Aug 2026· Health Education in Practice: Journal of Research for Professional Learning· 0 citations
TL;DR
It is demonstrated that a single, well-designed interprofessional simulation session can yield meaningful educational benefits, with potential downstream benefits for patient safety in critical-care environments.
Abstract
Purpose: Interprofessional learning (IPL) is increasingly recognised as essential for preparing students for collaborative clinical practice. Despite this, opportunities for joint learning remain limited in Australia. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a single simulation-based IPL intervention on students’ perceptions of roles, communication and teamwork.
Design: Medical and nursing students participated in an IPL program combining joint teaching with high-fidelity simulation. A pre- and post-intervention questionnaire, informed by validated IPL assessment tools and analysed using Mann–Whitney U tests, evaluated changes in perceptions and self-reported confidence.
Findings: Seventy-one students participated (63.4% medical; 36.6% nursing). Post-simulation scores were significantly increased for eight of the nine items assessed: perceived importance of IPL, understanding of roles, comfort communicating, confidence speaking up, confidence clarifying patient management, understanding of communication styles (all p ≤ 0.001; effect size r = 0.31–0.69), and perceived importance of role delegation (p = 0.001; r = 0.30). Perceptions that clear interprofessional communication benefits patient care remained high (p = 0.169). All participants endorsed IPL to peers and reported high enjoyment of the experience.
Research implications: These findings contribute to the growing evidence base supporting simulation-based IPL as a valuable educational intervention. Further research should explore longitudinal outcomes, behavioural change in clinical settings, and scalability across healthcare disciplines.
Value and limitations: This study demonstrates that a single, well-designed interprofessional simulation session can yield meaningful educational benefits, with potential downstream benefits for patient safety in critical-care environments. Limitations include a single institutional context and absence of long-term follow-up.
Keywords: interprofessional learning, simulation-based education, collaborative practice, patient safety, clinical education, workforce training
Introduction Interprofessional collaboration between nurses and physicians is essential for effective patient care, safe clinical workflows, and patient-centered outcomes. Despite its importance, interprofessional knowledge is insufficiently integrated into German medical education, potentially limiting students’ readiness for collaborative practice and their understanding of professional roles in clinical settings. This study explored how medical students perceive nurses’ work, nursing-related learning experiences, and interprofessional collaboration and Role Understanding within undergraduate medical education. Methods Fourteen medical students (1st–6th year) at the University of Magdeburg participated in semi-structured interviews recruited using purposive sampling to ensure variation across study years. Transcripts were analyzed using Mayring’s qualitative content analysis to identify categories and themes. Analytical rigor was ensured through independent coding and interdisciplinary validation in a research workshop. Results Seven themes were identified: Interprofessional Collaboration and Role Understanding, First Clinical Experiences, Nursing During the Practicum, Nursing-Related Learning Experiences During Medical School, Desired Nursing-Related Learning Experiences, Importance of Nursing, and Patient Well-being. The mandatory nursing practicum emerged as a key formative experience shaping early interprofessional role understanding. Students reported variability in supervision and structure, alongside limited curricular integration of nursing content. While interprofessional collaboration was considered essential, participants expressed uncertainty regarding nursing roles and responsibilities and emphasized the need for structured opportunities for interprofessional and nursing-related learning, including clinical skills, communication, and management of complex patient situations. Conclusion Medical students’ perceptions of nursing are strongly shaped by early and variably structured clinical experiences, particularly the nursing internship. The findings suggest that current medical curricula insufficiently support the systematic development of interprofessional role understanding. The structured integration of nursing-related learning experiences and explicit teaching about nursing roles, nursing-related practical skills and clinical workflows into medical education may strengthen interprofessional collaboration and support patient-centered care.
Lukas Valerius, Jonathan Hagedorn, Christian Albert et al.· Frontiers in Medicine· 0 citations
Interprofessional education (IPE) plays a key role in preparing healthcare professionals for future collaborative practice. We explored the attitudes of first-year medical and physician associate (PA) students toward the team approach to care. Students participated in three IPE sessions, using cases designed to prompt discussion regarding professional roles, responsibilities, and team dynamics. We explored the impact of the sessions using the Students Perceptions of Interprofessional Clinical Education-Revised (SPICE-R2) instrument and focus groups. Fifty students completed the presurvey, and 48 students completed the postsurvey. There were increases in mean scores related to "teamwork and collaboration," "roles and responsibilities," and "patient outcomes." Focus group data suggested that both medical and PA students agreed that their education benefitted from the IPE sessions and that their ability to practice effectively as part of an interprofessional team would be enhanced as a result. Many students admitted to not having a clear understanding of their respective roles before the sessions and agreed that care delivered as part of an interprofessional team would positively impact patient care and reduce healthcare costs. The sessions helped students to understand their respective roles and responsibilities, and the importance of collaborative practice in improving patient outcomes.
Pauline Joyce, Michelle O’Toole, Elizabeth Dolan et al.· Journal of Interprofessional...· 0 citations
Results show positive effects on skill development and encouragement through an IPE intervention on patient safety in perinatal care, and obtained insights suggest the value of integrating IPE into health professionals’ curricula to initiate sustainable learning.
Katharina Averdunk, Nikoloz Gambashidze, A. Klein et al.· BMC Medical Education· 0 citations
Students exhibited a high baseline readiness for interprofessional learning, reflecting positive attitudes toward teamwork and collaboration, and long‐term and integrated IPE initiatives are recommended to strengthen collaborative competencies and measure sustained changes in readiness.
M. Imran Pasha, Rashmi Jain, Umme Amarah· International Journal of Den...· 0 citations
Sustained exposure to simulation-based IPE was associated with positive student-reported perceptions of interprofessional learning in a minority-serving academic health context, and the importance of role clarification, structured pre-briefing, competency-aligned simulation objectives, and reflective debriefing to strengthen IPE outcomes is highlighted.
Olumide A Ojo, Peregrina L. Arciaga, Ayser A. Jama et al.· Journal of Interprofessional...· 0 citations