by Natalia Kirychuk, Student Public Relations Writer
Students from Cedarville’s schools of pharmacy and nursing and the social work department will participate alongside students from Wright State University and University of Dayton (UD) during an interprofessional education (IPE) event at Cedarville University on February 23.
Students majoring in dietetics, nursing education, respiration therapy and many more are expected to attend. Cedarville University will send 30 students, while 100 more are expected from Wright State and UD.
Participants will be placed in teams made up of multiple disciplines. Each group will work through a patient case and decide on a treatment plan that includes what medication, labs and medical imaging to order. Each group will then present its plan to peers and multidisciplinary faculty board members who will provide feedback and learning opportunities. Students are also asked to prepare a “patient-friendly” presentation so they can present their case in layman’s terms.
“The goal of this event is to simulate real-world interactions that these students will have once they graduate,” said Dr. Bethany Sibbitt, assistant professor of pharmacy practice at Cedarville University. “We want to teach students to identify the strengths and weaknesses they all have and learn how to work together to advocate for the patient.”
— Bethany Sibbitt
"It is essential that we teach and model interprofessional collaboration for our students,” said Cliff Fawcett, assistant professor of nursing. “Health care involves constant interaction with multiple disciplines. We need to start early, teaching the importance of working together to reach common goals. We are making a concerted effort to mix with other disciplines so we can work more effectively together when the students move into their professional roles."
In December, students from Cedarville participated in an IPE event at Wright State University, learning specifically about prescription law. In April, Cedarville will participate in another IPE event at Wright State, this time focusing on the issue of public health needs in disaster situations.
The February event will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and lunch is provided for participants.
“I strongly believe that interprofessional collaboration is the only way that health care works,” said Megan Alt, second-year professional pharmacy student from Toledo, Ohio. “If health care workers are not communicating about treatment then we are not taking care of the patient in the best way possible. We all have a unique place in health care, and it all comes together when we work together. These events give me practice talking to students and professionals from different professions than my own.”
“The event is a great opportunity to work with students from other professions and learn how our respective professions work together in the health care setting,” said Ryan Mayer, second-year professional pharmacy student from Lima, Ohio. “These events are beneficial because they get us out of the classroom to apply our knowledge and critical thinking skills in real-life cases, helping us prepare for when we go out on rotations.”
Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 4,193 undergraduate, graduate and online students in more than 150 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, strong graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings and leading student satisfaction ratings. For more information about the University, visit www.cedarville.edu.