Interprofessional Simulation Improves Confidence for Fieldwork in Acute Care Settings

Document Type (Journals)

Educational Innovations

Abstract

Preparing occupational therapy students for fieldwork in acute care settings presents logistical and educational challenges, and students often report limited confidence in their readiness for this environment. Simulation-based learning is a safe, structured approach for developing clinical reasoning, communication, and teamwork skills prior to Level II fieldwork. This study examined the impact of an extended time, multiple patient interprofessional acute care simulation. Students rotated through a series of increasingly complex patient cases across multiple units in a simulated acute care hospital, interacting with authentic and simulated hospital equipment, a simulated electronic health record, and structured debriefing. Three independent cohorts of first-and second-year occupational therapy and physical therapy students participated. Second-year students acted as therapists and were the primary learners. First-year students served as standardized patients and simulated healthcare staff. Faculty were embedded as fieldwork educators and healthcare staff. All received training for these roles to enhance realism. Students completed a modified Acute Care Confidence Survey and the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale pre- and post-simulation to measure changes in confidence and interprofessional readiness. Second-year students demonstrated statistically significant gains in acute care confidence. Findings for readiness for interprofessional learning were inconsistent. Overall, findings suggest the simulation experience increased students’ confidence in the acute care setting and provided valuable preparation for Level II fieldwork. These findings contribute to the literature on simulation-based learning in occupational therapy education by evaluating a daylong interprofessional simulation that reflects the fast pace and complex demands of acute care practice.

Biography

Valley McCurry, PhD, MBA, OTR/L, FAOTA is an assistant professor in the UAB department of occupational therapy. Dr. McCurry’s clinical experience includes working with adults in mental health, inpatient rehabilitation and skilled nursing. Her areas of research include mental health stigma, psychosocial issues related to community reintegration, and service learning.

Tara S. Pearce, PT, DHS, Associate Professor at UAB, specializes in clinical education and simulation-based learning. Her interprofessional initiatives promote wellness for individuals with disabilities. She advances physical therapy pedagogy through simulation, curriculum development, and collaborative service-learning, contributing to occupational therapy education and interdisciplinary practice.

Chris Eidson, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA is an associate professor with a primary teaching appointment and whose area of research pertains to andragogy, specifically team-based learning and service learning. He has an appointment as a Faculty Scholar at UAB and is also a Certified Trainer-Consultant through the Team-Based Learning Collaborative.

Patricia Perez, PT, DScPT, is Associate Professor and Director of Student Affairs at UAB. A board-certified orthopedic clinical specialist, she brings over 20 years of academic and clinical experience across acute care, neurologic rehabilitation, and outpatient orthopedics, with a focus on student development and interprofessional education.

Declaration of Interest

The authors report no declarations of interest.

Recommended Citation

McCurry, V., Pearce, T. S., Eidson, C., & Perez, P. (2026). Interprofessional Simulation Improves Confidence for Fieldwork in Acute Care Settings. Journal of Occupational Therapy Education, 10 (3). Retrieved from https://encompass.eku.edu/jote/vol10/iss3/20