Interprofessional Understanding of Ethical Dilemmas: Learning Experiences Of Simulation Learning in Social Welfare and Health Care Education

Abstract

This study examines the opportunities brought by simulation learning in acquiring interprofessional skills and developing ethical thinking. A largescale simulation refers to a simulation utilizing drama carried out with the help of actors and professionals from various industries. The simulation was constructed around an emergency situation related to sudden infant death syndrome. The scenario involved a paramedic unit, police officers and an on-duty social worker. The study explored the ethical dilemmas emerging during the simulation training and a related simulation debriefing, and the opportunities simulation pedagogy provides for dealing with and learning about ethical conflicts. The research data included a video-recorded simulation scenario and learning diaries by students based on a large-scale simulation, which were analyzed using narrative methods. The analysis was used as the basis for forming two main narratives representing key dilemmas. These included a person-oriented vs. action-oriented approach, and personal sense of justice vs. correctness. The shared ethical reflection resulted in the students understanding the moral justifications of professionals, such as police officers, physicians and paramedics, despite initially perceiving their activities critically. A key learning outcome was the broadening of the participants’ attitudes towards other professionals. They also raised their awareness of the significance of interprofessional collaboration and joint reflection in developing their own ethical thinking.