Implementation of structured observation in interprofessional simulation education among physical therapy and nursing students: A curricular resource

Simulation-based interprofessional education enhances teamwork and communication skills among health professions students; however, logistical constraints often limit scalability. This article describes a curricular resource that integrates structured observation into a hybrid interprofessional education simulation for physical therapy and nursing students. The activity involved a one-time 2.5-hour live standardized patient simulation focused on acute hospitalization and discharge planning for a patient with Parkinson’s disease, with synchronous remote observation enabling broad student participation. Faculty from both disciplines collaboratively facilitated pre-briefing, simulation, and debriefing sessions to model interprofessional practice. Student outcomes were assessed using validated measures of interprofessional self-efficacy, readiness for interprofessional learning, and perceptions of interprofessional education. Pretest–posttest analyses revealed significant improvements across all outcome measures, with the strongest effects observed for self-efficacy and perceptions of interprofessional collaboration. This hybrid simulation model demonstrates a practical and sustainable approach to engaging large student cohorts in interprofessional learning while maintaining educational quality and promoting meaningful collaborative competencies.