Standardized Patient Simulation Using SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral for Treatment) as a Tool for Interprofessional Learning.

Introduction: Substance misuse is a critical social and health care issue, and learning how to effectively screen for misuse and perform a brief intervention is useful for all health care professions. As an intercollegiate, interprofessional group, we developed a mechanism for delivering interprofessional education (IPE) using SBIRT (screening, brief intervention, and referral for treatment) as a tool to identify potential substance misuse. Methods: A total of 1,255 students from nursing, pharmacy, medicine, physician assistant, social work, dietetics, and occupational therapy programs participated in the training and evaluation of this IPE experience over 2 academic years. The training incorporated asynchronous SBIRT training, in-person student role-plays, and a standardized patient (SP) interaction. Results: A significant majority of participants indicated that this IPE experience enhanced their interprofessional skills (91%), was useful for interprofessional development (79%), was relevant to their career (92%), and would benefit their clients (93%). Faculty debrief sessions supported the efficacy of SBIRT as a platform for IPE. Discussion: Students believed that utilizing SBIRT as an interprofessional learning experience enhanced their overall educational experience and assisted with developing interprofessional relationships and that team-based care would lead to improved patient outcomes. Faculty found this learning activity to be effective in developing student insight regarding future professional peers and patient interview skill development through role-plays with peers and SPs.

Nursing Students' Sleep Patterns and Perceptions of Safe Practice During Their Entrée to Shift Work.

Background: The transition into shift work represents a critical and challenging time point in a nurse's career. The purpose of this study was to describe nursing students' sleep patterns and perceptions of safe practice during their first semester of clinical rotations. Method: Repeated measures pertaining to the sleep patterns of 19 full-time junior undergraduate nursing students were measured before, during, and after their first clinical rotations. Sleep was measured using wrist activity monitors and sleep diaries for seven consecutive days at each time period. Students' "self-efficacy" or belief in their ability to provide safe practice was measured for (a) patient care (preventing adverse events to patients) and (b) occupational health (preventing occupational injuries to themselves) using Bandura's self-efficacy scales. Associations between students' sleep, sleepiness, and their perceptions of safe practice were explored. Results: Nursing students' self-efficacy scores regarding patient care (preventing adverse events) improved across the three time periods (from 80% before clinical rotation, to 84% during clinical rotation, to 87% after clinical rotation). Although lower overall, students' self-efficacy scores regarding occupational health (preventing occupational injuries to themselves) also improved across the three time periods (from 71% before clinical rotation, to 76% during clinical rotation, to 77% after clinical rotation). Furthermore, increased sleepiness significantly predicted lower self-efficacy scores for both patient care and occupational health. Conclusion/Application to Practice: Sleepiness can impair nursing students' confidence in their ability to practice safely.

Nursing Students' Perceptions of the Transition to Shift Work: A Total Worker Health Perspective.

Nursing students make an abrupt transition from traditional classes to clinical rotations and shift work. Little is known about students' sleep, sleep disturbances, and safe practice behaviors during this critical phase of professional development. The purpose of this study was to identify nursing students' perceptions of problems and potential solutions related to shift work and long work hours. This qualitative, descriptive study used two nursing student focus groups which engaged in a two-round participatory process aimed at framing future interventions. Participants identified problems and solutions related to personal and workplace well-being. Findings will inform undergraduate curricular revisions, and hospital hiring and managerial practices.