A synchronous interprofessional patient safety simulation integrating distance health professions students

Background: Increasing rates of medical errors necessitate incorporation of patient safety education for health professions students. Institutions must address the needs of both campus- and distance-based learners to meet interprofessional education (IPE) accreditation requirements. The purpose of this project was to evaluate a synchronous interprofessional patient safety simulation to train students on interprofessional teamwork and communication through recognition of patient safety and medical hazards. Method: Students from health care professions participated in a Haunted Hospital/Heartbreak Hospital patient hazard/medical error simulation. A total of 201 students in 41 teams, both campus and distance, participated over three semesters. Results: Mean Student Perceptions of Interprofessional Clinical Education-Revised (SPICE-R) scores significantly improved from 44.81 6 3.59 to 47.08 6 3.31 (p <.0001). Qualitative responses indicated that students appreciated working with other health care students through collaborative practice and recognized the importance of discipline-specific expertise. Conclusion: This simulation provided campus and distance learners with a collaboration opportunity that improved their perceptions of IPE.