“Well advised” – Simulation of an ethical case consultation with students of evidence-based nursing, midwifery, and human medicine as part of an interprofessional education course

Aim: Interprofessional education (IPE) prepares students in health professions for the joint care of patients and promotes (inter)professional identity formation. Interprofessional collaboration in clinical-ethical case consultations is essential for the best possible recommendations for action. Therefore, simulating the already established format of principle-oriented ethical case consultation is ideal for IPE. Method: An interprofessional education course was developed for three professions (evidence-based nursing, midwifery, and human medicine) with a focus on simulating principle-oriented ethical case consultations. After a theoretical introduction, students act in their (future) professional roles as participants in such a consultation. Two cases are simulated and reflected upon using a modified fishbowl method. The course is evaluated using a self-developed questionnaire implemented with EvaSys. Results: The course has been held three times since the winter term of 2022/2023. Ninety-six evaluation forms were evaluated (78% response rate) from 123 students. Students reported, inter alia, a “positive change in attitude toward interprofessional collaboration through the course” with an average of 1.8±0.8 and an “awareness of various ethical dimensions of professional activity” with 1.6±0.9 on a 5-point Likert scale (1=“completely agree”). The free-text responses show that the students particularly benefited from the practical exercises, the real-life cases, and the interprofessional exchange. Conclusion: Ethical issues are a natural focus for IPE due to the multi-professional perspective they require. This allows for the promotion of practical understanding and appreciation of various ethically relevant perspectives.