Assessing the Effectiveness of Online Interprofessional Education Simulations: A Pre-Post Comparison of Student Learning

Historically, most interprofessional simulations with standardized patients have occurred via face-to-face encounters; however, the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated rapid pivoting to (re)create meaningful, online experiences for individuals separated due to social distancing. This study integrated e-learning strategies into a simulation scenario where interprofessional learners worked collaboratively online to care for a standardized patient presenting with subacute stroke symptoms. E-learning strategies emphasized “real world” applicability (e.g., telehealth), encouraged asynchronous self-directed learning, required learners to incorporate previous educational knowledge, built communities of learning, necessitated completion of team-based deliverables, and included “elements of surprise” to evoke emotions. A total of 376 students participated in the online simulation, from medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, physician assistant, and social work programs. Matched pre- and post-session responses to a validated instrument assessing interprofessional values and interactions were available for 319 students (85%). Statistically significant advancements in self-reported skills were apparent in students’ pre- to post-session responses for both the interprofessional interactions and values domains of the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) self-assessment tool (P 0.001). Incorporating e-learning strategies into a complex simulation conducted online via Zoom was effective in helping students achieve desired interprofessional competencies.