Interprofessional Education Day gets boost from Foundation grant program.

In the multi-faceted healthcare industry, collaboration is key. As medical practices evolve, so too must the education of future healthcare professionals. Interprofessional Education Day (IPE Day), an annual event hosted by the Allied Health Sciences department at Shawnee State, has grown into a cornerstone experience for second-year students across Shawnee State’s various healthcare programs.

At the heart of IPE Day is the belief that healthcare is a group effort. Students from all AHS disciplines, including medical laboratory technology, radiology technology, respiratory therapy, dental hygiene, and paramedic EMS, come together to form interdisciplinary teams that then work through case-studies, trivia, and other activities. Jean McGlone, Director of  the Medical Lab Technologies program, emphasizes the collaborative nature of the event for students. 

“They all have knowledge. They all have their scope of practice. It's a way for them to share their knowledge, their area of expertise, and spotlight their involvement. But to also understand that we're all in this together, taking care of this patient. And to respect each other, and what they do.”

Through a series of videos, case studies, interactive demonstrations, games, and presentations, students not only share their own expertise, but also gain insights into the other AHS programs from their teammates.

“At the very end of the program, the teams are prompted to list things that they didn't know before. We always learn something new. The goal is, by the end of the day, they kind of think of themselves as a team. And part of that is learning to value and appreciate your coworker and what they bring to the team.”

While IPE Day has been a staple in AHS since its inception in 2015, the event continues to evolve. The recent addition of an IPE panel features community members working in the healthcare industry, such as professional med lab technicians and EMT workers. Hearing real-life experiences from professionals in the field reminds students of the human aspect of healthcare while previewing careers for the soon-to-be graduates, many of whom are already working. 

“We describe our programs as in-demand careers. You get your degree, you're most likely assured a job at the end of the cycle. The bulk of my students in MedLab are already working in professional labs. A local facility is at 60% capacity in their laboratory. That's concerning, to be working that short staffed. So my students are employed as what we call “processors.” They're hired as a resident position where they're already doing some laboratory testing and with the training they get here at Shawnee, they put them right to work. Now they're not doing the same work they'll be doing once they've completed their degree and certification, but they are very helpful. They're needed there right now.”

The support of the Development Foundation plays a significant role in the success and scale of IPE Day. Funding provided through a grant enables the event to include catering services, matching T-shirts for all faculty and students, and prizes for winning students and teams. McGlone is grateful for the Foundation's contributions, acknowledging that without their support, the event wouldn't be as impactful.

“We really appreciate the support from the Foundation because, without that money, we couldn't do it as elaborately. Each table of students were all wearing identical shirts. That's one of those little details that promotes that idea of teamwork. You can't tell the dental hygiene student from the med lab student. And that promotes that bonding, thinking collaboratively, working collaboratively together. So, you know, honestly, without that money in our budgets, we really couldn't do that.”

As an Associate Professor and Program Director, McGlone knows all too well the divisions that can sometimes permeate different college departments and disciplines. This can often carry over into professional facilities, leading to fractioned healthcare that is less than ideal for the patient. McGlone hopes events like IPE Day can help promote a more unified, collaborative approach to health care moving forward.

“We're trying to combat that here at the education level, before they take out with them when they're out working in the hospitals and the different clinics. The bottom line is we want them to take that idea that it is not just them taking care of this patient, they are part of a team. If they do that, there’s better communication, they respect each other prior to working in practice together, and it just leads to better healthcare for the patient.”

To learn more about programs in the Allied Heath Science department at Shawnee State, follow this link: https://www.shawnee.edu/areas-study/college-professional-studies/health-sciences

To learn more about grants available through the Development Foundation, visit the following link: https://givetossu.com/grants , call (740) 351-3717, or click the button below.