Today@Sam Article

Working Together To Learn Critical Care

Nov. 29, 2018
SHSU Media Contact: Carla Clark

Students and faculty from the School of Nursing and Department of Kinesiology – Athletic Training participated in an Inter-Professional Education (IPE) simulation on the grounds of University Camp recently.  IPE refers to occasions when students from two or more professions in health and social care learn together during all or part of their professional training with the objective of cultivating collaborative practice for providing client or patient centered health care.

"Our goal in bringing students together from the healthcare disciplines is that they will learn with and from each other to solve real-life problems,” Mary Williams, SHSU assistant professor and athletic training program director said. “IPE is critical in preparing our students for the workforce where they will be required to work together as part of a team to solve problems and provide care to patients.  The faculty and our students have a wonderful time at these events and truly appreciate the hands-on nature of the exercises."

Ian Tumbaga (right), SHSU School of Nursing student checks to make sure student Marina DeLeon (serving as patient) is stabilized.

According to the report “Measuring the Impact of Inter-Professional Education on Collaborative Practice and Patient Outcomes,” getting outside the typical lecture hall is important to learning the true skills of the profession.

“Whereas considerable research has focused on student learning, only recently have researchers begun to look beyond the classroom and beyond learning outcomes for the impact of IPE on such issues as patient safety, patient and provider satisfaction, quality of care, health promotion, population health, and the cost of care.”

A study conducted by the National Academy of Sciences indicated that IPE accounted for improvement in practice processes, specific patient care quality outcomes, morbidity and mortality decreasing rates, patient safety and core efficiencies and costs.

“I learned that caring for populations isn’t black and white and in a perfect setting.  In the real world, there is chaos, confusion and fear.  People are concerned for their loved ones, and those who are injured are concerned for their safety,” nursing student, Ian Tumbaga said. “Before jumping into a fire, we have to assess the situation first, take a step back, and then initiate a plan to best help the individuals in need.”

Student Marina DeLeon served as a victim in the simulation. DeLeon has accepted an offer to work on the Pediatric and Surgical Services floor at Conroe Regional Medicine and the simulation is important to her career as a nurse to better practice and bring together both didactic and clinical knowledge.

“This was a valuable learning experience to me because not too often do nurses get to see and work with members of Athletic Training,” DeLeon said. “As nursing students, we come with a specific set of skills that are different from those in the Athletic Training specialty. Being a patient in the simulation let me gain first-hand knowledge on how to secure and stabilize spinal injuries in the field, which will come in handy down the road.” 

This exercise also important from the Athletic Trainer program perspective according to students.

 “The IPE event helped me understand the different skill set that nurses have in the medical field which is very important to learn as an athletic trainer because we may have to work together to provide the best patient-centered care,” student Savanna Hurst said. “It meant a lot to me to because I got to put the skills I've learned into practice and also explain to others why we do what we do and promote ourselves as healthcare providers too.”

- END -

This page maintained by SHSU's Communications Office:

Director of Content Communications: Emily Binetti

Asst. Director Content & Social Media: Emilee White

Communications Manager: Mikah Boyd
Telephone: 936.294.1837

Communications Specialist: Campbell Atkins
Telephone: 936.294.2638

Please send comments, corrections, news tips to Today@Sam.edu