Promoting Participation: Outcomes of an Immersive, Interprofessional Tele-team Program with Health Science Students and Stroke Survivors

Stroke survivors (SS) may experience social isolation and decreased decision autonomy, limiting participation in meaningful activities. Health professions students need immersive experiences to develop team skills and are positioned to engage SS participation in desired activities by facilitating confidence in adaptations and autonomous decisions. Teleconferencing leverages team resources while providing a meaningful context for deliberate application of team skills. Relational Coordination Theory (RCT) offers a validated survey (RCS) to measure team performance. High levels of RC are associated with high-functioning healthcare teams, yet RC is rarely studied in interprofessional education (IPE). This descriptive study asks: 1) What are the outcomes of an immersive, interprofessional “tele-team” experience for health professions students and SS? 2) Will the RCS identify changes in team function in the tele-team context? Methods/methodology: A longitudinal, mixed-methods design created 9 tele-teams (3-4 students from PT, OT, SLP, BSN or RD with a SS). Teams met for 6 sessions, strategizing progress toward a SS-selected activity, measured by validated Relative Mastery Scale (RMS). Student team skills were measured with Interprofessional Collaborative Competencies Attainment Scale (ICCAS), and RCS; Patient Insights and Views Observing Team (PIVOT) yielded changes in SS perceptions. SS and student focus groups were conducted. Results: SS progress toward goal mastery increased over time (Total RMS scores (p=0.039); on average, student RCS scores improved (coefficient for linear effect of months 1 through 6 equal to 0.06 (SE=0.016, p< 0.001). All subscale scores for pre-post ICCAS increased (p< 0.08-0.001). PIVOT scores significantly increased over time (p=0.031). Narrative themes provided insight into program’s process and impact. Conclusions, implications, and curiosities: SS demonstrated progress toward meaningful goals as student team skills improved. The RCS appeared to measure changes over time, indicating that team development occurred in the tele-team environment. This innovative model may expand to include other health professions or extend to people with chronic conditions beyond stroke.