Effects of a virtual simulation-based interprofessional education activity for rehabilitation nursing using shared resources: A quasi-experimental study

Abstract

Background: Interprofessional education (IPE) is crucial for effective clinical practice but remains challenging to be implemented. The IPE activity using virtual simulation (VS) may potentially solve the time and space challenges of in-person interprofessional simulations. Using shared VS resources may increase the popularity of virtual teaching in conditions of limited resources.

Objectives: Using shared resources, this study aimed to design and implement a VS-based IPE activity for undergraduate healthcare students, exploring the effects.

Design: A quasi-experimental design was used, with assessments conducted before and after the activity.

Settings: One university and its affiliated hospitals in south China.

Participants: Forty-two undergraduate students majoring in nursing, clinical medicine, and rehabilitation therapy participated in this study.

Methods: A test composed of ten questions was used to evaluate knowledge of rehabilitation. The Chinese version of Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CTDI-CV) and the Chinese version of Assessment of Interprofessional Team Collaboration in Student Learning Scale (AITCS-II (Student)-CV) were used to evaluate critical thinking and interprofessional collaboration. Participants' opinions about the activity were assessed, considering satisfaction, perceived effectiveness, the ease of shared VS platform use, and suggestions about the activity.

Results: Significant improvements were shown in pre- and post-test total scores on knowledge of rehabilitation, mean scores for overall critical thinking disposition, and mean item scores on overall interprofessional team collaboration.

Conclusions: The study provides a reference for designing and implementing VS-based IPE but the effects of this innovative pedagogy on students' rehabilitation knowledge, critical thinking, and interprofessional collaboration ability still need to be further confirmed. Most of the students gave positive feedback on the activity. Technical issues should be addressed to decrease their impacts on the VS practice experience.

Keywords: Collaborative learning; Interprofessional education; Thinking; Virtual simulation.