By Ginger Hall Carnes
\nNursing students are working interprofessionally with other health care profession students at UT Health San Antonio as part of a unique research project that encourages them to work as a cohesive team.<\/p>\n
The RESPECT (Realizing Enhanced Student Inter-Professional Education through Clinical Teamwork) Project creates a team from four disciplines\u2014nursing, medical, dental and dental hygiene\u2014to work together at a San Antonio transitional living center.\u00a0 Lark Ford, Ph.D., RN, assistant professor\/clinical of nursing, leads the School of Nursing\u2019s participation in the project. It began in 2009 as the doctoral dissertation of Taline \u201cTalley\u201d Dadian Infante, Ed.D., RDH, then chair of the Division of Dental Hygiene. Dr. Infante, a beloved and nationally recognized dental hygiene educator, died in 2013.<\/p>\n
The RESPECT project is carried out at a medical clinic opened in 2005 by the Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine at the SAMMinistries\u2019 Transitional Living and Learning Center, where families with children work to overcome homelessness.
\n\u201cWe are pulling professionals together to see how we can provide wellness plans for the families while they\u2019re going through their transition period,\u201d explained Dr. Ford. \u201cOur goal was getting the students engaged.\u201d<\/p>\n
And that has happened, as evidenced by nursing students who participated in 2017. While clinical rotations are primarily based in hospitals, the RESPECT project gave students an opportunity to work in a community setting.<\/p>\n
Nadine Lagangan, B.S.N. Class of 2017, RN, an oncology nurse at University Hospital, enjoyed learning from the team.
\n\u201cEach discipline had something different to offer, and it was great seeing how our care meshed together to help our patient. As a new graduate, I don\u2019t know everything, but I do know my resources and who to go to for help,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Bianca Ortiz, B.S.N. Class of 2017, RN, shared: \u201cWorking with other students helped to establish the foundation for being able to work as part of an interprofessional team. Currently, I work on an inpatient rehab floor, and am part of a team of occupational, physical and speech therapists that gives patients the best care possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
Students are recruited in the fall to be part of the project the following spring. They work in teams of four and go to the center on five Saturdays from January through March.\u00a0 The interprofessional element was important for the welfare of the patient and for the education and efficiency of the medical professionals.
\n\u201cThe goal was for each of them to learn what the other professionals do,\u201d she explained. \u201cThe world thinks doctors, nurses and other professionals have this common relationship, this bond, because they work together. Many times they don\u2019t learn how to work together until after they graduate.\u201d\u00a0 Students learn to work as interprofessionals while learning their discipline and providing quality care, she said.\u00a0 Nursing students participate as part of their clinical immersion course during their last semester.<\/p>\n
In addition to benefiting the students, the homeless families found it helpful, Dr. Ford said. \u201cTheir health care occurred in one place. When we did a wellness plan, it gave them a game plan so they knew what things they need to be aware of, not only for themselves but for their children,\u201d she said.\u00a0 The students want the families to be healthy when they transition out of the center. \u201cIf they have to stop working because they\u2019re sick, then they lose their jobs. They can\u2019t pay their rent or mortgage, and then they\u2019re right back to being homeless,\u201d Dr. Ford said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Nursing students are working interprofessionally with other health care profession students at UT Health San Antonio as part of a unique research project that encourages them to work as a cohesive team.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":42,"featured_media":728,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"magazine":[24],"issue-year":[21],"featured-story":[],"class_list":["post-598","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-research","magazine-tribute","issue-year-21"],"yoast_head":"\n