URI Pharmacy, Nursing, Physical Therapy students treat simulated patients at Brown University

February 2, 2024
URI Nursing, Pharmacy and Physical Therapy students worked together on a variety of patient-focused healthcare simulations during an interprofessional education collaboration at the Alpert Medical School at Brown University Jan. 31.
URI Nursing, Pharmacy and Physical Therapy students worked together on a variety of patient-focused healthcare simulations during an interprofessional education collaboration at the Alpert Medical School at Brown University Jan. 31.

Annual Interprofessional Education event gives students in health professions experience in integrated patient care

URI students from the College of Pharmacy joined those from nursing and physical therapy in multidisciplinary teams, working together on a variety of patient-focused healthcare simulations during an interprofessional education collaboration at the Alpert Medical School at Brown University Jan. 31.

More than 500 students—140 from URI—worked in teams to assess the condition of hypothetical patients played by local actors. Each team — consisting of a student nurse, physician, pharmacist, physical therapist and social worker from URI, Rhode Island College and Brown — met with the patient for a physical exam and consultation. The team then worked together to develop a comprehensive treatment plan covering all disciplines that they then presented to the “patient,” according to College of Nursing Clinical Assistant Professor Kerri Ellis, who helped lead the URI contingent.

“Interprofessional education fosters collaboration among diverse healthcare disciplines, preparing our future professionals to seamlessly integrate their expertise,” Ellis said. “Together, the students assessed, planned and delivered patient care, exemplifying the power of teamwork in shaping comprehensive and patient-centered healthcare. This exceptional interprofessional initiative reflects our commitment to cultivating well-rounded healthcare practitioners equipped for the complexities of modern healthcare delivery.”

The URI College of Pharmacy began the interprofessional education collaboration with the College of Nursing in 2005, bringing students together in an interactive team-based laboratory module. Two years later, the colleges continued to grow their partnerships, working with the Office of Medical Education at the Brown medical school. The partnership has continued to strengthen since that first meeting, and the program has continued to expand through its 18 years. Originally held in a dining hall on the Pembroke Campus at Brown University, the event now runs through the entire Alpert Medical School building in Providence and includes more than 500 health professions students throughout Rhode Island.