Health professions, Ferris State pharmacy students team up during large-scale simulation

November 28, 2023 (Volume 47, Number 7)
Article by Michele Coffill

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More than 150 Grand Valley and Ferris State students participated in an interprofessional, team-based care simulation November 10 at the DeVos Center for Interprofessional Health.

Grand Valley physician assistant studies and physical therapy students and Ferris pharmacy students were placed in small groups to assess and diagnose a standardized patient. Andrew Booth, chair and associate professor of physician assistant studies, said 10 standardized patients were used, all presenting the same symptoms.

The star of the simulation was the Simulation Center itself. 

Doug Ayers, simulation technology manager, said the center's space and technology allowed student teams to physically move from the hospital suite and other rooms that housed standardized patients to Zoom rooms to collaborate with teammates. Faculty were able to join Zoom rooms via the simulation management platform, CAELearning Space.

"There are many moving parts when it comes to coordinating interprofessional simulation events," Ayers said. "The faculty we work with are wonderful. They understand the behind-the-scenes work the simulation team does, such as scheduling, training and technology testing, which is essential for an event to run smoothly."

Booth said students were getting updates and lab results in real-time after conducting a home visit. All teams assessed the same case: a senior patient who had been home for three days after being admitted to the hospital for a day.

Michael Shoemaker, professor of physical therapy, said the simulation allowed students to integrate their knowledge and skills to evaluate a complex patient. However, Shoemaker and Booth agreed that communication among the three academic disciplines was paramount in this simulation.

"Events like these allow students to practice their basic team skills and identify the unique and necessary contributions from each discipline in providing outstanding team-based care," Shoemaker said.

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