Promoting Patient Safety Through Interprofessional Education Simulation

Abstract

An interprofessional education simulation project was created for Clinical Laboratory Sciences students to promote patient safety skills. Hand hygiene and patient identification were addressed in the scenario. CLS students participated in two IPE SIM experiences spaced six weeks apart. All students were educated by nursing faculty on careful hand hygiene (HH) when entering and exiting a patient's environment. Students were separated into two groups. The control group had no further education. The intervention group were instructed on the WHO 6-step HH process, and rehearsed on the steps. Students took pre and post-simulation quizzes on knowledge of HH. There was no significant difference in the quiz test scores between the two groups. Students' actual HH was video recorded prior to entering the patient environment and again as they exited. The intervention group demonstrated a significant and sustained increase in pre-patient HH times compared to the control group. ABBREVIATIONS: IPE SIM- Interprofessional Education Simulation, HH- Hand Hygiene, WHO- World Health Organization, ID- Identification. HAI- Healthcare Acquired Infections, CLS-Clinical Laboratory Sciences