IPE Event Descriptions

September

Preventable medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the U.S., claiming the lives of over 400,000 patients each year. These numbers underscore the need for patient safety training and education for healthcare professionals. Interprofessional education and practice are critical to patient safety and improved patient care. The purpose of this interprofessional patient safety event is to highlight the role of team-based care in order to identify and resolve potential medical errors and hazards, discuss root causes in cases of medical error, and practice disclosure of medical errors as a team.

October

The Interprofessional Toy Fair and Expo is an in-person community-engaged learning experience where learners can demonstrate their competence in the IPEC Core Competencies within an authentic experiential/clinical environment. Furthermore, it fosters interprofessional learning by bringing together teams of learners from various healthcare professions to collaborate on addressing community challenges. This event also grants families access to interprofessional healthcare professionals and educational resources they might not otherwise have, ultimately enhancing overall population health and well-being. This semester-long IPE experience for learners culminates in an in-person community engagement event in Lubbock. The TTUHSC Interprofessional Toy Fair & Expo, in partnership with Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) is held annually each fall for children birth to age 3, who receive early intervention services.

November

The IPE Fall Symposium offers a case-based learning experience at the exposure level of IPE integration. Each year, the symposium's topic is carefully chosen by an interprofessional planning committee, considering critical and emerging healthcare and public health crises relevant to various healthcare professions.

February

Emergency Preparedness in Communities (EPIC) Day is a team-building and small group IPE learning experience at the exposure level of IPE integration. Each year an interprofessional planning committee carefully selects the disaster-related topic based on recent and significant events impacting public health and safety. The primary goal of this IPE experience is to enhance interprofessional communication and teamwork skills within the context of public health emergencies, with a particular emphasis on community resources, policy development, action planning, and population health.

March

Disaster Day: An Interprofessional Mass Casualty Simulation is a simulation learning experience at the immersion level of IPE integration. Teams of interprofessional students will practice the basics of mass casualty triage and apply assessment, reasoning, and decision-making skills during an emergency to facilitate and optimize collaboration through teamwork, communication, values/ethics, and understanding of roles/responsibilities. During the event, interprofessional student teams will come together to diagnose, treat, and care for volunteer patients and populations affected by a natural disaster.

June

Shatter the Stigma: An Interprofessional Simulation with Standardized Patients is a simulation learning activity at the immersion level of IPE integration. According to the CDC, fatal drug overdose in the US is considered a public health crisis. Because healthcare professionals are typically the first points of contact for a person with a substance use disorder (SUD), training and awareness programs are critical components in reducing the potential for stigma and negative bias, as well as reducing issues of discrimination and marginalization that limit the willingness of individuals with SUDs to seek treatment. Additionally, the stigma around SUDs can negatively influence healthcare professionals' and teams’ perceptions of people with SUDs, impacting the type, frequency, and quality of care they provide. This virtual standardized patient (SP) simulation provides teams of learners from diverse professional backgrounds an opportunity to take the first step in shattering the stigma of SUDs by learning and practicing destigmatizing language and patient interviewing techniques. The collaborative event allows learners to engage in team-based problem-solving exercises that lead to a breakdown of stigmas and barriers to patient treatment and quality of care in SUDs.

July

Resilience in Interprofessional Teamwork is a case-based learning activity at the exposure level of IPE integration. Burnout in healthcare and healthcare education is an epidemic that has been linked to numerous devastating outcomes for learners, professionals, and patients. Many national healthcare organizations have stated that teamwork and mutual support are critical to improving resilience and well-being. Resilience in Interprofessional Teamwork is a virtual IPE experience designed to foster an awareness of personal resilience and its impact on interprofessional teamwork and communication.