Enhancing Student Perceptions of the Role of Occupational Therapy in the Intensive Care Unit: An Interprofessional Simulation

Early mobility in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) can improve a multitude of patient outcomes, and occupational therapists (OTs) play a valuable role as part of the interprofessional team, with the ability to address activities of daily living, functional cognition, psychological and communication needs, and more. In 2022, the first iteration of an ICU interprofessional education simulation (Sim-IPE) yielded poor outcomes for OT students. This study aimed to modify existing pre-learning activities in the Sim-IPE's second iteration to improve OT students' perceptions and professional role awareness in interprofessional ICU care. Students from Doctor of OT, Bachelor of Science Nursing, Doctor of Physical Therapy (PT), and Associate Program Respiratory Therapy programs from one university participated in an ICU Early Mobility Sim-IPE with enhanced pre-learning activities and environmental modifications targeting OT student outcomes. Investigators employed a mixed methods approach, including pre/post quantitative analysis through the SPICE-R2 instrument and qualitative analysis of OT students' written reflections. Quantitatively, OT students (n = 12) demonstrated significant improvement in SPICE-R2 scores from pre- to post-Sim-IPE, as well as significant improvements when compared to OT student scores from the first iteration. Qualitatively, OT students reflected improved role awareness when compared to OT students from the first Sim-IPE, however, continue to struggle with role assertion and ambiguity, particularly with PT students. This study improved the OT students' Sim-IPE experience; specifically, role awareness and perceptions of interprofessional practice. Residual challenges in role assertion and ambiguity offer opportunities for future intervention and research.