BMC Medical Education (12/05/2023) Schmuhl, Kelsey K.; Nagel, Steven; Tamburro, Ross; et al.

A recent study assessed the effects of a novel interprofessional educational activity about opioid use disorder (OUD) on healthcare professional students' knowledge of the condition and perceptions of working with an interprofessional team when caring for individuals with OUD. The study included 402 students from nursing, pharmacy, physician assistant, dentistry, social work and medicine programs. A pre-activity survey assessed participants' knowledge of and feelings toward working on an interprofessional team and perceptions of patients with OUD. The educational activity featured seven asynchronous modules, all of which included pre- and post-completion quizzes and were required to participate in a virtual synchronous escape room. The modules focused on key concepts related to OUD, including the neurobiology of substance use disorder (SUD), treatment of OUD, adverse childhood experiences, social determinants of health, motivational interviewing and ethics and stigma. After completing the modules, there was significant improvement in the knowledge-based areas, particularly in the treatment of OUD. Participants also reported the escape room activity changed their perceptions of working on an interprofessional team while managing patients with OUD, and they strongly agreed they would now refer patients to colleagues in other disciplines. Seven of the 11 perception variables assessed had meaningful increases in the post-completion survey. Based on their findings, the researchers concluded the innovative interprofessional educational activity was able to "increase participant knowledge and improves student perceptions of working with an interprofessional team and caring for patients." Furthermore, they noted, "This model allows for standardization of content and increased accessibility for learners from many institutions and healthcare programs to learn with and from each other."

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