Interdisciplinary Learning and Collaboration with Technology

  

            There are many professions that play a large role in providing safe, quality care in order to improve patient health and outcomes. Despite their role, each discipline has the same overarching goal; to promote health and wellness for patients. Although each profession or discipline has their own focus, we all work together to achieve this same goal. The ability to collaborate and communicate with other health professionals is imperative for students entering the nursing profession.

            In order to achieve this competency, students must be provided with opportunities while in school to work together with students from other disciplines. There are a variety of teaching strategies that can be utilized, with technology being a primary method. Integrating technology into teaching strategies used in nursing education can be an effective means of ensuring students develop the skills and attitudes necessary to engage in collaboration. Interdisciplinary education can be addressed through high-fidelity simulation. Students pursuing roles as nurses, physicians, social workers, physical therapists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, chaplains, dietitians, and pharmacists can participate in a simulation experience. In this experience, students work together through a patient scenario to determine the optimal plan of care for the patient. Progressing through this scenario, the students will further develop the QSEN competency of teamwork and collaboration. Furthermore, they will have a better understanding of each discipline’s role in patient care and will value their contribution.

            This simulation experience can also be used for nursing students across each year of study as a means of interdisciplinary collaboration. Nursing students from each year in school can all partake in a simulation together. As a result, the students will recognize their strengths and their individual contribution to the patient care experience as well as the areas in which they need to focus on for improvement. Also, the nursing students will practice their ability to delegate and to act as a leader.   

            In addition to high-fidelity simulation, other technological resources can be used to demonstrate interdisciplinary education. Tools such as Blogger can be used for students to post their reflections, thoughts, and feelings, after a clinical experience. Not only is it helpful for nursing students to read the post of their fellow nursing students, but also the posts of medical students and students in the social work program, to name a few. Reading these reflective posts contribute to the student’s understanding of each discipline’s role, the challenges they face in that role, and their part in providing optimal patient care.

            With the incorporation of more technology in nursing education, we have the capability of using resources that will enhance the learning process for students. These resources will lead to advances in critical thinking, clinical judgement, as well as interdisciplinary collaboration.

For more information, explore the following resources:

Interdisciplinary Education and Practice

Multidisciplinary Team Care