2020 IP Symposium Better Together: Building Interprofessional Bridges

The second annual IP Healthcare Symposium hosted by the Office of Interprofessional Curriculum (OIPC) was a great success, thanks to our wonderful speakers and attendees! This year’s symposium – Better Together: Building Interprofessional Bridges – had 110 people in attendance during the three-day event. A call for posters was sent out several weeks prior to the symposium, drawing cross-disciplinary projects that exemplified the very best in innovative Interprofessional teamwork.

On Day 1 of the symposium, during a session for fifteen selected posters, presenters created a short video of their presentation, each followed by a Q&A session. The winner of the competition for the poster that most exemplified interprofessionalism was “Mock resuscitation simulations: A collaborative effort to improve team skills and care for deteriorating patients” submitted by Heather Hallman and a team of Physician Assistant, Nursing and Respiratory Therapy faculty

Carol Durham, EdD, RN, ANEF, FAANOn Day 2, Dr. Carol Durham gave a thoroughly engaging presentation emphasizing the importance of healthcare teams, infused with powerful real-life stories. Dr. Michael Saag followed with an insightful explanation of the importance of teamwork in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Afterwards, an expert panel including Dr. Fredrick van Pelt, Dr. David McCollum, Carlie Dobbins, Katherine Meese, and Kristen Noles, talked about the vital and adaptable role of telemedicine, currently in use to provide care for patients during COVID-19 lockdowns.

Chad Epps, MD, CHSE, FSSHOn Day 3, Dr. Anthony Hood presented on psychological safety in interprofessional teams, encouraging attendees to reflect on this issue in their own cross-disciplinary environments. During a small break in the speaker lineup Dr. Allison Shorten, Director of OIPC announced the poster contest winners, thanked the 2019 OIPC Fellows for their invaluable contributions, and introduced the new cohort of 2020 OIPC Fellows. Following this, Dr. Whitney Turner and Lisa Shakun led a question and answer session on how COVID-19 has been handled, both on the front lines at UAB and at a Connecticut clinic. The last speaker, Dr. Chad Epps, gave a wonderful talk about the current status of Interprofessional Education, examining future directions for IPE.

Poster Competition Winners

First Place

Mock resuscitation simulations: A collaborative effort to improve team skills and care for deteriorating patients. Authors: Neena Xavier, MD, FACE; Heather Hallman, PA-C, MSPAS; Summer Powers, DNP, CRNP, ACNP-BC, AACC; Kelly Dailey, MSN, RN; Jerry King, MAEd, RRT

Joint Second Place

High-impact, low-resource interprofessional simulation to prepare students to operate within an incident command system. Authors: Heather Lee, MPH; Elena Kidd, MPH; Meena Nabvi, MPH; Michelle Brown PhD, MS, MLS(ASCP) SBB; Matthew Fifolt, PhD; Marjorie Lee White, MD; Lisa C. McCormick, DrPH, MPH

Joint Second Place

Pandemic Positives: Incorporating Interactive Interprofessional Education and Intercommunication to Enhance Emergency Nurse Practitioner Distance Learning.  Authors: Melanie Hallman DNP, CRNP, FNP-BC, ACNP-BC, ENP-C, CEN, TCRN, FAEN; David T. House, DNP, CRNP, ENP-C, FNP-BC, CNS. Department of Family, Community, and Health Systems; School of Nursing

Our team at the OIPC would like to wholeheartedly thank all the people who helped make this symposium possible: the inspiring poster presenters, our distinguished speakers, and all the attendees who took the time to support our efforts, engage with our presenters, and share in the importance of interprofessional teamwork and education! We have already started planning for the 2021 IP symposium – ideas always welcome!

Thanks to our organizing committee:

Lynn Nichols, School of Nursing
Emily Simmons, UAB Medicine
Donna Slovensky, School of Health Professions
Kelley Swatzell, School of Health Professions
Dawn Taylor Peterson, UAB Heersink School of Medicine
Kristen Noles, UAB Medicine
Candice Turner, School of Optometry
Lisa McCormick, School of Public Health
Allison Shorten, Director, OIPC, CIPES, School of Nursing
Penni Watts, Assistant Director, OIPC, CIPES, School of Nursing
Peter Bosworth, Program Manager, OIPC, CIPES
Shelly Camp, Administrator, OIPC, CIPES