Building bridges: an interprofessional educational approach for advanced practice nursing students

Peer learning or interprofessional teaching is a collaborative method to prepare the provider for the future teaching role as it improves the learning experience, enhances provider efficiency, and helps to establish mutual respect among health care providers. Interprofessional teaching has yet to be utilized among Advanced Practice Nurse Students (APNs) at Rutgers University. This identified gap in educational methods triggered Student Registered Nurse Anesthetists (SRNAs) to educate Emergency Care Advanced Practice Nurse Students (EC-APNs) about airway management techniques with the use of passive apneic oxygenation. This project aimed to assess whether interprofessional teaching among APN students was associated with enhanced provider confidence, and ultimately after receiving the intervention, whether participants were more willing to utilize the interventions they were taught. A pre lecture survey was given to assess opinions about interprofessional teaching. A PowerPoint® lecture created by the SRNAs was taught to the EC-APNs about airway anatomy and physiology, and airway management techniques in the form of passive oxygenation and intubation techniques. The lecture was followed by an airway workshop led by SRNAs, allowing the EC-APNs simulation of intubations and applying passive oxygenation. Simulation was followed with a post- lecture survey, which showed a statistically significant (P