10.29074/ascls.29.4.252

This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.

Michelle R. Brown, MS, MLS(ASCP)^CMSBB^CM⇑
1. University of Alabama at Birmingham, School of Health Professions, Department of Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences, Birmingham, AL
Kristopher Maday, MS, PA-C, CNSC
1. University of Alabama at Birmingham, Physician Assistant Studies, Birmingham, AL
John Hurt, MS, PA-C
1. University of Alabama at Birmingham, Physician Assistant Studies, Birmingham, AL

Address for Correspondence: Michelle R. Brown, MS, MLS(ASCP)^CMSBB^CM, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Assistant Professor, School of Health Professions, Department of Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences, 1705 University Blvd, SHPB 474, Birmingham, AL 35294

Describe the use of SBAR as a communication tool.
Identify the phrases associated with the term CUS.
Construct a classroom-based interprofessional simulation for clinical laboratory science students.

Extract

INTRODUCTION In the report, Health Professions Education: A Bridge to Quality, the Institutes of Medicine (IOM) has detailed a vision for preparing healthcare professionals.¹ A focal point within this vision is teaching students to work in interdisciplinary teams. In a separate report, Measuring the Impact of Interprofessional Education on Collaborative Practice and Patient Outcomes, the IOM calls for an alignment of education and healthcare delivery systems.² The Clinical Laboratory Science (CLS) education community needs to readily embrace the IOMs vision and enthusiastically answer the call with innovative educational methods such as interprofessional simulation (IP).

Some CLS programs are already considering interprofessional simulation, but may not have an existing simulation infrastructure or financial support from administration. Other programs have a laboratory with instrumentation, but have not yet made the leap from simulating a “day in the lab” with CLS students to including students from professions outside the laboratory to provide comprehensive situations that more closely mimic working in a healthcare environment. This manuscript offers small scale, low resource options to help a CLS program include IP simulation as an innovative educational method to teach interprofessional communication and teamwork.

Getting Started: Know the Fundamentals While high fidelity mannequins, patient rooms, and instrumentation provide an authentic environment, they are not required to offer a quality IP experience. There are, however, fundamentals that remain the same whether designing intricate scenarios for students from several professional programs or simple scenarios with students from only two professions. This includes the alignment of content knowledge between students…

ABBREVIATIONS: IOM – Institutes of Medicine, CLS – Clinical laboratory scientist, IP - Interprofessional, SBAR – Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation/request, Team STEPPS - Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety, APP – Advanced practice provider, WHO – World Health Organization, CUS – Concerned, Uncomfortable, Safety issue, SP – Simulated patient, PA – Physician assistant, UAB – University of Alabama at Birmingham

Describe the use of SBAR as a communication tool.
Identify the phrases associated with the term CUS.
Construct a classroom-based interprofessional simulation for clinical laboratory science students.