An Interprofessional Skills Development Program for Pre-Service School-Based Professionals

Erika Gergerich; Stacey Gherardi

doi:10.1921/jpts20572407

Authors

Erika Gergerich New Mexico State University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6418-641X
Stacey Gherardi New Mexico State University https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0679-8212

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1921/jpts20572407

Keywords:

Interprofessional education, Interprofessional collaboration, School Health, School Mental Health, School Counselling

Abstract

This article describes a pilot project conducted by an interprofessional team of faculty from Social Work, Education, Nursing, Counseling and Educational Psychology. University graduate students within these disciplines/programs were recruited to participate in a fully online, synchronous and asynchronous workshop focusing on interprofessional collaboration in the pre-kindergarten through 12th grade (PK-12) educational setting. First, faculty led a three-hour workshop via Zoom with didactic and interactive components to illustrate the value of interprofessional collaboration, build a culture of mutual respect, clarify professional roles, and highlight the importance of communication/teamwork. 15 students were then placed into mixed-discipline groups of five, with a member from each discipline, to engage in a series of four online asynchronous video discussions. Students completed a pre and post survey and participated in a focus group at the program’s end. Results from analysis of this pilot demonstrated that tools and approaches utilized to support Interprofessional Education (IPE) in healthcare, translate well to the domain of PK-12 education, and can improve students’ skills and attitudes toward Interprofessional Collaboration (IPC). A description of the project and materials are provided here for faculty seeking to facilitate collaborative interprofessional training among students of various disciplines preparing to work in the PK-12 educational setting.

Author Biographies

Erika Gergerich, New Mexico State University

Dr. Erika Gergerich is a licensed clinical social worker and received her PhD in Public Policy from the University of Arkansas. Her practice experience includes medical social work with an emphasis in geriatrics and over a decade in social work education. The bulk of her practice included working with older adults experiencing social challenges, mental health issues, and new diagnoses. Research interests are in the areas of geriatrics, aging policy, and interprofessional education and collaboration. In her current position as Associate Professor at New Mexico State University she teaches both undergraduate and graduate students. Teaching interests include Ethics & Aging, Professionalism in the Field of Social Work and Work with Communities and Organizations.

Stacey Gherardi, New Mexico State University

Stacy Gherardi is an Associate Professor at New Mexico State University and a licensed clinical social worker. Her experiences as a classroom teacher and a school social worker inform her work which focuses on the intersections between social and educational policy. Her past work has explored models for school social work, interprofessional practice in schools, and the community school movement. Her current work is largely focused on building equity-centered trauma-informed practices in culturally diverse schools.

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