ABSTRACT

In response to a statewide stay-at-home order during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Seniors Clinic launched an interprofessional student-led, telephone-based outreach initiative targeting older adults deemed high risk for social isolation. The initiative primarily aimed to enhance students’ geriatric and interprofessional education during a time when clinical learning opportunities were limited, as well as supporting geriatric patients and providers through outreach during the COVID-19 quarantine period. Nurse practitioner, medical, and pharmacy students participated in virtual patient contact, geriatric case-based learning, and team-based interprofessional development. We conducted pre-and post-outreach assessments with students and geriatric providers to determine the effects of this initiative. After participating in the 3-month outreach initiative, interprofessional students reported increased confidence in conducting outreach calls, participating in interdisciplinary team discussions, and reviewing geriatric cases. This student-led telephone-based outreach to older adults improved students’ exposure to and confidence with interprofessional teamwork and geriatric medicine. Our experience can inform future interprofessional initiatives to improve outreach to populations affected by public health emergencies.

摘要

为响应 COVID-19 大流行期间全州范围内的居家令，老年人诊所发起了一项跨专业的学生主导、基于电话的外展计划，针对被认为具有高社会隔离风险的老年人。该计划的主要目的是在临床学习机会有限的情况下加强学生的老年病学和跨专业教育，并在 COVID-19 隔离期间通过外展支持老年病患者和提供者。执业护士、医学和药学学生参与了虚拟患者联系、基于老年病例的学习和基于团队的跨专业发展。我们与学生和老年服务提供者进行了宣传前后的评估，以确定这一举措的效果。在参与了为期 3 个月的外展活动后，跨专业的学生报告说，他们对进行外展电话、参与跨学科团队讨论和审查老年病例的信心增强。这种由学生主导的针对老年人的电话外展活动提高了学生对跨专业团队合作和老年医学的接触和信心。我们的经验可以为未来的跨专业举措提供信息，以改善对受突发公共卫生事件影响的人群的宣传。