Caring for veterans: An interprofessional education experience

Purpose: Discuss the development and evaluation of an interprofessional education (IPE) program designed to increase health professional students’ understanding of military culture and the associated health problems of veterans. Background: The number of veterans and their families seeking healthcare and support within civilian communities is increasing. There is a need for healthcare providers within the community to provide sensitive, comprehensive care for veterans with multiple physical and behavioral health conditions. Many civilian providers are unfamiliar with veterans’ issues and need training on military culture and combat experiences in order to provide compassionate, high quality care. Description: A multi-disciplinary course was designed to increase health professional students’ understanding of military culture and the associated health problems of veterans. This IPE course was offered as an eight-week immersion experience with a clinical practice component. The course used didactic and on-line modules including content on military cultural, behavioral and physical health disorders commonly seen among veterans, and the related behavioral and pharmacological treatments. Faculty-lead student discussion groups, using case studies and standardized patient actors portraying veterans, were infused throughout the course. Results: Students showed a high readiness for interprofessional learning and demonstrated a significant increase in knowledge of veterans’ issues and health problems. Students valued the team approach to promote high quality healthcare for veterans. Conclusions: Students engaged in high levels of communication, cooperation, and collaboration among their team members, increased understanding of military culture, and valued their role as patient advocates. Relevance: IPE has helped health professional student teams to value each other’s contributions, communicate more effectively, and collaborate to improve the care for veterans. Students have learned about military culture and the impact it has on veterans’ care, allowing for a humanistic and individualized approach to care. 1) Discuss methods to develop an eight-week immersion course designed to promote interprofessional practice among health professional students providing healthcare for veterans. 2) Discuss methods utilized to evaluate health professional students’ learning and interprofessional collaboration following an eight-week immersion course to promote care for veterans