Using Simulations to Enhance Interprofessional Competencies for Social Work and Nursing Students

There is an increased emphasis on interprofessional education in the healthcare field, including social work. This paper discusses the design and implementation of an innovative idea in teaching that brings social work and nursing students together for skill development to do interprofessional work. Computer generated mannequin simulations have been used extensively in teaching medical, nursing, pharmacy, and other healthcare professions, but are a relatively new pedagogical tool in social work. Using the four interprofessional competencies put forward by the interprofessional collaborative, the authors describe the objectives, the cases utilized, the process of simulations, the technique of debriefing, and the themes that emerged from these reflective observations.