Interprofessional simulation-based training in gynecologic oncology palliative care for students in the healthcare profession: A comparative randomized controlled trial

Background: Preprofessional palliative care education may be inadequate, leaving a gap in health professional students' knowledge and understanding of managing patients with gynecologic cancer and their families. Interprofessional simulation-based training may be useful in helping health professional students gain the necessary skills required for palliative care. Objective: This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of different simulation methods used for interprofessional training on gynecologic oncology palliative care knowledge, interdisciplinary education perceptions, and teamwork attitudes of health professional students and to compare these methods. Design: A comparative randomized controlled trial was conducted with a pre-test and two post-tests. Settings: This study was conducted at a university in Ankara, Turkey, in 2016–2017. Participants: A convenience sample of 84 interprofessional students (nursing, medical, nutrition-dietician, and social work) was used in the study. Methods: Students were stratified by their profession and randomized by four blocks into high-fidelity simulation, hybrid simulation, and a control group. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire form, palliative care knowledge test, interdisciplinary education perception scale, and teamwork attitudes questionnaire. Results: The high-fidelity simulation and hybrid simulation groups improved their palliative care knowledge, interdisciplinary education perception, and teamwork attitudes from pre-test to first and second post-tests compared to the control group. Conclusion: The introduction of high-fidelity simulation and hybrid simulation or hybrid simulation-based interprofessional training in undergraduate education can increase students' palliative care knowledge, interdisciplinary education perception, and teamwork attitudes. Training programs that are used together with high-fidelity simulation and hybrid simulation applications in interdisciplinary training should be integrated into the undergraduate curricula of future cooperating health professions.